Western Montana, Southwestern British Columbia and Alberta, Northern Idaho and race fans on the Internet will again be able to listen to the famed Montana 200 live as Bee Broadcasting will devote extensive coverage of the 20th Annual event across its network with the July 17 200-lap finale carried live on Montana Country 106.3 The Bear.

Courtesy: Montana Raceway Park Media Relations

KALISPELL, Mont. (April 2, 2010)-Officials with Montana Raceway Park and Bee Broadcasting have announced an agreement for the 20th Annual Coors Light Montana 200 to be presented live on Montana Country 106.3 The Bear for the second consecutive year.

Paul Bartholomew, a longtime broadcaster with Motor Racing Network and NASCAR Sprint Vision, returns to lead this year’s play-by-play and post-race coverage.

Bartholomew is a stalwart in the broadcasting industry having led coverage of the Bodine Bobsled Challenge on SPEED for several seasons, covering events on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for MRN. The Milwaukie, Ore. native is one of the most recognizable media personalities at a NASCAR event through his work with Sprint Vision.

Doug Pace, The Spokesman-Review newspaper’s motorsports writer, returns alongside Bartholomew providing analyst and commentary. Pace is a past NASCAR Northwest Series media director and has announced the Yakima Speedway Apple Cup, Fall Classic and NASCAR events at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash.

Reed Tobol again anchors all the action from pit road.

Tobol is a freshman at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming majoring in Communications and cut his teeth at MRP as their announcer from 2007-09. The Ronan High School graduate is also known for rodeo announcing in several states and circuits.

Joining the announcing team this year will be Steve Mortland of KRKO 1380 AM based in Everett, Wash.

Mortland is a veteran of auto racing radio coverage and hosts a weekly motorsports show, NorthSound Racing, which is heard throughout the Puget Sound region and across the Internet. During the broadcast Mortland will bring stories from drivers, crews and highlight major developments from pit road and the track.

Producing all the radio coverage for Bee Broadcasting will be John Michaels of The Bear Morning Country Club. Michaels’ work in 2009 was instrumental in the first-ever radio broadcast of the Montana 200 being an overwhelming success.

The 20th Annual Coors Light Montana 200 kicks off Thursday, July 15 with open practice through 5 p.m. MST followed by Fan Fest.

This year’s fan appreciation event will host Mortland’s NorthSound Racing program and have live cut-ins on many of Bee Broadcasting’s stations. Drivers and fans will have the opportunity to have dinner at the track, be part of the radio shows and take part in several events on the midway and front stretch including the popular autograph session and charity dunk tank.

Racing action gets underway on Friday, July 16 with time trials and qualifying races for the Montana 200 along with the Westward Bound Construction/Keller Williams Realty Legends Series on tap for the first of two main events that weekend.

Racing resumes Saturday, July 17 with Montana 200 consolation racing, a second Legends main event followed by the 200-lap late model finale.

To learn more about the 20th Annual Coors Light Montana 200 log onto www.montanaracewaypark.com or look up the facility on Facebook. For more information on Bee Broadcasting check out their website at www.beebroadcasting.com

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