You'd have better luck petitioning your cable/satellite provider to carry the Eurosport channel, which already has WRC. Speed dropped it 'cause they could make more money showing NASCAR. A million signatures won't mean squat to them.

 

Some background info from Wikipedia for those of you new to this issue.

Good Luck with the petition... I signed the last 5 versions of this over the years, but I'm starting to like the NASCAR stuff , so I'll sign the next petition that says less infomercials, ole' movies and repeats etc.

"SPEED Channel, based in Charlotte, NC, was launched on New Year's Day 1996, by Roger Werner, as SpeedVision. The network is shown in the United States and Canada. The network is primarily devoted to things that have four (or two) wheels, a motor, and move fast. Occasionally, the motor is optional. Programming on the network includes live Formula One racing, NASCAR-related shows, how-to programming, antique car shows, less-popular racing series, a weekly news show, call-in shows, and even reality shows. Bobsledding, luge, and skeleton events are shown during the winter months. The network is also the exclusive United States broadcaster of the 24 Hours of Daytona, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and formerly the Dakar Rally until losing the rights to that event to OLN for 2005. Beginning in 2007, SPEED will be the exclusive home to the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series' All-Star race, the Nextel All-Star Challenge, and the NASCAR season opener, the Budweiser Shootout. [1]

In the summer of 2001, Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation purchased one-third of Speedvision. In August 2001, they negotiated to acquire the stake of the channel owned by Comcast, thus giving them majority ownership. The plan was to reintroduce the channel in 2002 as a 24-hour NASCAR network. This plan was ultimately shelved in the fall due to lack of quality NASCAR programming the network could attain at the time.

On Monday February 11, 2002 at 7:59 p.m. ET, SpeedVision relaunched as SPEED Channel. The first program of the new format was a special launch show and 2002 NASCAR preview focusing on Speedweeks 2002. News Corp.'s FOX had a year-old relationship as a NASCAR broadcaster, many NASCAR shows began airing on SPEED Channel, a move that was unpopular with some of the network's viewers. However, with the increased NASCAR programming, viewership is at all-time highs, with the channel being added to many regular cable lineups.

In its nearly four-year existence under its new name, SPEED has made an effort to show more live races. In 2002 and 2003, SPEED, along with CBS, was one of America's two networks broadcasting Champ Car races. In 2006, SPEED will air 8 Champ Car races, alongside CBS and NBC, who will broadcast 7 races combined, with 4 on CBS and 3 on NBC.

In October 2002, SPEED bought out the remaining year of ESPN's three-year contract for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and in February 2003, began showing live exclusive coverage of the series. The network's coverage of the Truck Series' Florida Dodge Dealers 250 for February 18, 2005 scored a Nielsen rating of 2.1, the highest-rated program in the network's history. Another SPEED staple is WindTunnel with Dave Despain, a live call-in show that has been on the network since February 2003.

Since its inception in 1996, there has been a racing series named after the network-the SPEED World Challenge, formerly named, not surprisingly, the SpeedVision World Challenge. SPEED also runs a very short segment during its commercial breaks, titled, "My First Car", in which celebrities like Ron Howard, Pierce Brosnan, and George Lucas (who has a great love for Fiat) and SPEED Channel viewers talk about the first set of wheels they ever drove.

SPEED made news with the 2005 firing of network president Jim Liberatore, who had been with the network since FOX bought it in 2001 when it was still SpeedVision, reportedly because Liberatore had wanted to reduce the number of NASCAR-related shows on the network, and the network brass wanted more NASCAR-related programming. In 2002, Speedvision had collaborated with Disney, causing the channel to resemble the Disney Channel in some ways, making the channel targeted for younger viewers in the preteen and teen age. This angered some network viewers, who fear that SPEED is becoming ever closer to becoming an all-NASCAR channel and the lost of intelligence because of the collaboration of the executives. Liberatore left this message (See orginal for link) for SPEED viewers on the network's message board. However, NASCAR programming continues to draw viewers to the network. Some SPEED viewers have suggested a second channel for non-NASCAR programming, just like ESPN has with ESPN2.
SPEED is primarily a satellite and digital cable network, although many areas in the U.S. do have the network in their basic cable packages. It is also available in Canada and in Brazil. Racing coverage, particularly that of Formula One, is subject to blackout outside the U.S.
In the spring of 2006, SPEED launched SPEED Mobile, where fans can download ringtones and wallpapers made by SPEED to their cell phones.
In late 2005, SPEED Channel rebranded themselves as SPEED, cancelling some TV shows including NASCAR Nation."

 

Done signed

 

There is nothing like the Corcega rally where the drivers are actually driving in 3 wheels right on the edge of a 500ft cliff and the helicopter is falling them closely..

How about the 1000 lakes Rally where the guys are sliding on mud and snow.

NASCAR will never be exciting when compare to the real driving thrill of a Rally competition or a Formula one race.

Even cup races are 10000 times more exciting than watching 30 cars doing laps in a oval 300 times.....

Carlos

 

Hopefully we'll get enough to change the programing

 

Oh my god I hate NASCAR! The hate is painful...lol!

 

Signed.

 

NASCAR makes me puke green stuff.

 

Car and Driver had a story about SPEED and the perception they focus too much on NASCAR. By percentages, it's not overwhelmingly NASCAR, but it sure does feel that way. Money drove the decision to focus more on NASCAR. I personally find it dull, but will watch it over anything on HGTV (sorry, honey!). SPEED also defended their WRC coverage drop with some lame excuse that deflected the problem back on WRC.

I took a vacation to Germany last year, and one of the highlights was finding WRC coverage on the hotel's cable. It was fantastic - and over there they not only cover the big boys, but the juniors as well. The show lasted over 2 hours.

What really irks me is watching BTCC, DTM, and Aussie V8 Supercar races - they are so great, and make me even more miffed that we're stuck with NASCAR. And then to hear that some of the V8 Supercar drivers are trying to get into NASCAR rides is just depressing.

 

Exactly - it's not just the NASCAR that's the problem - they have all sorts of other garbage too. Of course the ultimate goal is the triple threat (MotoGP, F1, WRC) in HiDef.

As for NASCAR, I'm at least going to watch the race at Sears Pt if not go to it. Surely Montoya will tear it up...

 

Hey, as long as you guys are in a wtiting mood, it would be nice to see the SCCA Runoffs on a weekend as opposed to week day afternoons. I think they would do much better in the ratings showing the very popular tuner cars going at it then they would showing reruns of Clint Eastwood and that orangutan ! Even if he is a pretty cool ape

 

I signed up for that petition like a year ago.

 

It's unbelievable the sh*t they play at peak hrs Some time ago, they would play DTM, British Touring, etc. at off hours - they don't really do that anymore!!!!

Even with the NASCAR programing - are their numbers there with all of the "Behind the Scenes" footage?? I mean most of the Yahoo's that love NASCAR, are only interested in the pre-race, race, post race coverage - no Then they add all of the Busch series stuff; Incredibly interesting

F the speed channel!

 

nascar fails

 

i think that quote sums it up very well.