SIRIUS XM Radio announcedthat as part of its SIRIUS XM Celebrity Fantasy Football Draft it will host an all-day showcase event featuring live music and a series of special broadcasts from a wide variety of SIRIUS XM hosts at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City’s Times Square on July 21, 2010.

The event will celebrate the launch of SIRIUS XM Fantasy Sports Radio, the new 24/7 fantasy sports channel airing on XM channel 147 and SIRIUS channel 211 for subscribers with the “Best of XM” programming package. SIRIUS XM subscribers will be invited to attend or tune in from around the country and will be treated to a variety of programming from across the SIRIUS XM spectrum.

SIRIUS XM personalities Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo, Maurice Jones-Drew, Steve Phillips, Jeremy Roenick, Rich Gannon, Gary Dell’Abate, Jay Thomas, Scott Ferrall, Adam Schein, Jon Hein, fantasy experts and SIRIUS XM hosts from RotoExperts.com, RotoWire.com, FantasyGuru.com, and FanBall.com, and Nicole, Rich, Stanley and Ryan from the SIRIUS XM Hits 1 Morning Mash Up show will be in attendance.

“On July 21 we will showcase a range of SIRIUS XM’s programming centered around the SIRIUS XM Fantasy Football Draft,” said Scott Greenstein, SIRIUS XM’s President and Chief Content Officer. “We’re assembling intriguing personalities from sports, talk, comedy and music in one place for an unprecedented event in the world of fantasy sports and we’re thrilled to share it with our subscribers.”

The event will kick off at 10:00 am ET with a broadcast of the Howard Stern Wrap Up Show, hosted by Stern Show executive producer Gary Dell’Abate and Jon Hein, live from the Hard Rock Cafe on Howard 100, one of Howard Stern’s two exclusive SIRIUS XM channels.

At 12:00 pm ET Southside Johnny, one of New Jersey’s legendary Rock and Rollers, will perform live on the Hard Rock stage. The performance will air live on E Street Radio (SIRIUS channel 10 and XM channel 58).

SIRIUS NFL Radio’s Adam Schein and Rich Gannon will host a special pre-draft show. Schein and Gannon, a 17-year NFL quarterback and the 2002 NFL MVP, will take questions from fans at the Hard Rock and preview the celebrity draft event which will start at 1:00 pm ET.

This year’s draft will feature 12 teams which will be managed by personalities from across the spectrum of SIRIUS XM programming, from the new SIRIUS XM Fantasy Sports Radio channel to SIRIUS XM’s talk and music channels.

Schein and Gannon will emcee the event, which will be conducted live on the Hard Rock stage and will air nationwide on SIRIUS XM Fantasy Sports Radio allowing fantasy sports fans around the country to tune in as celebrity team managers select their rosters and engage in some playful jousting with their competitors.

In addition to airing in its entirety on SIRIUS XM Fantasy Sports Radio, the SIRIUS XM Fantasy Football Draft will also be simulcast on SIRIUS NFL Radio (SIRIUS channel 124 and XM channel 124 as part of the “Best of SIRIUS”) and Mad Dog Radio (SIRIUS channel 123 and XM channel 144) from 1:00-3:00 pm ET.

Through the 2010 season, fans can follow the SIRIUS XM Fantasy Football League competition at www.sirius.com/siriusxmfantasysportsradio or www.xmradio.com/siriusxmfantasysportsradio.

SIRIUS XM Fantasy Sports Radio debuted July 1 on XM channel 147 and on SIRIUS channel 211 for subscribers who purchase the “Best of XM” package. The new 24/7 channel, dedicated to fantasy sports, offers advice and news from a collection of experts and covers a full spectrum of fantasy sports, including football, baseball, basketball, NASCAR, hockey, soccer and golf.

SIRIUS XM Fantasy Sports Radio is available to Premium Online subscribers through XM Radio Online and SIRIUS Internet Radio and through the SIRIUS XM App for the Apple iPhone, iPod touch and several BlackBerry and Android-powered smartphone devices. (Access to channel online and through the App may require a subscription upgrade.)

It was auto racing at its most exhilarating as actor Brian Austin Green prevailed over a highly competitive group of America’s favorite celebrities from film, television, music and sports to win the Celebrity category of the 2010 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race. Former CART Champion Jimmy Vasser finished first overall and in doing so also won the Pro category, followed closely by Formula Drift Champion Tanner Foust.

Green, the actor who achieved fame as a teen idol for his role as David Silver in the original “Beverly Hills, 90210,” first fought off comedian Adam Carolla, then battled much of the race with actor Adrien Brody, taking the lead in the eighth lap and holding it to cross the finish line in his race-ready Scion tC just fractions of a second before Brody and actor Zachary Levi.

Green was ecstatic after the race. “We all pushed each other and really battled,” said the new celebrity champ. “This is such a great group of people. We’ve all become really close friends under very cool circumstances. I’d be just as happy had Zach or Adrien won.”

“This was an exciting and entertaining race,” said Les Unger, national motorsports manager with Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. “These drivers battled the entire race, and the crowd responded. Every participant was hungry to take home the trophy and brought their A game to the competition. The drivers remained intensely focused throughout their training, and yesterday’s practice and qualifying sessions. Their commitment and enthusiasm exemplify the spirit of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race.”

Vasser, who won the Pro category, did not overcome the pros’ 30-second handicap until the last lap, holding off Foust and Green, who came in second and third overall. Vasser voiced the feelings of the rest of the drivers when he concluded by describing the charitable nature of the event. “This was great fun,” said Vasser. I’d love to do this again. It’s an honor, we develop great camaraderie and we get to race for the children’s charity.”

FINAL RACE RESULTS

Pos Class Name Laps Time
1 Pro Jimmy Vasser 13 27:31.586
2 Pro Tanner Foust 13 27:32.231
3 Celebrity Brian Austin Green 13 27:34.563
4 Pro Marty Nothstein 13 27:34.859
5 Celebrity Adrien Brody 13 27:37.746
6 Celebrity Zachary Levi 13 27:37.979
7 Pro Steve Millen 13 27:38.617
8 Celebrity Patrick Warburton 13 27:44.142
9 Celebrity Adam Carolla 13 27:44.225
10 Charity Auction Winner Dave Pasant 13 27:44.956
11 Pro Keanu Reeves 13 27:45.651
12 Celebrity Christian Slater 13 27:46.127
13 Charity Auction Winner Jerry Westlund 13 27:56.299
14 Celebrity Tika Sumpter 13 27:57.783
15 Celebrity Megyn Price 13 27:58.242
16 Celebrity Jesse McCartney 6 11:10.570
North Hollywood Toyota
17 Vice President Chris Ashworth 6 11:24.403
— ———————- ————– — ———
18 Celebrity Tony Hawk 6 11:24.432
— ——— ——— — ———
19 Pro Jamie Bestwick 2 4:07.377
— — ————– — ——–

Toyota will donate $5,000 to “Racing for Kids” in the name of each celebrity racer and an additional $5,000 to the winning racer’s charity of choice. The organization for which Green raced is Cure Autism Now, an autism advocacy organization sponsoring research and spreading awareness of the disorder. “Racing for Kids” is a national nonprofit program benefiting children’s hospitals. Recipients of Toyota’s donations will be the children’s hospitals in Long Beach and Orange County, Calif. Toyota has donated $1.8 million on behalf of the race and its participants since 1991.

Additionally, a $15,000 donation was made in conjunction with the annual People Pole Award. Sponsored by People magazine, the award was given to Zachary Levi, this year’s pole-position winner of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race qualifying session. Levi selected Operation Smile, which works to transform the lives of children who suffer from cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities. Levi is hoping the funds generated by the People Pole Award will go a long way to improving the lives of children.

The Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race is scheduled to be broadcast on the Speed Channel on Saturday, May 1, and will air repeatedly. (See local listings or http://www.speedtv.com/ for times.)

Red Bull Stomping Ground will transform an abandoned construction zone into the ultimate dirt playground in Chicago on May 15, 2010.

Thousands will be able to witness a BMX dirt competition that will bring the tricks of the trails to an urban mecca, as riders from all over the world will meet in the Windy city to prove who has the best skills.

The abandoned construction site at the corner of Wells and Harrison in the heart of the city will be morphed into a one-of-a-kind BMX field of dreams. With a course designed by BMX legend Fuzzy Hall, dirt jumps will be mixed with found items in the construction site to challenge riders in a truly urban setting. Unlike many contests where the course must be built in several days, Red Bull Stomping Ground will be shaped over 3 weeks, giving ample time for the mind of Hall to run wild. He promises “turns, twists, hips, tons of options and just fun.”

Red Bull Stomping Ground’s style, setting, course and format will establish the top level BMX riders to put their skills on display. Twenty top BMX dirt athletes will be invited to compete and to kick start the dirt contest season, ride with friends, explore the city and show off what tricks they learned in the off-season. The qualifying round for invited professional athletes will take place on May 14th prior to the main event, as twenty five additional riders vie for one of the five open spots in Saturday’s exclusive contest.

This dirt competition will push past boundaries on what is currently possible on a BMX course. Confirmed riders include: Corey Bohan, Anthony Napolitan, Ryan Nyquist, TJ Ellis, Mike “Hucker” Clark, Ryan Guettler and Cam White.

COME ONE COME ALL

Tickets for Red Bull Stomping Ground can be purchased at www.RedBullStompingGround.com at the pre-sale price of $10.00 until April 15. The competition will take place from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the corner of Wells and Harrison. Parking is limited – it is recommended to walk, bike, or take the CTA. For CTA information, visit www.transitchicago.com or call 1-888-YOUR-CTA.

Guinness World Records(R) Adjudicator Danny Girton Jr. was on hand to officially certify the new record in front of fans during the game. Girton Jr. then presented the Cavaliers, KeyBank and Allstar Products Group, the maker of the Snuggie(TM) blanket, with a certificate recognizing the new record was set at 17,758. The fans in attendance received a commemorative magnet certifying their participation at the record-breaking event.

“We would like to thank our fans and congratulate them for their enthusiastic participation to land their place in the Guinness Book of World Records,” said Cavaliers President Len Komoroski. “Partnering with KeyBank and Snuggie(TM) blankets to create an event where our fans were an integral part of the success to give Cleveland the bragging rights of a Guinness World Record made it a community team effort that was all the more fun.”

“After months of planning, it was exciting to see the Cavs fans in their Snuggie(TM) blankets at The Q,” said Lisa Oliver, KeyBank Cleveland District President. “KeyBank was excited to partner up with Cavs and the fans to break this Guinness World Record and be part of something so positive and fun for the city of Cleveland.”

Scott Boilen, president and chief executive officer of Allstar Products Group said, “Cleveland fans are great. It was amazing to see so many participants enjoying the game wearing their Cavs Snuggie(TM) blankets.”

Starting March 6th, a limited number of Cavs Snuggie(TM) blankets are available at Cleveland KeyBank branches with the purchase of a qualified Key Possibilities(R) MasterCard(R) Gift Card. Visit a local northeastern Ohio KeyBank branch or www.cavs.com/snuggie for more details.

For additional information on the Cavs Snuggie(TM) Night presented by KeyBank visit www.cavs.com/snuggie.

SIRIUS XM Radio will embark on its 2010 Spring Training Tour on Friday, March 5, taking listeners to 30 Major League Baseball Spring Training sites in three weeks. MLB Home Plate, SIRIUS XM’s 24-hour baseball talk channel, and Mad Dog Radio, SIRIUS XM’s all-sports talk channel, will broadcast live from ballparks in Arizona and Florida, offering baseball fans an in-depth look at every Major League club and one-on-one interviews with managers, players and team executives.

On MLB Home Plate (XM channel 175, SIRIUS channel 210 with the “Best of XM”), Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., former Reds and Nationals general manager Jim Bowden, former Rangers and Red Sox manager Kevin Kennedy, and host Casey Stern will cover Arizona’s Cactus League, hosting Inside Pitch (1:00-4:00 pm ET/10:00am-1:00pm PT) from 10 ballparks in and around the Phoenix area from March 5-14. In Florida to cover the Grapefruit League, from March 15-24, will be MLB Home Plate hosts Jim Duquette, the former GM of the Orioles and Mets, former All-Star pitcher Rob Dibble, and host Jody McDonald, who will host Power Alley (10:00am-1:00pm ET/7:00-10:00am PT) from 10 Spring Training sites.

On Mad Dog Radio (SIRIUS channel 123, XM channel 144), Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo will host his daily all-sports talk show, Mad Dog Unleashed, from five Florida Spring Training locations from March 8-12. From March 22-26, Russo will host the show from five different Arizona sites. Mad Dog Unleashed airs every weekday (2:00-7:00 pm ET).

2010 SIRIUS XM Radio Spring Training Tour Schedule: (All times ET)

Friday, Mar. 5
– Dodgers @ White Sox – The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Cal Ripken Jr.

Saturday, Mar. 6
– Royals @ Rangers – Surprise Stadium, Surprise, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Kevin Kennedy

Sunday, Mar. 7
– Padres @ Mariners – Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Kevin Kennedy

Monday, Mar. 8
– Indians @ Diamondbacks – Tucson Electric Park, Tucson, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Kevin Kennedy
– Cardinals @ Red Sox – City of Palms Park, Fort Myers, FL 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Tuesday, Mar. 9
– Rockies @ Dodgers – The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Kevin Kennedy
– Pirates @ Yankees – Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, FL 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Wednesday, Mar. 10
– Giants @ Cubs – HoHoKam Park, Mesa, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Jim Bowden
– Mets @ Braves – Champion Stadium, Kissimmee, FL 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Thursday, Mar. 11
– Athletics @ Brewers – Maryvale Baseball Park, Phoenix, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Jim Bowden
– Orioles @ Twins – Lee County Sports Complex – Hammond Stadium, Ft. Myers, FL 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Friday, Mar. 12
– Reds @ Dodgers – The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Jim Bowden
– Phillies @ Rays – Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte, FL 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Saturday, Mar. 13
– Rangers @ Indians – Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Jim Bowden

Sunday, Mar. 14
– Cubs @ Angels – Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Jim Bowden

Monday, Mar. 15
– Orioles @ Red Sox – City of Palms Park, Fort Myers, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jody McDonald & Jim Duquette

Tuesday, Mar. 16
– Tigers @ Phillies – Bright House Field, Clearwater, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jody McDonald & Jim Duquette

Wednesday, Mar. 17
– Twins @ Rays – Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jody McDonald & Jim Duquette

Thursday, Mar. 18
– Pirates @ Twins – Lee County Sports Complex – Hammond Stadium, Ft. Myers, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jody McDonald & Jim Duquette

Friday, Mar. 19
– Blue Jays @ Astros – Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jody McDonald & Jim Duquette

Saturday, Mar. 20
– Mets @ Cardinals – Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette

Sunday, Mar. 21
– Tigers @ Yankees – Tampa, FL 1-4pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette

Monday, Mar. 22
– Mets @ Nationals – Space Coast Stadium, Viera, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Rob Dibble
– Angels @ Dodgers – The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Tuesday, Mar. 23
– Orioles @ Marlins – Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Rob Dibble
– Padres @ Rockies – Hi Corbett Field, Tucson, AZ 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Wednesday, Mar. 24
– Phillies @ Braves – Champion Stadium, Kissimmee, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Cal Ripken Jr.
– Giants @ Reds – Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, AZ 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Thursday, Mar. 25
– Mariners @ Indians – Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, AZ 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Friday, Mar. 26
– Athletics @ Cubs – HoHoKam Park, Mesa, AZ 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

MLB Home Plate is available to listeners nationwide on XM channel 175 and SIRIUS channel 210 with the “Best of XM.” Visit www.xmradio.com/mlb for programming info.

Mad Dog Radio airs nationwide on SIRIUS channel 123 and XM channel 144. Visit www.sirius.com/maddogradio for programming info.

Panini America is the exclusive trading card partner of the NBA. This week Panini launched Adrenalyn with a national mobile tour that starts in Dallas during All-Star festivities.

Adrenalyn is an interactive trading card game, geared to children ages 6 to 11, that brings together the excitement of the NBA with the thrill of collecting a 450-card set featuring NBA stars Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade and NBA rookies Tyreke Evans, Blake Griffin, and Brandon Jennings, among many others.

The front of each Adrenalyn card features an offensive, defensive, and overall rating so kids can play the game using the Adrenalyn game board. The unique authorization code on the back of each card allows kids to upload their cards online to a virtual collector’s album and play the game at www.paniniadrenalyn.com, a safe and secure site. Adrenalyn cards, collector’s kits and starter sets are available at all major retail stores including Wal-Mart, Target, Toys “R” Us, Kmart, and The Dollar Store, and online at NBAStore.com and at the NBA Store in New York City.

Source: Panini America

“MLBAM has undertaken groundbreaking work to make its web sites accessible and has assumed a strong leadership position among sports, media and entertainment properties in doing so,” said Mitch Pomerantz, President of the American Council of the Blind. “We certainly urge similar sites to make this level of commitment in following MLBAM’s lead.”

As part of its initiative, MLB.com launched an accessible media center for its MLB.com Gameday Audio(TM) subscribers, offering features such as volume control, ability to choose the home or away feed and access to archived games. Additionally, MLB.com has ensured that fans with visual impairments can continue to participate in the annual online voting programs associated with the All-Star Game and will be providing an accessibility page on its site detailing information on accessibility, usability tips and customer service resources. As it continues to deliver technological innovations for following baseball games, MLB.com will make additional accessibility enhancements available to fans with visual impairments.

Brian Charlson, a Boston baseball fan and Director of Computer Training Services at the Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton, Massachusetts, described how MLB.com’s accessibility efforts have improved his enjoyment of the game: “As a member of the blind community, the kind of changes MLB.com was willing to make on its web sites keeps me coming back for more. It shows how much can be done when people with disabilities find willing partners. For example, with the changes in Gameday Audio, I find myself enjoying switching back and forth between the home and away broadcasters the same way my sighted friends do. And knowing my votes were counted in this year’s All-Star balloting made listening to the game much more meaningful. I’m excited about what MLB.com has done and about its commitment to further improvements.”

MLB.com utilized guidelines issued by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The web content accessibility guidelines are of particular benefit to blind baseball fans who use a screen reader, through which information on a page is read aloud, or magnification technology on their computers and who rely on a keyboard instead of a mouse.

Source: MLB.com

Atlanta teen golf prodigy, Mariah Stackhouse, can now say sometimes dreams do come true. The 15-year-old golf phenom was surprised today by her favorite golfer, top LPGA player, Christina Kim, who showed up at her North Clayton High School to personally invite her to compete in the first-ever Mojo 6 (www.themojo6.com), a unique golf tournament being held in Jamaica, April 15-16, 2010. Stackhouse, believed to be the youngest player ever to win the Georgia Women’s Amateur Championship in its 80-year history, will compete against the world’s leading female golfers, including Christina Kim, Suzann Pettersen and Paula Creamer.

Stackhouse, who has been playing golf since she was two, has already been compared by many familiar with the game as being the “next Tiger Woods.” Stackhouse also was the 2007 Atlanta Junior Golf Grand Champion and won the 2007 Georgia State Golf Association (GSGA) Girls Championship; and two years ago, scored a 65 in a Southeastern Junior Tour event.

“I’m thrilled to surprise Mariah with the invitation to compete against the world’s best female golfers at The Mojo 6,” said Christina Kim. “The Mojo 6 is poised to start a new era in golf. It was already exciting to participate because of the new format being unveiled. Now, with the addition of Mariah, it’ll truly be a special event. She’s already quite a golfing talent, and is a fantastic representative of the future of women’s golf. I’m sure she has a long career ahead of her, and I can’t wait to see her in action at The Mojo 6.”

Creators of The Mojo 6, Joy Stephenson & Olympic champion Ed Moses offered Stackhouse one of the tournaments highly coveted sixteen (16) spots, stating “When we launched Mojo last year, we wanted it to be about more than creating compelling content, we wanted to create a platform to inspire people to reach for their dreams, and help others do the same. Inviting Mariah to join The Mojo 6 is certainly part of that mission, and we can’t wait to see her play Raceway Golf.”

Stackhouse and 15 top LPGA golfers will be the first to play Raceway Golf (TM) airing on CBS on May 1st and 2nd. Raceway Golf is a new, innovative golf format introduced by Mojo designed to draw out the competitive personalities of LPGA pros through intense showdowns. At The Mojo 6 this spring, the participants will battle Raceway Golf style as they try to knock each other out of the running for the $1 million purse. (*note: Ms. Stackhouse’s winnings, as an amateur, will be donated to charity).

“It’s an honor for Mariah to be invited to compete against some of the world’s top female golfers,” said Ken Stackhouse, Ms. Stackhouse’s father and primary coach. “When the Mojo team contacted us with this idea, the hardest part was not to tell Mariah before the surprise! We just always tell her to do the best she can, and we’re looking forward to going to Jamaica this spring to give Mariah the opportunity to play with the sport’s best athletes.”

Played over two days, this LPGA sanctioned tournament pits 16 players against each other to battle out a series of six-hole matches to crown a winner. “Mojo is working closely with the government of Jamaica, through its Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, and Ministry of Tourism, as well as with the LPGA, to make Raceway Golf exciting for the golfing world as well as those who may not have watched golf in the past,” noted Mojo co-founder and president, Joy Stephenson.

Mojo will package The Mojo 6 in Jamaica for broadcast with additional original content that is not typically aired in conjunction with a professional sporting event. Additional coverage is set to include in-depth interviews with players highlighting what it takes to be among the world’s best female athletes, performances by some of Jamaica’s and the Caribbean’s best-known entertainers, and exclusive “behind the scenes” footage of what it takes to stage an international golf event.

As with all Mojo Marketing & Media properties, The Mojo 6 in Jamaica, and all future The Mojo 6 tournaments, will include activities designed to increase awareness about the importance of charitable giving. Since no two markets are identical, this element of each The Mojo 6 tournament will reflect the unique character, needs and opportunities for charity involvement of its host market.

Additional footage and information about The Mojo 6 is available at www.themojo6.com including a roundtable discussion about the event featuring Paula Creamer, Christina Kim and Suzann Pettersen.

The tournament, named The Great Wall Cup of Beijing will be hosted by the Beijing Municipal Sports Administration, and undertaken by the Beijing Football Association, the Olympic Sports Center and China Sports Tour. In the first year of the event, the committee will invite teams from all over the world, both boys and girls, in the age categories 14, 16, and 18, as well as eight local teams. The event is considered to be the first ever international youth soccer tournament of this scale to be held in Beijing. International clubs and teams are welcome to register now.

The current status of Chinese soccer teams is unusual, according to Sports Minister Mr. Liu Peng, who states, “The shortage of reserve talent is the key reason for its low level.” The government has already realized the problem and started to focus on youth development. Promoting the international youth soccer tournament is a way to give local youngsters opportunities to communicate and practice with international teams so they can improve their technique and social skills.

“Chinese young players have little chance to play against foreign teams,” says Mr. Yang Junsheng, the president of the Beijing Football Association, “That is the reason why we fully support this event. We hope this tournament can serve as a kind of festival for all young players who participate in it. We sincerely hope this event will also draw more public attention to youth soccer. The Great Wall Cup of Beijing is not only a platform for Chinese youngsters to learn and experience the most advanced soccer skills, but also a window to show Beijing and China to the young generation of the world. We sincerely hope that through the Great Wall Cup, not only can Chinese players learn from other teams, but also first time visitors can have the opportunity to learn the spirit of the city, to experience the culture, the people and the fun.” By using the top sports facilities in Beijing and promoting a combination of culture, sports and travel, the tournament will satisfy participants and make them feel fulfilled by taking part in the one-week event.

Beijing, as a dynastic city, has become a preferred place to host popular international sports events, especially after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. However, a youth soccer tournament has never been hosted there before. Inspired by the successes and great impact of the youth soccer tournaments in Europe, such as the Gothia Cup and Norway Cup, the Great Wall cup is trying to attract boys and girls from all over the world who love this amazing sport, offering them the opportunity to spend a week to enjoy the tournament and experience something unique. “Beijing has become an international city; it has already hosted several big-name events drawing public awareness, yet we do not have any youth sporting events. The Beijing Football Association sincerely hopes to take this opportunity to make the Great Wall Cull of Beijing a symbol of the Post-Olympics Beijing,” Mr. Yang explained.

One highlight of the one-week program of the Great Wall Cup of Beijing is called ChinaTouch. ChinaTouch is a workshop that provides foreign players the opportunity to learn and experience Chinese culture and art. The workshop will be held in the hotel lobby all week so every participant can take part. “Teams can learn basic Chinese, calligraphy, and practice kung fu with our kung fu master,” says Shine Liu, the managing director of China Sports Tour. “We arranged this workshop to allow international teams to experience something new and unique. It is easier to learn and make new friends in a happy atmosphere.”

Mr. Shine Liu also explained more details of the event: “Not only do we want to add fun and cultural elements to this tournament, but we are also trying to create more opportunities for talented players professionally, and that is why we have the ‘Meet the Future Star’ event. Professional coaches, scouts and sports agents from China and other Asian countries will be invited to observe the games, they will pick the players they like, and we will help them to arrange a face-to-face conversation so that they can better get to know each other, and to see if there is any possibility of future cooperation.” Besides these activities already mentioned, a grand opening ceremony, a closing banquet, and a Leaders’ Party will be held during the week.

Teams will also have a selection of sightseeing opportunities. They will get the chance to take a one-day trip to the famous Great Wall, visit the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, the Drum and Bell Tower, the Bird’s Nest, the Water Cube, take a tour of old Beijing Hutongs and enjoy a lakeside dinner.

“Inviting international teams to join the Great Wall Cup will make this the biggest international youth soccer event in China ever,” states Mr. Shine Liu, “We feel really honored and excited to be the organization exclusively authorized to promote the tournament internationally.” Back in the late 90s, a youth tournament named “The Four Asia Tigers” was considered to be the most influential youth soccer event in China. Mr. Shine Liu commented, “Unfortunately, the Four Asia Tiger tournament only lasted around three years, and it was Asia-wide only.”

The 2010 Great Wall Cup of Beijing will be held from July 25th-31st at the Beijing Olympic Sports Center Football Park, just across the street from the Bird’s Nest. This tournament will become an annual event in the future and aim to be one of the biggest international sports events in Beijing along with the China Open and the Italian Super Cup.

The Great Wall Cup of Beijing is now looking to cooperate with all kinds of organizations and companies worldwide. Sponsorship packages are also available for companies who want to use this as a platform to introduce their brand and products to China and the world. “The tournament welcomes companies and organizations to join the Great Wall Cup of Beijing together with the teams. With the Beijing Football Association’s support, taking part in the event will definitely help companies to open a window to the Chinese market,” Mr. Shine Liu revealed, “As an international event that is supported and organized by the Beijing Municipal Sports Administration and the Beijing Football Association, media exposure will be inconceivable. Newspaper, portal website and TV media will come in great numbers to report on the tournament and the stories behind it. We believe we will give our sponsors and partners a great return. By participating in this exciting event, companies will not only increase their brand awareness in China, but also build a solid foundation with potential business partners in China. The organizing committee has been talking to Chinese portal websites, national TV stations and influential newspapers. They have all showed great interest in the Great Wall Cup and would like to broadcast, interview and report on it because this is the very first international youth soccer tournament in China, and all media know the importance and significant meaning of the event.”

Teams from America, Switzerland, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Nigeria and Cameroon have already shown interest in coming for the 2010 Great Wall Cup of Beijing. The team registration fee will be waived for teams registering before Feb 28th, 2010. For more information, visit http://www.thegreatwallcup.com/.

A vision that Bill France Jr. articulated more than fifteen years ago will become reality this season with the formation of the NASCAR iRacing.com Series, an official NASCAR racing series.

On February 9th, online racing competition commences with the first event of the inaugural 18-race, 39-week NASCAR iRacing Drivers World Championship. This series will feature the 50 top-rated drivers currently racing in iRacing’s Pro Series and will include NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., who recently clinched entry into this elite series.

Selected races from the series will be carried over the internet on iRacing.com. Weekly iRacing news coverage and standings will be featured on NASCARmedia.com.

NASCAR and iRacing have worked together since the announcement of the partnership in 2009 to refine the structure of the series, establish a “sporting code” or rule book, as well as develop an identity for the series.

While entry for the NASCAR iRacing Drivers World Championship is limited to the top 50 drivers, iRacing will also host five NASCAR amateur series open to all NASCAR fans through membership in the iRacing.com online service.

Just below the World Championship series, the 2010 NASCAR iRacing Pro Series is reserved for the 250 top-ranked oval-track iRacing drivers and commences in May to determine eligibility to participate in the 2011 NASCAR iRacing Drivers World Championship.

“Bill France Jr. was ahead of his time when he initially had the vision of an online racing series. Thanks to evolving technology NASCAR fans can virtually compete at their favorite track and have their chance to end up in a victory lane,” said NASCAR Senior Vice President Paul Brooks.

Tony Gardner, iRacing’s president, explained that iRacing’s staff has been busy fine-tuning the infrastructure and creating the organization that supports the vision of NASCAR online racing.

“We’ve created our online racing service for racers and fans,” Gardner said. “We’ve done the hard work to make it simple and easy for NASCAR fans to join iRacing and get behind the wheel. You don’t have to be a computer engineer to do this, all you need to know is how to turn on a computer and connect to the internet. For PC owners with a broadband connection you just buy an inexpensive wheel-and-pedal set from your local consumer electronics store or online and in an hour you can be racing. It’s that simple. Everything you need to know to get started is right there on our Web site, at www.iracing.com.”

The opportunity for NASCAR fans to have extremely affordable but highly meaningful racing careers of their own will become a reality with the launch of these NASCAR-sanctioned amateur online racing series organized and hosted by iRacing.com.

Featuring four 12-week seasons each calendar year, these series feature modifieds, late models, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series trucks, NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars and mirror the skill ladder that NASCAR athletes typically follow, beginning with short-track racing and proceeding through virtual versions of the three premier real-world NASCAR series.

While iRacing competition licenses to participate in organized races are issued in progressive skill levels, all members are permitted to practice with any car on any track. In conjunction with the Daytona 500, the spring NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Talladega race and the NASCAR season-ending Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, as part of its 2010 World Tour, iRacing will organize races that are open to any member of the service, regardless of license level.

Source: iRacing.com