NASCAR Superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr. Joins XM Satellite Radio
to Launch XM Show in February 2006
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr. will join XM Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: XMSR) for a weekly show to be broadcast exclusively to XM's six-million-plus subscribers from coast to coast. Dale Jr.'s show will debut during the week of February 13 on XM's NASCAR Radio (XM Channel 144) during Daytona Speedweeks. XM is the nation's leading provider of satellite radio and the official satellite radio network of NASCAR.
Dale Jr. will discuss the latest happenings on the NASCAR circuit, as well as music, video games and other personal interests on the wide-ranging show. Dale Jr. will also play a key role in various XM promotions as part of a multi-year agreement with XM.
"I love racing and I love XM, so I definitely couldn't pass up on an opportunity to combine the two. It's a perfect fit," said Dale Jr. "Listeners to my new show on XM will get a real sense of who I am both on and off the track. Thanks to XM, I'll have a national weekly radio show that allows me to speak my mind, play my music and, most important, keep in touch with NASCAR fans. I'll be able to share with NASCAR fans things they won't be able to hear anywhere else. I can't wait to get started on the show and the upcoming NASCAR season."
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is widely considered to be one of the most celebrated personalities in racing. He has been voted by NASCAR fans as the most popular NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers for the past three years in a row. In 2005 Dale Jr. merchandise led sales of NASCAR driver licensed merchandise and accounts for roughly 25 percent of all driver licensed products.
"Dale Earnhardt Jr. is without a doubt one of the most exciting and successful figures in auto racing today. The chance to offer NASCAR fans an exclusive, weekly show hosted by Dale Jr., one of the sport's most popular drivers, is a thrill for XM. We are definitely excited and we are proud to welcome Dale to the XM family for this new show," said Eric Logan, executive vice president of programming for XM Satellite Radio. "XM listeners across the country will be able to tune in and hear Dale Jr. throughout the NASCAR season."
About XM Satellite Radio
XM is America's number one satellite radio service with more than six million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City, Nashville, Toronto, and Montreal, XM offers 160 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: the most commercial-free music, premier sports, talk, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and the most advanced traffic and weather information.
XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan, Porsche, and Volkswagen/Audi, is available in more than 130 different vehicle models for 2006. XM's industry-leading products are available at consumer electronics retailers nationwide. For more information about XM hardware, programming and partnerships, please visit http://www.xmradio.com.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements in this press release include demand for XM Satellite Radio's service, the Company's dependence on technology and third party vendors, its potential need for additional financing, as well as other risks described in XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.'s Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 11-7-05. Copies of the filing are available upon request from XM Radio's Investor Relations Department.
SOURCE XM Satellite Radio