Will DTV Transition Crash and Burn?

If it goes down anything like the Digital TV Transition Ford during the Virginia NASCAR race this weekend, TV watchers could be in trouble.

The FCC spent $350,000 to sponsor NASCAR team No. 38 in three races. During the team's first race on Sunday, Tums QuikPak 500 at the Martinsville Speedway, the car slammed into the wall on the 485th lap. The driver finished 32nd, according to a blog by the Wall Street Journal.

(Earlier in the race, on the 100th lap or so, driver David Gilliland was in third place.)

The car has the date of the DTV transition -- Feb. 17, 2009 -- and the phrase, "Are you ready for digital?" on its hood.

An FCC spokesman said the car should be fixed and ready for its second go-round. The next races will be at the Phoenix International Raceway on Nov. 9 and Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 16.

With nearly 8 million TV viewers tuning in weekly during the 10-month NASCAR season, the FCC intends the sponsorship to raise awareness about the transition.

Maybe viewers take more notice of cars that crash. Let's just hope it's not symbolic of what lies ahead in February.

By Kim Hart | October 20, 2008; 6:01 PM ET | Category: Kim Hart

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