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Performance Racing Network

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Performance Racing Network
Company typeDivision of Speedway Motorsports
IndustryRadio Network
Founded1981; 43 years ago (1981)
HeadquartersCharlotte Motor Speedway Concord, North Carolina
Key people
Doug Rice
ProductsNASCAR racing and radio programming
Number of employees
Roughly 70
Websitewww.goprn.com

The Performance Racing Network (PRN) is a radio network controlled by Speedway Motorsports.

Since 1981, PRN has aired all NASCAR-sanctioned Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series events held at Speedway Motorsports-controlled tracks which include Atlanta, Bristol, Charlotte, Kentucky, Las Vegas, New Hampshire, Sonoma and Texas, along with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where they co-produce and syndicate (in non-conflicting markets with the IndyCar Radio Network) for the Brickyard 400, where their staffers work both races. This is in contrast to other NASCAR events (operated by ISC, Dover Motorsports and the Mattioli family), which are broadcast by ISC-controlled Motor Racing Network. PRN and MRN on most occasions share the same radio affiliates (IMS also, although PRN jointly produces the IMS race) in order to broadcast a complete NASCAR schedule.

All PRN shows with the exception of the pre and post race shows originate from Performance Racing Network's studios at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

All PRN race broadcasts are available via the NASCAR Radio channel on SiriusXM via both Sirius Satellite radio and XM Radio's "Best of Sirius" package. Fast Talk is also carried on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio on Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. Eastern time. Fast Talk, The O'Reilly Pit Reporters and Garage Pass can all be heard online at goprn.com.

Programming

PRN's schedule includes the following:

  • Fast Talk: Doug Rice hosts the show with a rotating host, usually a driver. The driver co-hosts include Kyle Petty,[1] Jeff Hammond and Hermie Sadler. The rotating host format was adopted after the death of Benny Parsons, who had hosted the show during the first 14 seasons. It is a call-in show that airs Mondays at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time. Fast Talk is heard on 220 stations, fifty-two weeks a year. Fast Talk is also live video streamed and can be viewed at goprn.com.
  • Garage Pass: Mark Garrow[1] and Steve Richards (substitute) anchor this four-minute NASCAR news program. Garage Pass is heard on 450 stations across the USA. The program was created by Garrow in 1986 under the name "Winston Cup USA" and ran on a handful of stations for one year. In 1987, Garrow partnered with Capitol Sports Network in Raleigh, North Carolina to network and sell the program. The name was changed to "Winston Cup Today" and grew to approximately 480 stations at its peak. Richards produced the program, served as substitute host and covered the majority of the scheduled NASCAR events. Midway into the 1999 season the show was ended by Capitol Broadcasting when NASCAR demanded rights fees for the use of audio originating from the racetrack. In 2000, Garrow partnered with Performance Racing Network as the show was resurrected and renamed "Garagepass" as the rights fee issue was settled. 2011 marked the 25th year Mark Garrow has produced a daily NASCAR news program. Steve Richards, who began his radio career in 1977, has been covering the sport on a full-time basis for about 15 years, and before that on a part-time basis from 1985. He also covered Duke, NC State and University of North Carolina basketball and football from 1986 until the mid-nineties for WRAL-FM and the North Carolina News Network. Richards produced and anchored the scoreboard shows on the Duke and NC State football networks.
  • O'Reilly Auto Parts Pit Reporters: Brett McMillan hosts a panel-driven show with journalists discussing the issues of the week in NASCAR Racing, primarily in the Sprint Cup. Other forms of racing are occasionally talked about if the news is important enough.
  • ZMax Racing Country: A weekly, two-hour country music-oriented program hosted by WKKT morning disc jockey Paul Schadt along with Cathy Martindale, with news from both country music and NASCAR. Top country artists and NASCAR drivers are featured in interviews as are a rundown of the week's popular country songs. This is a 52-week program (no off-season breaks). The program dates back to 1989 and was formerly known as NASCAR Country before losing the rights to the NASCAR name circa 2000. Its slogan is the two fastest hours on the radio.

Jim Noble also co-hosts a daily call-in show on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio channel 90 called Tradin' Paint with longtime gasman for Dale Earnhardt Chocolate Myers Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. Brad Gillie co-hosts a late night call-in show on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio called Late-Shift Monday and Tuesday nights from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. Eastern time. He now does the show with Kenny Wallace. Gillie also is a frequent co-host of Press-Pass every Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Eastern time. Pat Patterson hosts a weekend morning call-in show called The Frontstretch from 7:00 to 11:00 a.m. during the season and 9:00 to noon in the offseason.

Announcers

Eliott Sadler and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in an interview on Performance Racing Network

Booth Announcers

  • Doug Rice (Lead Announcer, co-host of Fast Talk)
  • Mark Garrow (Announcer for Sprint Cup Races, host of Garage Pass)

Turn Announcers

Pit Reporters

Technical Crew

References

  1. ^ a b Wineka, Mark (2011-02-16). "NASCAR announcer calls Salisbury home". Salisbury Post. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
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