John Roberts

• Birthplace:Washington D.C.
• Birthdate:October 2nd, 1965
• Full name:John Michael Roberts
• Current Residence:Cornelius N.C.
• High School and college:James Madison H.S., James Madison University
• Wife/children:Wife: Manda, Kids: Jordan, Willie, Lauren, Dogs: Jack Russell, Retief Goosen
• What do you do for SPEED:Talk when the Red Light Comes on
• Past jobs:Lawn Care, Construction
• Resume:Put out sign, "Will Anchor for food" and the rest is history
• Worst moment in your career:Thunderstorm at Phoenix in 2005
• Favorite movie:Caddyshack
• Favorite song:"Gray" by Dave Matthews
• Favorite sport:Night Putting
• Favorite driver/rider:Dick Trickle
• If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be:Echo Beach Canada
• What do you love the most about your job:It does not involve digging up any earth.
• Describe a typical day in your life:Ringmaster in a three ring circus
• Hobbies:Obsessing over why I never made it as a professional athlete
• What was your first car:Schwinn Ten-speed
• Have you ever competed in a race, amateur or professionally:ran a 5k in 1991
• Your dream car:1965 Tar Heel Blue Ford Mustang
• One thing most people do not know about you:I am certifiably crazy about my dogs
• Do you have a favorite saying or philosophy:"Fifty dollar shine on a five dollar pair of boots."

 

Kenny Wallace

• Birthplace:St. Louis, Missouri
• Birthdate:August 23, 1963
• Full name:Kenneth Lee Wallace
• Current Residence:Concord, NC
• High School and college:Fox High School Arnold, MO
• Wife/children:Wife: Kim Wallace (high-school sweetheart), Children: Brooke, Brandy, Brittany
• Past jobs:Race car driver
• Worst moment in your career:Wrecking in Loudon, NH in 1991 and suffering a head injury that cost me the championship
• Favorite movie:Green Mile
• Favorite song:the next one ha! ha!
• Favorite band(s)/music:Aerosmith, Nelly, Patsy Cline
• Favorite sport:St. Louis Cardinal baseball
• Favorite driver/rider:Dick Trickle
• If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be:Monaco
• What do you love the most about your job:Driving the race car
• Describe a typical day in your life:get up at 10 a.m., and run around all day and go to bed at 2 a.m.
• Favorite food:pork chops, Oriental chicken salad
• Hobbies:Spending time with family, racing dirt cars
• Most memorable racing experience:2001 Talladega race, pushing Dale Earnhardt to his final win
• Number of years racing (professional):20 years

 

Wendy Venturini

• Birthplace:Chicago, Illinois
• Birthdate:January 30th
• Full name:Wendy Marie Venturini
• Current Residence:Charlotte, NC
• High School and college:University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC / Northwest Cabarrus High School, Concord, NC
• What do you do for SPEED:NASCAR Raceday Reporter, Pit Reporter ARCA Re/Max Series
• Past jobs:
  Pit Reporter NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on SPEED. NASCAR Images Producer for NASCAR Victory Lane on SPEED. Feature Producer NASCAR This Morning on FOX Sports Net. Wheeler TV Associate Producer for Raceday on TNN. Reporter Adelphia Cable News in Mooresville, NC. Hosted own racing show, Race City Review
• Favorite song:Anything Jimmy Buffett or Norah Jones
• Favorite driver/rider:Any driver who is down-to-earth, approachable and friendly. I do not like egos. Life is too short for rudeness.
• If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be:Go back to Italy or any of my favorite islands in the Caribbean
• What do you love the most about your job:The people in NASCAR are my second family. I have been around them my entire life. I feel very at home in the garage area. I love interacting with people and traveling the circuit.
• Describe a typical day in your life:On the road for 10 months Thursdays-Sundays….early riser, workout, go to the track, research, talk to drivers, crew chiefs and crew members, translate all that to the fan at home, go to the hotel, sleep and do it again the next day. Mondays-Wednesdays: production meetings at Speed, shoot Real Deal features, sometimes have to travel out-of-state for Real Deal shoots, packing/unpacking, laundry.
• Hobbies:
  Boating on Lake Norman, riding my motorcycle, interior decorating, Caribbean travel, and spending time with family and friends
• What was your first car:Chevrolet Lumina Z34
• Have you ever competed in a race, amateur or professionally:two words... BUS RACE
• One thing most people do not know about you:I never take a day for granted.
• Do you have a favorite saying or philosophy:Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
• Career History:Wendy was born and raised going to the race track with her family. Her father Bill Venturini moved the family to Concord, NC when she was 14 to further the family racing endeavors. Brother Billy currently drives in the ARCA circuit.
  
  Venturini is a 2000 graduate of UNC Chapel Hill with a BA in Communications Studies focus on Media, BA in Psychology and a Minor in Journalism.
  
  Venturini started her on-air television career with Adelphia Cable in Mooresville, N.C. Then she joined Wheeler TV behind the scenes as an Associate Producer of Race Day. After that she moved to NASCAR Images to produce NASCAR Victory Lane and feature produce NASCAR This Morning. Wendy spent the last two years as pit reporter in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. In 2006, she began reporting from the Nextel Cup garage every weekend on SPEEDs premier pre-race show, NASCAR Raceday. She will also return to her roots and join her family as the pit reporter in the ARCA series.

 

Rutledge Wood

• Birthplace:Birmngham, Alabama
• Birthdate:April 1980
• Current Residence:Senoia, Georgia
• Wife:Rachel
• Career History:I grew up interested in everything about cars. (Grandpa was a NAPA dealer.) I played drums and sang in a cover band in college. Loved the crowds and loved to make people smile. I graduated from the University of Georgia in 2002 with a degree in Marketing. First job out of school was working for Country Music Television (CMT) driving a huge truck around the country with their "Most Wanted" tour. Loved the crowds, loved making people smile. Then I spent a year with Clear Channel Communications producing and co-hosting a daily talk show in Mid-West GA. I got up before daylight every day and interviewed interesting people. I sharpened my DJ and mic skills hosting a weekly Karaoke/Comedy show in Newnan,GA at a club called the Alamo. Loved the crowds and making people smile. I started working for SPEED in Feb. of 2005 on the Need for SPEED Road Tour. I still love the crowds and making people smile!
• Hobbies:Spending time with my beautiful wife and our Boxer, Leo, playing the drums, entertaining. And I love to buy old cars no one wants, fix them up, and find them a home.

 

Jimmy Spencer

• Birthplace:Nanticoke, Pennsylvania
• Birthdate:February 15th
• Full Name:Mr. Excitement™
• Current Residence:My House
• High School and college:Havad-masters in "bull"
• Wife/Children:Pat (wife), Jimmy, Jon, Katrina
• What do you do for SPEED:Talk
• Past jobs:Never had one
• Resume:Are you joking?
• Worst moment in your career:Bristol in the Banquet car
• Favorite movie:Too many to mention
• Favorite song:Anything I know the words to
• Favorite sport:Are you serious?
• Favorite driver/rider-too many, to name a few:Cale, Pearson, Bobby Allison, Earnhardt
• If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be:Anywhere in the USA
• What do you love the most about your job:Sitting next to JR and people pick on me
• Describe a typical day in your life:Coffee, take my puppies for the paper, work in my yard if time golf
• Hobbies:Gardening, Golf, Reading
• What was your first car:67 chevelle
• Have you ever competed in a race, professionally:I have tried
• Your dream car:It is not built yet
• One thing most people do not know about you:I like to shop with my wife
• Do you have a favorite saying or philosophy:I try never to forget
• Heather Locklear or Pamela Anderson?Heather
• Robert DeNiro or Al Pacino?Both
• Coke or Pepsi?Water
• Ford or Chevy?What about Dodge & Toyota?
• BRIEF CAREER HISTORY/HIGHLIGHTS:Spencer scored two NASCAR Nextel Cup Series wins (Daytona and Talladega in 1994) and three poles during parts of 17 seasons… one of eight drivers to win in all three of NASCAR's national touring divisions