W
Ward Burton
Guest
March 31, 2003
5:26 PM EST (2226 GMT)
Nascar.com
Wheel of Fortune, America's #1 rated syndicated television series, and the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) have teamed up for a second consecutive year for Wheel of Fortune's "NASCAR Week," scheduled to air nationwide April 7-11.
NASCAR fans have been selected as contestants to compete on a NASCAR-themed Wheel of Fortune set, featuring 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart's No. 20 Home Depot car.
"NASCAR Week" contestants will have the opportunity to win VIP fantasy trips to some of NASCAR's exclusive events, including: a Ricky Craven/Tide Racing Getaway Vacation Package for two; a VIP trip to the Daytona International Speedway and a special trip to the Pepsi 400 in Daytona Beach; and a Domino's Vacation Prize Package which includes a trip for two to the hometown of the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, North Carolina and VIP tickets to the race.
Additional prizes include packages from NASCAR sponsors America Online (AOL) and XM Satellite Radio. Grand NASCAR-themed prizes include a Ford F350 truck and a Dodge Intrepid.
"By combining these two high-powered American brands, we can provide both groups of fans a very rewarding viewing experience, including some exclusive behind-the-scenes NASCAR footage," said Harry Friedman, executive producer, Wheel of Fortune.
Official NASCAR licensees are providing apparel for the studio audience to wear during the taping. In addition, race fans and Wheel Watchers alike can expect some of NASCAR's top 10 drivers, including Jeff Gordon and Ricky Craven and other fan favorites to appear in taped segments throughout Wheel of Fortune's "NASCAR Week".
"The strong tune-in last year to Wheel of Fortune's 'NASCAR Week' was a great testament to the nationwide following of our sport and this amazing show. Wheel of Fortune has a strong following within NASCAR and we are pleased to extend this partnership into 2003 as this type of entertainment programming helps to grow NASCAR's audience as well," said Paul Brooks, vice president, broadcasting, NASCAR. "Wheel of Fortune is a great platform to showcase the incredible drivers, teams, tracks, sponsors and fans that make our sport so special and exciting for the entire family."
Wheel of Fortune "NASCAR Week" will be promoted nationwide on over 200 Wheel of Fortune affiliates and online at www.wheeloffortune.com, as well as on NASCAR.com. The premiere of "NASCAR Week" on Wheel of Fortune debuted the week of April 22- 26, 2002, with an average of 13.3 million viewers tuning in each night.
Wheel of Fortune is the #1 program in the history of syndicated television and this year marks its 20th season in syndication. It is seen by 18 million American viewers each evening and by over 100 million weekly viewers worldwide. Wheel of Fortune is produced by Sony Pictures Television and distributed worldwide by King World Productions, Inc.
Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers. SPT produces and distributes top rated, award-winning programming in every genre, including series, movies and family entertainment for network and cable television; first-run syndicated series; off-network syndicated programs; and theatrical releases. SPT (www.sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.