NASCAR hires new staff members

JENNIFER POWELL TO HEAD NASCAR BROADCAST PR EFFORTS
Former Ganassi media relations representative, two others join NASCAR PR team

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 17, 2007) -- The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) public relations department has named Jennifer Powell as its new Senior Manager of Broadcast Communications.

Powell, 27, comes to NASCAR from the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates organization, where she worked in media relations the last four years in the NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. During that time she represented drivers Sterling Marlin, Reed Sorenson and David Stremme.

Powell, a native of Silver Spring, Md., is a graduate of Denison University in Granville, Ohio. She will manage NASCAR's strategic public relations outreach pertaining to television and radio media.

Powell replaces Kate Davis, who has been named the Director of News Media for NASCAR Images, the Charlotte, N.C.-based production company that is the exclusive NASCAR footage rights holder and manages video access to NASCAR-sanctioned events.

In addition, Mike Forde, who previously worked as a copy editor and NASCAR beat writer for the New York Post, has been named NASCAR's Manager of Statistical Writing and Production. Forde, 26, is a native of Queens, N.Y., and is a graduate of Fordham University.

Forde's focus will be the organization and distribution of NASCAR's statistical information via press release and other materials. He will work closely with NASCAR's new Statistics Manager Michael Payne, who previously worked for 12 years with NASCAR Statistical Services, an outside vendor contracted by NASCAR to provide race and historical data. Payne, 54, will be NASCAR's primary at-track statistical contact during race weekends.

"With the 2007 season about to begin, the timing could not be better for these three new people to join our PR team," said Ramsey Poston, NASCAR's Managing Director of Communications.

"All three bring unique -- and impressive -- skill sets to the job. Collectively, they will strengthen our efforts considerably."

-credit: nascar