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Speed (TV network)

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Speed
Company typeCable and satellite television channel
IndustrySports broadcasting
FoundedDecember 31, 1995; 30 years ago (1995-12-31)
FounderRoger L. Werner, E. Roger Williams, Robert Scanlon
DefunctAugust 17, 2013 (2013-08-17)
FateReplaced by Fox Sports 1 in the United States; international variants rebranded or replaced
Headquarters
Charlotte, North Carolina
,
United States
Area served
United States, Canada, Latin America, Australia (former)
OwnerFox Sports Media Group (a division of 21st Century Fox)
Websitewww.speedtv.com

Speed was a U.S.-based cable and satellite television channel specializing in sports content, owned by the Fox Sports Media Group, a division of 21st Century Fox. The channel primarily concentrated on motorsports programming, featuring both auto racing events and automotive-related shows.

Operating from its headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, Speed discontinued its independent broadcast on August 17, 2013, when it was succeeded by the broader sports network Fox Sports 1. At the same time, an international variant, now called Fox Sports Racing, debuted in markets such as Canada, the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico, offering archived Speed content alongside live simulcasts of motorsports events from Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2 that were otherwise inaccessible to viewers outside the United States.

Originally launched in 1995 under the name Speedvision, the channel’s early programming included features on the automotive and motorsports sectors, instructional series, and coverage of both domestic and global racing competitions like the Formula One World Championship, Rolex Sports Car Series, and American Le Mans Series. Following its acquisition by News Corporation in 2001 and subsequent rebranding as Speed Channel, the network shifted its focus toward NASCAR-centric content. Prior to ceasing operations in the U.S., Speed’s schedule predominantly consisted of automotive reality programming, NASCAR-related broadcasts (including practice sessions, qualifying rounds, full coverage of the NASCAR Truck Series and NASCAR-owned Rolex Sports Car Series), as well as motorsports news updates.

The majority of live event broadcasts migrated to Fox Sports 1 or Fox Sports 2, with international Speed channels continuing simulcasts. To meet contractual requirements during the transition period, Fox temporarily offered a version of Speed featuring a continuous loop of past reality shows to providers that had not yet adopted Fox Sports 1. Numerous former Speed programs have since found new homes on channels such as CBS Sports Network, MAVTV, and Velocity (TV channel), including titles like Gearz, My Classic Car, Chop Cut Rebuild, and Dream Car Garage, along with live racing coverage; however, some shows like Speed Center are no longer broadcast.

As Speedvision

The channel debuted as Speedvision on December 31, 1995, originating from a collaboration between Cox Cable and Times Mirror, after their cable operations merged in 1994. In July 1995, Times Mirror reduced its ownership stake to 10%, allowing Comcast and Continental Cablevision to join as partners.

Founded by former ESPN executive Roger L. Werner alongside E. Roger Williams and Robert Scanlon, Speedvision’s programming emphasized automotive, boating, and aviation content. Its schedule featured documentary-style series about vehicles and racing teams (such as Victory by Design and Legends of Motorsport), classic car programs (including Dream Car Garage, Barrett-Jackson auction coverage, and My Classic Car), an AutoWeek series, plus syndicated shows like MotorWeek and Autoline Detroit. The network also covered both amateur and professional auto racing events, including the Sports Car Club of America's World Challenge series, for which it became title sponsor in 1999.

Fox acquisition and NASCAR emphasis

In 1998, Fox Entertainment Group, operating under News Corporation, acquired a 30% ownership interest in Speedvision. By May 2001, Fox had bought out Cox and Comcast's stakes, achieving majority ownership. After securing the broadcast rights to the initial half of the NASCAR Busch and Winston Cup Series seasons, Fox repositioned Speedvision to serve as an additional NASCAR-focused channel.

On February 11, 2002, the network was rebranded as Speed Channel and relocated its headquarters from Stamford, Connecticut to Charlotte, North Carolina—widely recognized as NASCAR's central hub. The channel progressively incorporated more NASCAR-related content, including news programs such as Totally NASCAR and NASCAR Race Hub, pre-race shows like Trackside and NASCAR RaceDay, post-race coverage with NASCAR Victory Lane, and the interactive call-in program WindTunnel with Dave Despain.

Beginning in 2003, Speed acquired broadcasting rights for NASCAR's Truck Series, taking over from ESPN2. Its coverage expanded to include practice sessions, qualifying races such as the Gatorade Duels, and the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. In 2005, the network simplified its name to Speed.

In 2006, due to NBC's coverage of the Olympic Winter Games, qualifying rounds for the Daytona 500 were aired on Speed using NBC's graphics package—marking the sole occasion when NBC/TNT NASCAR broadcasts were shifted to Speed.

Up until late 2007, Speed also featured winter sports including bobsledding and luge under the auspices of the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation, encompassing a charity event hosted by NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine. These rights transitioned to Universal Sports for the 2007–08 season.

Speed continued to cover professional racing series such as the Rolex Sports Car Series, American Le Mans Series, Formula One World Championship, and the rebranded Speed World Challenge through 2010. Its programming was complemented by motorsport-themed reality shows like Pinks, Unique Whips, Chop Cut Rebuild, Pass Time, and American Trucker. By 2008, Speed had reached an audience exceeding 73 million households.

In 2010, Fox introduced Speed 2, a TV Everywhere streaming platform providing supplementary racing content and on-demand viewing; this service was discontinued in 2014.

Starting in 2011, Speed began airing Australia's V8 Supercars, including live broadcasts of events such as the Gold Coast 600 and Bathurst 1000, featuring commentators Darrell Waltrip, Mike Joy, Leigh Diffey, and Calvin Fish. This exposure aided the series' expansion into the U.S. market with an event in Austin in 2013.

On October 12, 2012, Fox Sports announced it would not renew its Formula One coverage on Speed beyond that season. NBC Sports secured a four-year F1 broadcasting contract commencing in 2013, with most races airing on NBC Sports Network. Shortly afterward, Fox extended its NASCAR rights through 2022, retaining coverage of the first half of the Cup Series season and full Truck Series rights while adding online streaming privileges starting in 2013.

International growth

Shortly after its U.S. launch, Speed debuted in Canada, having received approval from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in 1997 for distribution via Canadian cable and satellite providers. The Canadian feed largely mirrored U.S. programming; however, certain live Formula One events were blacked out to protect domestic broadcast rights held by TSN. This blackout ceased when NBC Sports Network acquired F1 rights in 2013, although NBCSN was not available in Canada.

The Latin American edition premiered on November 5, 2005, followed by a dedicated Brazilian feed launched in July 2006. Programming included live broadcasts of NASCAR Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series races; Rolex Sports Car Series; American Le Mans Series (including the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans); and the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. It also featured delayed coverage of series like the World Series by Renault, NASCAR Mexico, along with highlights from British Formula Three, Argentine TC 2000, Turismo Carretera, and Colombia's T.C. 2000. Non-racing shows such as Grand Prix on Track and Tuner Mania were part of its lineup as well.

Speed launched in Australia on November 1, 2010 through Foxtel, available in both standard and high definition formats. On March 25, 2011, it expanded distribution to subscription service Austar. The Australian channel aired NASCAR Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series events alongside V8 Supercars and Superbike World Championship coverage while producing a localized edition of Speed News. Unlike other international versions, ownership rested with Fox Sports Pty Limited, a subsidiary of News Corp Australia, which remained distinct from 21st Century Fox following the News Corporation split.

On February 5, 2012, Brazil replaced Speed Latin America with a local Fox Sports channel. From that year forward, this network broadcast Formula One free practices, qualifying sessions, races plus GP2 and GP3 Series events. On November 5, 2012, Speed Latin America was rebranded as Fox Sports 3, continuing its focus on motorsport content.

The Australian Speed channel ceased operations on November 2, 2014 and was succeeded by Fox Sports 5.

Closure of Speed and Introduction of Fox Sports 1, 2, and Fox Sports Racing

On March 5, 2013, Fox Sports revealed plans to discontinue Speed and launch a new general sports network, Fox Sports 1. This channel took over Speed's NASCAR content, which was broadened in 2015 to cover selected Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series races. Additionally, Fox Sports 1 acquired rights to other sports including college basketball, football, Major League Soccer, UFC, as well as original studio shows. Meanwhile, Fuel TV was transformed into the complementary channel Fox Sports 2.

Speed’s final broadcast in the United States featured a replay of qualifying for the weekend's Sprint Cup race, the Pure Michigan 400, followed by a closing message from Fox NASCAR commentator Mike Joy signifying the network’s conclusion:


Although Fox promoted Fox Sports 1 as a continuation of Speed, the channel’s shift in content required renegotiation of distribution agreements. Less than a month before the debut, Fox had yet to secure deals with three of the four largest U.S. pay-TV providers—DirecTV, Dish Network, and Time Warner Cable—though all three reached agreements shortly before launch. For providers without contracts at launch, Fox provided a limited "watered-down" iteration of Speed featuring looping reality shows without live sports to satisfy existing obligations.

Outside the U.S., including regions like Canada, the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico, Speed remained a motorsports-centric channel that simulcasted coverage from Fox Sports 1 and 2 alongside reruns of previous programming without commercial interruptions. Due to licensing constraints tied to its motorsports focus, the Canadian version was not converted into Fox Sports 1.

In early 2014, major Canadian carriers such as Rogers Cable and Bell Satellite TV began dropping Speed after contract expirations; this was followed by Cogeco in mid-2014 and Shaw Communications in early 2015. Reports suggested that Fox sought substantial increases in carriage fees despite offering less original content internationally, while Rogers highlighted Fox's reluctance to move Speed into a more niche package given the programming changes.

On February 19, 2015, Fox announced that the international feed of Speed would be rebranded as Fox Sports Racing, with Rogers agreeing to reintroduce the renamed network into its service lineup.

Reintroduction as a FAST Channel

On October 12, 2022, Robert Scanlon—co-founder of Speed—collaborated with Rick Hendrick, Bill Goldberg, and advertising sales executive Joe Abruzzese to revive the Speedvision brand as a linear channel on FAST (free ad-supported television) platforms. The channel officially launched on November 17, 2022, showcasing both original and classic automotive programming.

Speed on Fox

Speed on Fox was a branding used for motorsports events broadcast on Fox that had previously been aired on Speed Channel. This included competitions from the NASCAR Truck Series (under the NASCAR on Fox banner), Formula One, and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The branding was introduced in February 2007, with Formula One coverage lasting six years and Truck Series broadcasts continuing for eight years.

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