NEW SPEED(TM) ORIGINAL "WHIPPED" CHALLENGES a CAR OWNER'S SENSIBILITIES
SHOW COMES FROM the PRODUCERS of POP CULTURE FAVORITE WIPEOUT
NEW SERIES SET to PREMIERE in 2012
Scott Larsen (Creator & Executive Producer) and Jonathan Arthur (Producer), who produce hit television show Wipeout, have another over-the-top series on the horizon. Whipped, presented by Castrol, is an automotive based game and racing show set to premiere on national cable television network SPEED in 2012.
The concept is simple; four contestants battle each other while driving around various metal contraptions and giant swinging objects that make up an intimidating automotive obstacle course. Then, the last challenger standing is prepped for one final hurdle - at speed. It's a new twist on an already popular formula, as the Whipped production team rethinks how a 'race track' could be constructed.
According to Arthur, "audiences should buckle up and enjoy the ride.
"Participants are going challenge by challenge with a single elimination per round, until there is one contestant left," said Arthur, executive producer on the show. "That last contestant then gets into our high-powered, race-prepped car to attempt the 'Ultimate Challenge.' How well they do, determines how much we trick out their ride."
What's the catch? The challengers have to use their own vehicles.
"People have been very willing to take a chance. They see the glory behind it, and the opportunity to get the car of their dreams," Arthur explains. "On the day we are explaining the first obstacle to them - and they are face to face with a menacing looking battering ram or a giant metal barrel - they may change their tune a little bit. It's going to make for great television when those contestants are introduced to the obstacles, and we watch their emotions change as they prepare.
"We've seen some well-equipped BMWs, high-powered Mercedes-Benz, Porsches, EVOs and some really nice vehicles," Arthur continued. "We've already had somebody with a $70,000 2011 Mercedes C63 AMG want to compete. It's somebody who's willing to take it through its paces on our course, willing to get it knocked around, have some paint scraped off or windows knocked out - in the name of being the best."
While Wipeout has become one of the most iconic shows within pop culture television, the Whipped series may speak a little more to the producers.
"Scott and I are both 'car enthusiasts' and have spent years behind the wheel, with different cars and even trucks," Arthur said. "So, it's a 'passion project' that we've put together here. For Scott, being the creator of Wipeout, it wasn't difficult for him to put this together conceptually, and I came on board shortly thereafter."
The project is produced by Scott Larsen and Jonathan Arthur for Hey Larsen, Inc., and Adam Rosenblatt, Christian Horner and Jamie Rosenblatt for H2R Productions.
About SPEED(TM)
SPEED, anchored by its popular and wide-ranging coverage of NASCAR, is the nation's first and only cable television network dedicated to automotive and motorcycle racing, performance and lifestyle. Now available in nearly 84 million homes in North America, SPEED, a member of the FOX Sports Media Group, is among the industry leaders in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services, including SPEED2, a groundbreaking new broadband network featuring live, streaming and on-demand events complementing offerings of the linear network. For more information, please visit SPEED.com, the online motor sports authority.
About FOX Sports Media Group
FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG) is the umbrella entity representing News Corporation's wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets under Chairman & CEO David Hill. Built with brands that are capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FSMG includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FSMG now includes FOX Sports, the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; Fox's 19 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; SPEED and SPEED2; Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Plus; FUEL TV; and Fox College Sports. In addition, FSMG also includes FOX Sports Interactive Media, which comprises FOXSports.com on MSN, whatifsports.com and scout.com, reaching over 20 million unique visitors monthly. Also included are Fox's interests in joint-venture businesses FOX Deportes, Big Ten Network and STATS, LLC, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network, FOX Sports Skybox restaurants and FOX Sports Grills.
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