VELOCITY AND DISCOVERY CHANNEL ANNOUNCE THE ON-AIR TEAM FOR BARRETT-JACKSON LIVE
Silver Spring, Md. – Dec. 19, 2014 – Velocity and Discovery Channel announced today the on-air team of auto experts and television veterans who will bring viewers 100 hours of LIVE Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction coverage in 2015 as part of BARRETT-JACKSONLIVE which premieres on Tuesday, January 13. The broadcast team unites for the first time as Velocity and Discovery Channel present BARRETT-JACKSONLIVE beginning with the much anticipated Scottsdale auction in January.
BARRETT-JACKSON LIVE begins Tuesday, January 13 from 6-8 PM ET on Discovery Channel and continues through Sunday, January 18 from 2-7 PM ET on Velocity. For the first time ever, select hours from BARRETT-JACKSON LIVE will also air live outside the United States—on Discovery Channel and Discovery World in Canada, and on Discovery Channel and Discovery Turbo in Latin America. In addition, the Spanish language broadcast will be available to U.S. viewers on Discovery en Español on Saturday, January 17 from 8-10 PM ET. Throughout 2015, BARRETT-JACKSON LIVE will air within Discovery’s portfolio of international networks, which reaches viewers in more than 220 countries and territories around the globe.
“We’re set to deliver our viewers unparalleled coverage of the greatest collector car auctions in the world beginning with Scottsdale in January, the most hotly anticipated Barrett-Jackson auction in recent memory,” said Robert Scanlon, General Manager of Velocity. “Launching BARRETT-JACKSON LIVE is an extraordinary milestone for the network. We’ve chosen the very best on-air team to take audiences inside the historic Scottsdale auction like never before.”
“Discovery Channel sets a high bar with motor programming and live events, and we’re excited to share BARRETT-JACKSON LIVE with our viewers”, said Denise Contis, Executive Vice President of Development and Production for Discovery Channel. “It’s an epic event with the ultimate classic car auction, and combined with our on air team of experts, it’s a great way to start 2015.”
Full On-Air Broadcast Team Includes:
Chris Jacobs – Host
Jacobs is co-host of Velocity’s OVERHAULIN’, television’s longest running automotive restoration show. Jacobs most recently served as host of Discovery Channel’s Discovery News during this month’s Mega Week 2014, and in November he was live on the ground in Chicago as the digital host of Discovery’s Skyscraper Live with Nik Wallenda. Jacobs is a television personality known for his hosting work on “The Insider”, “Entertainment Tonight” and the NFL Network. In his spare time he is self-proclaimed “gearhead” and lover of Mopar. @ChrisJacobs
Ray Evernham – Car Insights Expert and Interview Correspondent
Evernham is host of the Velocity series, AMERICARNA and a three-time NASCAR National Championship crew chief for Jeff Gordon. He has experienced motorsports racing from every angle including as a driver in his early career, as Gordon’s crew chief, as a team owner under Evernham Motorsports , and as a consultant for Hendrick Motorsports. His series, AMERICARNA uncovers the stories of some of history’s most storied automobiles. @RayEvernham
Rick Debruhl – Play-by-Play Announcer
Debruhl is a veteran auto-racing reporter formally serving as ESPN’s pit reporter for NASCAR, IZOD IndyCar Series and the American Le Mans Series races. Prior to a prolific career in motorsports coverage, DeBruhl worked on local news in Phoenix and in Santa Maria Calif. @rickdebruhl
Mike Joy – Auction Block Expert
Joy currently serves as the lap-by-lap voice of Fox Sports’ NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage. Following his beginnings at a local track in Massachusetts, Joy has broadcast NASCAR’s biggest event, the Daytona 500, 34 times. Previously he also served as FOX Sports’ expert analyst for the network’s coverage of collector car auctions and vintage auto racing events. @MikeJoy500
Steve Magnante – Auction Block Expert
Magnante is the former Technical Editor for Hot Rod Magazine. After a life long fascination with cars, Steve landed the job at Hot Rod Magazine to re-emphasize the roots of hot rodding, nostalgia drag racing and focusing on inexpensive junkyard-sourced hot rod projects. He is the author of three CarTech Books and currently a spokesperson for Dodge. @SteveMags426
Cristy Lee – Social Media Correspondent
Lee is a co-host of Velocity’s series ALL GIRLS GARAGE, as well as a motorsports reporter, arena host, race commentator and live emcee for several different outlets. Beginning in radio in Detroit, Lee has fielded an extensive career hosting for the NHL, SpeedTV, NASCAR and the AMA Pro Race Circuit. @CristyLee09
BARRETT-JACKSON LIVE in Scottsdale is produced for Velocity and Discovery Channel by Discovery Studios. For Velocity, David Lee and Peter Neal are executive producers and Robert Scanlon is general manager.