Bleacher Report NASCAR Picked for Citizen Journalist Media Corps

Last month, NASCAR announced the formation of the NASCAR Citizen Journalist Media Corps.

The response across the board has been positive.

"The National Motorsports Press Association comprises journalists dedicated to informing the public about motorsports,’’ said Dustin Long, president of the NMPA. “We welcome citizen journalists to the media center in hopes that it increases the depth of knowledge of the fan base.’’

With the changing media landscape and newspapers reducing full time coverage of NASCAR on a weekly basis, the Internet has become where many sports fans come to find their information, stories, or news on NASCAR.

NASCAR Managing Director of Communications Ramsey Poston said, “We have been overwhelmed by the positive response since our initial announcement to form the NASCAR Citizen Journalist Media Corps last month.”

NASCAR formed this group just for Internet-based web sites. The process wasn’t easy to be selected—only 27 sites were chose.

The process to be included in CJMC had web sites being evaluated on professionalism, commentary, and reporting.

Also, they looked at how these sites use the numerous social networks to not only promote their own sites, but NASCAR as well.

Last Friday, we learned that Bleacher Report-NASCAR was one of the sites selected.

In being selected, our writers will have the opportunity to apply for media passes for NASCAR sanctioned events. Also, we will have access to press releases and news information.

As you all have seen and read, a few of our writers have already earned media credentials to numerous races both as writers and as photographers.

We all will continue to follow the standards that NASCAR has already set for “mainstream” media.

In doing so, not only are we representing Bleacher Report, we are representing other Internet-based groups who were not selected to be a part of the CJMC.

The CJMC is about continuing to give fans the best access to all things NASCAR.

One thing that is important is we don’t want to lose our identity: We are still a fan-based Internet web site.

So, continue to write the great articles we have been seeing on here and have debates with each other.

We were selected because of the work that each and every one of us has written on here. We earned this selection based on the quality of articles we are writing.

To check out the other 26 web sites selected check out http://delicious.com/NASCARSays