Forza Motorsport-based Reality Show Debuts Tomorrow

TeamXbox: "Tune In: Forza Motorsport-based Reality Show Debuts On SPEED TV Wednesday Night
Popular movies and TV shows have long been fodder for video games. Occasionally, movies are made based on popular video games. But for the first time ever on Wednesday night, a reality TV series will debut that is based entirely on a video game – Tune in for the Forza Motorsport Showdown on Speed TV!

Here’s the lowdown on the Showdown. Six amateur race car drivers with different racing backgrounds compete head-to head in a series of challenges driving street cars they’ve never driven, support by a pit crew they’ve never met. Drivers receive points based on how they fare in each challenge. At each day’s conclusion, drivers spend their points in the SPEED garage on parts and other equipment they think can give them a competitive advantage. The drivers then get a day off from competition to outfit, test and tune their cars ahead of the next series of challenges. The first driver who successfully out-drifts, out-drags and out-paces the competition on the track wins $100K.

Plus, each week, Xbox 360 and Turn 10 Studios will giving those who tune in an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Forza Motorsport 2 through developer interviews and never before seen gameplay footage that’ll be sure to have you on the fast track to the new features that are sure to make the game the most realistic and adrenaline pumping racing simulator ever made. This week’s show provides a sneak peak at The Auction House – a unique new way for you to share your customized and personalized car creations with the larger Forza community.

Below are some additional details on the program for easy reference. Please visit forzamotorsport.net for additional information and to see a trailer from this week’s premiere.

FORZA MOTORSPORT™ SHOWDOWN

Fact Sheet

WHAT: SPEED, the automotive lifestyle and motorsports network, has joined forces with Microsoft Game Studios in presenting a live-action mini-series based on the Xbox 360’s popular Forza Motorsport racing game.

HOW IT WORKS: Forza Motorsport Showdown puts contestants to the ultimate test of high-performance driving and mechanical skills. Each episode rigors a diverse group of competitors through a roster of competitive motorsports disciplines – drag racing, road racing, autocross and drifting – in a $100,000 winner-take-all format. Six amateur racers with six racing teams battle it out over six different courses on the world famous Road Atlanta speedway. The different course types include:

• Atlanta Dragway At Commerce's Quarter Mile
• Road Atlanta's Autocross for Drifting
• Two Road Courses
• Lanier Speedway's Oval Track

Drivers receive points based on how they fare in each challenge. At each day’s conclusion, drivers spend their points in the SPEED garage on parts and other equipment they think can give them a competitive advantage. The drivers then get a day off from competition to outfit, test and tune their cars ahead of the next series of challenges.

THE DRIVERS:

• Ken Gushi (Whittier, CA), Top Ranked Formula D Drift Racer
• Jace Meier (Las Vegas, NV), 18-year old USAC Midget Car Phenom
• Angela Cope (Huntersville, NC), Perennial ARCA Contender and Niece of 1990 Daytona 500 Champion Derricke Cope
• Freddy Lewis Jr. (Los Angeles, CA), Indy Pro Series, IRL and ARCA Driver
• Clarence Barnes (Beverly Hills, CA), Radio Personality and Aspiring Auto Cross Racer
• Clay Dale (Jefferson, GA), 2005 Late Model Stock Car Champion

THE CARS:

• 1969 Chevrolet Camaro
• 1973 Dodge Challenger
• 2005 Ford Mustang GT
• 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
• 2005 Nissan 350Z
• 2006 Nissan 350Z

TUNE IN: Forza Motorsport Showdown airs exclusively on SPEED on Wednesday nights at 11 p.m. EST. The four-episode series concludes with crowning of the Forza Motorsport Showdown champion on March 14th. Check your local listings or contact your cable provider for the exact channel.

ABOUT: Forza Motorsport 2: Forza Motorsport 2, the sequel to Microsoft Game Studios’ award-winning, fully customizable driving simulator Forza Motorsport, will make its exclusive debut on Xbox 360 in May 2007. With authentic simulation physics, bone-jarring damage, photo-realistic graphics, and a myriad of real-world tuning and customization options, the franchise improves on the unprecedented features gamers enjoyed in its debut installment. Loaded with more than 300 of the worlds hottest cars to collect, personalize and tune from the automotive industry’s leading companies, Forza Motorsport 2 gives players a complete racing experience. www.forzamotorsport.net.

SPEED: SPEED, celebrating its 10th Anniversary in 2006, is the nation's first and foremost cable network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 73 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest growing sports cable networks in the country and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. For more information on programming including the Forza www.SPEEDtv.com"