Press Release: June 21, 2013

Topics: Technology and Innovation

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NASCAR Speeds Innovation with HP

PALO ALTO, Calif., -- HP today announced it has been selected by NASCAR to help the sports leader develop the technologies needed to deliver the world’s best racing infrastructure and organization.

Under the terms of the new agreement, NASCAR has named HP as an Official Technology Partner, underscoring a joint commitment to accelerate innovation and the adoption of cutting-edge technology across the sport of NASCAR. Through this newly formed alliance, NASCAR will build on its collaboration with HP around the Fan and Media Engagement Center(FMEC), which facilitates real-time response to traditional, digital, broadcast and social media.

NASCAR also will become a member of the HP Customer Lighthouse Program, giving it early access to newly developed HP technologies. With early access to HP’s complete portfolio of products and services, NASCAR can achieve its goal of leveraging technology to improve the sport of racing.

“Twenty-four-hour news cycles, new content-delivery models and social media are changing the way our fans engage and interact with our sport,” said Jim O’Connell, chief sales officer, NASCAR. “Building on the proven track record we have had working together in the growing area of social business with the Fan and Media Engagement Center, NASCAR’s deepened relationship with HP will enable us to leverage state-of-the-art technology to catapult the sport of racing to the next level.”

HP began working with NASCAR in June 2012 to create the FMEC. Based on the HP Interactive Media Command Center solution, the FMEC features an integrated solution key to their media success. The FMEC leverages HP’s broad portfolio of services and products—including servers, displays, HP Autonomy analytics applications software and managed services. This solution helps NASCAR analyze customer sentiment, identify emerging issues and discover topic trends for instantly actionable insights.

“As the largest spectator sport in the world, NASCAR needs to stay on the cutting edge of technology to innovate and deliver an engaging, fulfilling experience for its fans around the world,” said Charles Salameh, vice president—Americas region, Communications, Media and Entertainment Industry, HP. “As the only company that can provide access to such a broad portfolio of products and services, HP will work with NASCAR to help the sport drive—and accelerate—innovation.”

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America’s premier sports. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and in 20 languages. In the U.S., races are broadcast on FOX, TNT, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2, SPEED and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. NASCAR fans are among the most brand-loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 100 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. Also part of NASCAR is Grand-Am Road Racing, known for its competition on road courses with multiple classes of cars. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., NASCAR has offices in eight cities across North America. The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Daytona 500, will air February 24 on FOX. For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.nascar.com. Follow NASCAR on www.facebook.com/NASCARor on Twitter: @NASCAR.