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More About Rick Benjamin
Rick Benjamin is one of the most recognizable faces – and voices – of motorsports television, radio and Internet broadcasting.
Over the past three decades, Benjamin has served as an award-winning national television host for nearly every major type of motorsports series including the NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series, the Champ Car World Series, Grand Am, the American LeMans Series, Trans Am, PIRELLI World Challenge, ARCA, and more.
A welcome regular on television in homes across the globe, Benjamin has appeared on multiple broadcast networks including ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN, NBC Sports Network, CBS Sports Network, SPEED, TNN, TBS, FSN, and Velocity.
The decade long host (2005-2015) of the Carolina Panthers Postgame Show on the Panthers Radio Network and Spectrum Sportschannel continues to guest host select shows on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio after five years as the regular host on the network's 'Tradin' Paint' program and three years calling the shots on 'The Late Shift.'
Benjamin, a Redding, Connecticut native, is also the principal owner of Carolinas Production Group (CPG) and Visioncast, Inc.
In 2017, Benjamin will produce and host coverage of several top motorsports series, including 12 Trans Am telecasts on CBS Sports Network and 8 telecasts of "F4 US Championship Today, which airs on MAV TV, Rev'n, and a dozen or more additional regional and national sports networks. Benjamin will also host and executive produce "Honda Racing: At Speed", a monthly half-hour magazine show highlighting Honda's racing involvement from IndyCar to the sports grass roots. "HRAS" airs on MAV TV, Rev'n, and a long list of national and regional sports channels and networks.
CPG will continue to break new ground this year in Digital Video and Television, further expanding its highly successful "HPD Trackside" news coverage franchise on the Honda Racing/HPD channel at YouTube. "HPD Trackside" covers every form of North American motorsport where Honda Racing, Acura Motorsports, and HPD compete, from IndyCar, IMSA, and Pirelli World Challenge, to major off-road events, and grassroots racing like the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, the SKUSA Supernationals, and more.
Benjamin and his wife Kathleen reside in Matthews, NC.
More About CPG
Carolinas Production Group Inc. (CPG) is a full service video production company providing initial concept to final distribution services of client programming/promotional on network, cable, and digital television.
Led by veteran broadcaster Rick Benjamin, CPG features a staff of award-winning creative talent, all with extensive network experience. This degree of professionalism allows CPG – and your company – the flexibility to work in a variety of environments and budget structures.
Carolinas Production Group – a Matthews, North Carolina-based firm – has supplied programming to more than twenty national and regional sports and entertainment cable and broadcast network channels. Included in that group are CBS Sports Network, NBC Sports Network, Velocity, MAV TV, ESPN International, and Rogers Sportsnet in Canada.
CPG Internet channels and Social Media networks complete the company's distribution package, delivering major oval-track and road course motorsports events to a large, diverse global viewer demographic.
In 2017,CPG will produce several top motorsports media projects. including 12 Trans Am Series events on CBS Sports Network.
Additionally, CPG will produce coverage of the F4 United States Championship powered by Honda; and 'Honda Racing: At Speed,' a video magazine of all of American Honda and HPD's motorsports activities. Both programs will receive comprehensive national cable/broadcast network syndication including MAV TV and Rev'N.
CPG is breaking new ground this year in digital coverage, by creating Facebook Live content for Honda Racing. CPG will produce "Facebook Live" broadcast quality shows at each Verizon IndyCar Series event this season. CPG has developed a proprietary plan incorporating closed-captioning and TV-ready graphics to create strong, engaging content.
Additionally, CPG continues its "HPD Trackside" franchise– a weekly recap of on-track action from the Verizon IndyCar Series, the IMSA SportsCar Championship, Pirelli World Challenge, and major off-road races in North America. "HPD Trackside" is found on YouTube, on the Honda Racing/HPD page.
Meanwhile, CPG's production credits are just as strong off the track creating corporate videos for major corporate icons such as UPS, Porsche, Mazda, Mac Tools, and Yamaha Marine, just to name a few.
To inquire how you can take advantage of the services provided by Carolinas Production Group, please complete our Contact Form.
HOME COOKING SHOULD BE TASTY FOR FIRST YEAR INDY PRO 2000 TEAM
-Abel Motorsports Pair Looking For Ultimate Success at Mid-Ohio
(Louisville, KY) July 22, 2019 (for immediate release):
When Road to Indy racing teams unload at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this week for Honda Indy 200 weekend, one team in particular arrives withhigh expectations. Louisville's Abel Motorsports, coming off four top-seven finishes with two podium trips two weeks ago at Toronto's Exhibition Place, anticipates another strong weekend at the track they call home.
"We've got lots of friends and family in the area," noted Team Principal Bill Abel. "It's always great to race at Mid-Ohio, our favorite track. To be this deep into the 2019 season and to be competing for the Indy Pro 2000 Championship, well, that's great for our team." Abel Motorsports' Parker Thompson currently sits second in Indy Pro 2000 points, with two wins and a series-leading three poles thus far. "We're usually quick here, and the official series test a couple of weeks ago was a real source of optimism too. We expect a great weekend," commented Abel.
Lead driver Jacob Abel (car #51) also exudes confidence going into the doubleheader weekend. "Based on Toronto, where I had a sixth and seventh even with all our other problems and very little track time, going to a place where I've had all the track time in the world, I think podiums are a reasonable expectation."
The 18-year-old picked up his first two professional victories earlier in the season and has been gaining ground every time out in the tough Road to Indy ranks. "We're not going to be happy until we're first, but the results our team has had this season are boosting my confidence level, no doubt."
Thompson, (car #8) who recently reunited with former IndyCar Championship crew chief Thomas Knapp at Abel Motorsports, continues to rack up impressive finishes. After sweeping the opening weekend's races at St. Petersburg, FL, Thompson picked up a third and a second in his home country's Grand Prix weekend at Toronto. Now, Thompson returns to a track where he finished first and second in 2017 in USF2000 action, and fifth and sixth in 2018 in Mid-Ohio's two Indy Pro 2000 races. He begins the weekend 30 points out of the Championship lead, with a chance to take over the top spot with a strong showing.
The Abel squad will race at 5pm ET on Saturday, July 27, and at 10am Sunday, July 28, on Honda Indy 200 weekend. Live timing and scoring are available at www.indycar.com.
ABOUT ABEL MOTORSPORTS:
Abel Motorsports is one of open wheel racing's top development teams. Stay up to speed at the official team website, www.abelmotorsports.com. Abel Motorsports is accepting inquiries about driving and marketing opportunities in 2019.
Bill Abel, team principal: Rick Benjamin
babel@abelconstruct.com rick@rickbenjamin.tv
502-291-1005 mobile 704-998-8945 mobile
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