HotPass a DirecTV path to inner world of NASCAR

Unless you've lost the remote lately, you can't help but notice that DirecTV is getting into motorsports in a big way.

The satellite entertainment provider, which will sponsor Richard Childress Racing's No. 07 Chevrolet driven by Clint Bowyer six times this season, recently introduced NASCAR HotPass to the NASCAR world, and early returns suggest the company has a hit on its hands.

Essentially, NASCAR HotPass, which is only on DirecTV, features five dedicated driver channels offering multiple camera angles, real-time car telemetry, in-car audio communication and a dedicated announcer team. The new service, combined with race-day telecasts and NASCAR.COM coverage, will give fans the most comprehensive and powerful NASCAR experience possible.

And it's pretty cheap, too. DirecTV customers can now purchase the service at a full-season package price of $99 or on a pay-per-week basis for $29.99.

This week at Atlanta, there's even a new HotPass paint scheme for Bowyer's car, which is normally backed by Jack Daniel's.

"DirecTV has been an important partner to RCR over the past two years, and the company's new NASCAR HotPass service is an exciting innovation in how our sport is presented to fans," said Richard Childress, president and CEO of RCR. "We're proud to feature DirecTV's NASCAR HotPass logo with this exciting paint scheme."

DirecTV has sponsored a race at Martinsville, utilized the RCR team in several races and now adds the content-rich premium channel to its NASCAR portfolio for 2007.

"Richard and the entire RCR team have been fantastic partners over the last two years, and with the launch of NASCAR HotPass this year we knew they would play a critical role in helping us raise awareness for the new service" said Jon Gieselman, president of advertising and public relations for DirecTV. "We have been overwhelmed by the incredible response for NASCAR HotPass so far, and we look forward to sharing our innovative race experience with even more die-hard fans in the future."

The fact that DirecTV and its network of providers is revving up the marketing machine behind the launch of the new program hasn't hurt, either. (Continued)