IHRA announces new Nitro Jam broadcast team for 2008

There will be some familiar faces and some new faces on this season’s SPEED broadcasts of Knoll-Gas Motorsports Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series events.

The most familiar of these will be veteran Nitro Jam play-by-play announcer Ken Stout. Ken will be joined in the broadcast booth by a man who is certainly recognized by race fans for his on-track exploits. Six-time IHRA Nitro Jam Top Fuel champion Clay Millican will call upon his experience in the sport to provide lively, entertaining, and insightful color commentary to viewers of SPEED broadcasts. The third member of the team will be radio and television personality Megan Gunning, who will be responsible for pit reports and top-end interviews.

For the past 10 years, Stout has been honing his craft in the television broadcasting industry. During that time he has been a part of over 800 original productions on many different networks including SPEED. As on-camera talent he has occupied every seat in front of a camera, including that of host, analyst, and pit reporter.

Ken Stout

“It’s certainly going to be exciting to have Clay Millican sitting beside me in the booth this year,” Stout said. “To have a driver working with me, someone who has been there and who can describe what goes through a driver’s mind when he or she is sitting in the car, is going to be a real insight. It’s going to be exciting and a little different than what we’ve had in the past.

“I’ve been with the Nitro Jam series for many years which helps me have some history to fall back on,” Stout said. “It’s always fun to watch things progress. The IHRA Nitro Jam Pro Stock category has been stellar the past few years, and the Pro Mods are just going quicker and quicker. Alcohol Funny Car put on a great show last year, especially at the World Finals in Rockingham. Those guys have really stepped up and show a lot of promise. In fact, every pro class was solid last season, so there’s every reason to expect that 2008 is going to be another great year.”

Millican is the winningest driver in the history of the IHRA. On his way to six consecutive Top Fuel championships the Drummonds, Tennessee, native earned 51 national event victories, including an impressive 10 in a row in 2002. Millican also holds IHRA national Top Fuel elapsed time and speed records.

Clay Millican

“I’m really looking forward to working with the people at Live Nation, and I’ve certainly had a long relationship with the IHRA,” Millican said. “I was fortunate enough to do some television work last year – I actually hosted my own show on SPEED – so this is a perfect opportunity for me to continue working with some people I think highly of.

“I love drag racing and this will allow me to see things from a whole different perspective,” Millican said. “I’m very excited about getting this opportunity. Instead of being on the starting line stepping on the gas pedal, I’m going to be giving my thoughts about what just happened on the race track. Of course I’m going to continue racing, so I get to do two cool things – how many people get a chance to do that?”

Gunning, a native of Monkton, Maryland, has always been interested in the fashion, beauty, and entertainment industries. In 2001 she won the title of Miss Maryland USA, and shortly thereafter she began her career in radio and television. She has been a radio DJ, an actress, a model, and the host of a number of television shows, including the nationally syndicated series “Winter Sportscast” which featured skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding and wakeboarding.

Megan Gunning

“I have worked with Live Nation doing pit reporting for Monster Jam on SPEED, and when they asked me if I would be interested in doing IHRA Nitro Jam, I jumped at the opportunity’” Gunning said. “I’ve learned a lot with Monster Jam and big horsepower so working with Nitro jam will just add to the exciting experiences I've already had. Before Monster Jam, I hosted a dirt bike show, and I did a couple of other things, but they were mostly about extreme sports.

“I’m very excited about being involved with the IHRA Nitro Jam broadcasts and meeting all the people involved including the fans and the drivers,” Gunning said. “I can tell you that my adrenalin is flowing – I’m really psyched about working with the IHRA! It’s going to be fun!”

Experience, talent, insight, and enthusiasm. This new team has it all. The combination of a veteran play by play host’s seasoned viewpoint, a successful racer’s been-there & done-that astuteness, and a newcomer’s fresh and somewhat wide-eyed approach to the awesome world of IHRA Nitro Jam events promises to enhance what is sure to be a highly entertaining and exciting television package for 2008.