DIRECTV will team up with ESPN and NASCAR to open the throttle for a second consecutive year of DIRECTV’s Head2Head Knockout competition – an innovative, bracket-format contest that will showcase existing and new rivalries among 32 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers.
The high-stakes competition will take place over the course of four races during the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning Aug. 7, 2011. DIRECTV, the exclusive provider of the NASCAR HotPass broadcast, will donate a total of $400,000 to driver charities during the four-round event as drivers compete head-to-head each week with the winner moving on to the next bracket.
And drivers won’t be the only ones competing. A participating fan, who fills out a perfect bracket, can win a $1 million. Aside from a perfect bracket winner, the fan who accumulates the most points will win a brand new truck from the manufacturer of the winning driver. Other prizes include a Panasonic 3D Prize Package. Fans can get more information by visiting www.directv.com/nascar and can enter their brackets until Aug. 7 at 12:30 p.m. EDT.
The competition divides 32 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers into four regional brackets, with each driver going head-to-head against a new competitor each week in a single elimination format. Participating drivers advance to subsequent rounds by finishing higher than the driver they are matched up against each week. In classic “tournament” fashion, rounds one through three will narrow the field down to “The Fastest Four” who will trade paint for DIRECTV’s NASCAR Head2Head Knockout Championship in Bristol, Tenn. on Aug. 27.
Out of the 32 drivers, 12 participated in the 2010 Sprint Cup Chase while the 20 remaining bids were determined by a selection committee.
Following is a schedule for DIRECTV’s NASCAR Head2Head Knockout competition in 2011:
* Round One on Aug. 7 (Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono)
* Round Two on Aug. 14 (Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen at Watkins Glen)
* Round Three on Aug. 21 (Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan Speedway)
* “The Fastest Four” on Aug. 27 (Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway)
“Coming off last year’s successful Head2Head campaign, we are thrilled to team up with ESPN and NASCAR to create a competition that dials up the rivalries among drivers and also helps a number of important charities around the country,” said Jon Gieselman, senior vice president of Marketing and Direct Sales for DIRECTV. “The bracket style, single elimination competition brings out the best in everyone, especially with bragging rights on the line.”
NASCAR HotPass, DIRECTV’s exclusive broadcast that allows viewers to experience the race from the driver’s vantage point with four dedicated driver channels in HD, will offer fans the ultimate way to track the Head2Head Knockout brackets during the four-week competition. NASCAR HotPass is available only on DIRECTV and is included at no extra charge in every base TV package.
“At NASCAR, we are always looking for ways to collaborate with our official partners to engage our avid, loyal fans and this program is a good example,” said Norris Scott, NASCAR Vice President of Partnership Marketing and Business Solutions. “DIRECTV understands how to create exciting initiatives that help fuel fans’ passion for our sport, while also supporting some of our drivers’ charities – many of which have been impacted over the last several years by a slow economy. Providing fans with a chance to compete for great prizes while directing funds to the non-profit sector is truly a win-win.”
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