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TNN Scores Record Ratings for NASCAR's Winston Cup Pocono 500

22 June 1999

TNN Scores Record Ratings for NASCAR's Winston Cup Pocono 500 
      - Live Coverage of Race Records A 4.9 Rating, A Pocono 500 Record
        Live Internet Webcast Also Sets A Record, 736,805 Page Views -

    NEW YORK, June 22 -- TNN Motorsports coverage of the NASCAR
Winston Cup Pocono 500, telecast live on Sunday, June 20,
(1:00 PM - 5:30 PM, ET), scored a 4.9 rating, representing more than 3.6
million households, according to Nielsen Media Research.  The rating set a
record for the annual race, making it the highest-rated, most-watched Pocono
500 in the six years TNN has telecast the event.  The four and a half-hour
live telecast from the Pocono Raceway, Pocono, Pa. was watched by more than
5.6 million viewers.
    Veteran TNN announcer Eli Gold teamed-up with Buddy Baker, Dick Berggren,
Glenn Jarrett, Ralph Sheheen and Steve Byrnes to bring viewers the fast-paced
action of the 500-mile race that resulted in Bobby Labonte taking the
checkered flag over Jeff Gordon.
    This year's race coverage on TNN, delivered a 23 percent increase in
ratings over last year's race which achieved a 4.0 rating, representing more
than 2.9 million households.
    "We are pleased to see that the ratings have been up on all our NASCAR
Winston Cup points races this year," said David Hall, President, TNN.  "NASCAR
Winston Cup racing as a televised sport continues to grow with TNN."
    TNN's website, country.com, generated record traffic from its live
real-time webcast of the Pocono 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race.  The site
recorded 736,805 page views breaking the previous record of 680,000 set during
the Pepsi 400 Winston Cup race at Daytona Beach, Fla. on Oct. 17, 1998.
    TNN will offer more than 50 live racing events in 1999.  The TNN
Motorsports schedule will include NASCAR's Winston Cup and Busch Grand
National Series, NHRA Winston Drag Racing series, ASA/ACDelco Challenge
Series, Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series, SCCA Trans-Am Series and Motor
Madness Monster Truck racing.  TNN will also telecast nine live preview shows
prior to the NASCAR Winston Cup events and an eight-show special series hosted
by NASCAR Winston Cup driver Darrell Waltrip.

    Visit TNN on the internet at http://www.country.com, your personal source
for all things country.

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