Speed
Speed was a motorsports and automotive television network that evolved from Speedvision before its U.S. replacement by Fox Sports 1 in 2013.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Speed was a U.S.-based television brand devoted primarily to motorsports, automobiles, racing culture, and related enthusiast programming. It originated as Speedvision, launching on December 31, 1995, through a partnership involving Cox Cable, Times Mirror, Comcast, and Continental Cablevision. The original concept was broader than a conventional racing channel: its schedule combined documentaries about cars, manufacturers, and racing teams with instructional programs, classic-car features, auction coverage, automotive news, and live or recorded events from several racing disciplines. It also carried boating and aviation content during its early years. Fox Entertainment Group acquired a minority stake in Speedvision in 1998 and obtained majority control in 2001 by purchasing interests held by Cox and Comcast. Fox’s broader strategy was influenced by its acquisition of major NASCAR television rights. To support that strategy, the network was relaunched as Speed Channel on February 11, 2002, and its operations moved from Stamford, Connecticut, to Charlotte, North Carolina, a major center of NASCAR activity. The channel increasingly emphasized NASCAR, including practice and qualifying sessions, Truck Series races, studio news, pre-race and post-race shows, and programs such as NASCAR Race Hub, NASCAR RaceDay, Trackside, and NASCAR Victory Lane. In 2005, the name was shortened to Speed. Although NASCAR became central to the brand, Speed retained a wider motorsports portfolio. Depending on territory and rights availability, its programming included Formula One, the Rolex Sports Car Series, the American Le Mans Series, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 24 Hours of Daytona, the Speed World Challenge, V8 Supercars, Superbike World Championship, and other domestic and international competitions. Automotive reality and lifestyle programs, including Pinks, Unique Whips, Chop Cut Rebuild, Pass Time, American Trucker, and Hard Parts: South Bronx, broadened its appeal beyond live racing. By 2008, the U.S. channel was reported as reaching more than 73 million households. Speed also developed international feeds. The brand was available in Canada from the late 1990s and later expanded through Latin American, Brazilian, and Australian versions. These services had schedules adapted to local rights and markets. The Latin American feed was replaced by Fox Sports 3 in 2012, while the Australian service closed in 2014 and was replaced by Fox Sports 5. In the United States, Fox announced in March 2013 that Speed would be replaced by the general-interest sports network Fox Sports 1, with much of Speed’s NASCAR inventory transferred to the new channel. Speed ceased operating as a U.S. linear network on August 17, 2013. An international service continued in Canada, the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico under the Fox Sports Racing identity, carrying archived Speed programs and selected simulcasts from Fox Sports networks. The Speed name later returned in nontraditional forms. Speedvision was revived in 2022 as a free, ad-supported streaming television channel, while a separate Speed-branded YouTube channel was launched by Boss One Media. These revivals represent extensions or reuses of the motorsports brand rather than a restoration of the original U.S. cable network. The original Speed television network itself remains defunct.
History
Speed began as Speedvision on December 31, 1995. It was developed from a partnership among cable-system and media companies that included Cox Cable and Times Mirror, with Comcast and Continental Cablevision later participating. The network’s founding planning team included former ESPN executive Roger L. Werner, E. Roger Williams, and Robert Scanlon. Its initial editorial strategy covered the wider automotive and transportation world rather than focusing exclusively on one racing series. Programs examined significant vehicles, manufacturers, teams, and automotive history; other shows offered repair and buying advice, classic-car coverage, auction programming, and syndicated automotive journalism. The schedule also included boating and aviation material. Speedvision acquired rights to a range of racing properties, including the Sports Car Club of America’s World Challenge, the American Le Mans Series, the Rolex Sports Car Series, Formula One, the NASCAR Winston West Series, ARCA competition, and the Pep Boys Indy Racing League. In 1999, its relationship with the World Challenge was reinforced through title sponsorship, producing the Speedvision World Challenge name. The network also became a home for programs such as Victory by Design, Legends of Motorsport, Dream Car Garage, My Classic Car, MotorWeek, Autoline Detroit, and Barrett-Jackson auction coverage. Fox Entertainment Group purchased a 30 percent interest in Speedvision in 1998. In 2001, Fox negotiated the purchase of the stakes held by Cox and Comcast, giving it majority control. This transaction coincided with Fox Sports’ acquisition of significant NASCAR broadcasting rights. Fox reorganized the channel to make it a stronger outlet for NASCAR-related programming and moved its operations to Charlotte, North Carolina. On February 11, 2002, Speedvision was relaunched as Speed Channel. The network later adopted the shorter Speed name in 2005. The Fox-era schedule placed NASCAR at the center of the service. Speed carried NASCAR Truck Series races, qualifying and practice sessions for major national series, the Gatorade Duels, the Sprint All-Star Race, and a growing collection of studio programs. NASCAR Race Hub, NASCAR RaceDay, NASCAR Victory Lane, Trackside, and other news and discussion programs connected live-event coverage with daily motorsports commentary. WindTunnel with Dave Despain, which began in 2003, added a call-in and interview format focused on racing issues. Speed nevertheless remained broader than a NASCAR outlet. It continued to air sports-car racing, endurance events, Formula One, the Speed World Challenge, V8 Supercars, superbike competition, and other international series. The channel also pursued reality and enthusiast formats, including Pinks, Unique Whips, Chop Cut Rebuild, Pass Time, American Trucker, and Hard Parts: South Bronx. By the late 2000s, the network’s identity combined serious racing coverage with accessible automotive entertainment. Speed 2, launched in 2010, extended the brand into authenticated streaming and offered additional events and archived programs; the service was discontinued in 2014. International distribution developed on a separate path. Canadian carriage began in the late 1990s, subject to Canadian rights restrictions and occasional blackouts. A Latin American feed launched in 2005, followed by a Brazilian version in 2006. The Brazilian service was replaced by a domestic Fox Sports channel in 2012, and the Latin American feed was relaunched as Fox Sports 3 later that year. Speed launched in Australia through Foxtel in 2010 and expanded to Austar in 2011, but that service closed in 2014 and was replaced by Fox Sports 5. Fox announced on March 5, 2013, that Speed would be replaced in the United States by Fox Sports 1, a general-interest sports network with NASCAR, college sports, soccer, UFC, studio shows, and other rights. Speed’s final U.S. broadcast occurred on August 17, 2013. The international feed serving Canada, the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico continued in modified form as Fox Sports Racing, using archived Speed material and selected simulcasts of motorsports coverage from Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2. The Speed name subsequently reappeared in digital forms, including a Speedvision FAST channel and a separate Speed YouTube channel launched by Boss One Media. These later uses preserve elements of the brand’s automotive identity but do not restore the original U.S. cable network.
- 2022
Speedvision returns in FAST format
[1]The historic name returns as a free, ad-supported streaming channel.
- 2013
U.S. network is replaced by Fox Sports 1
[1]The standalone U.S. Speed service ends on August 17 and is replaced by Fox Sports 1.
- 2010
Speed 2 launches
[1]A TV Everywhere streaming service adds digital racing coverage and archived programming.
- 2005
The name is shortened to Speed
[1]The network drops the word Channel from its primary name.
- 2003
NASCAR Truck Series coverage begins
[1]Speed assumes coverage of NASCAR Truck Series events and expands related programming.
- 2002
Speed Channel relaunch
[1]Speedvision is rebranded as Speed Channel and operations move to Charlotte, North Carolina.
- 2001
Fox obtains majority control
[1]Fox purchases the interests held by Cox and Comcast.
- 1998
Fox acquires a minority stake
[1]Fox Entertainment Group purchases a 30 percent interest in Speedvision.
- 1995
Speedvision launches
[1]The network begins broadcasting on December 31 with automotive, transportation, and motorsports programming.
Products and positioning
A specialist motorsports and automotive media brand positioned around racing coverage, car culture, enthusiast information, and automotive entertainment.
Television network · 1995
Speedvision
The original network identity, launched in 1995, focused on automotive documentaries, classic vehicles, racing series, repair and enthusiast shows, and related transportation subjects. It established the brand’s specialist editorial position before Fox shifted the service toward a more NASCAR-centered strategy.
Sports television network · 2002
Speed Channel
The 2002 relaunch of Speedvision under Fox placed greater emphasis on NASCAR and other live motorsports while retaining automotive entertainment. The channel carried racing events, practice and qualifying sessions, motorsports news, studio discussion, and reality programming.
Motorsports television network · 2005
Speed
The shortened brand name used from 2005 until the U.S. network’s replacement by Fox Sports 1 in 2013. Its schedule combined NASCAR, endurance racing, Formula One, sports cars, motorcycles, international series, automotive news, and enthusiast-oriented reality programs.
Streaming video service · 2010
Speed 2
A TV Everywhere service launched in 2010 that supplied additional motorsports coverage and on-demand access to archived Speed programming. It was later discontinued.
International sports television network · 2013
Fox Sports Racing
The international successor to the U.S. Speed feed in Canada, the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico. It carried archived Speed material and selected live or simultaneous motorsports broadcasts from Fox Sports networks.
Brand decisions
2013
Speed is replaced by Fox Sports 1StrategyBackground
Fox wanted a broader national sports network combining Speed’s motorsports inventory with additional sports rights and studio programming.
Action taken
Fox shut down the U.S. Speed service and launched Fox Sports 1, transferring much of Speed’s NASCAR coverage to the new network.
Aftermath
Speed ceased to exist as a standalone U.S. cable network, while an international feed continued under the Fox Sports Racing name.
2001
Fox takes majority controlM&ABackground
Fox Sports had obtained important NASCAR rights and sought a dedicated outlet for supplemental racing coverage.
Action taken
Fox acquired the stakes held by Cox and Comcast, gaining majority control of Speedvision.
Aftermath
The network was repositioned around NASCAR and relaunched as Speed Channel in 2002.
Sources1 sources
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