• by Wayne Friedman , February 24, 2013

Dish Network used some in-show branded entertainment to sneak into Fox Sports' "Daytona 500" -- this in the wake of ongoing legal activities between the two companies and after Dish said Fox rejected it from buying TV commercials in Fox programming.

Late last week satellite TV programming distributor Dish Network said it was sponsoring Nascar driver Scott Speed's car -- which has been adorned with Dish Network signage. The network got some minimal camera time when Speed briefly got into first place for two laps during the big Nascar race that was eventually won by Jimmy Johnson.

In legal filings, Fox has filed for an injunction to stop Dish Network from distributing its new Hopper set-top box unit -- one that can automatically skip over huge numbers of broadcast prime-time commercials. More recently, Fox filed for another injunction against a new version of the Hopper -- one that can easily transfer TV programming to mobile devices, including tablets, using Sling technology.

Before the race Dish Network issued a press release complaining that Fox would not take any of its TV commercials for the Hopper in any of its programming -- and that Dish would be sponsoring Nascar race driver Scott Speed's car. The Ford Fusion car was covered with the Dish Network logo on the bumper and the hood of the car with the Twitter hashtag, #AdFreeTV.

Just before the race, Fox's "Daytona 500" pre-game coverage aired a commercial for cable TV distributor Time Warner. During the race, Dish Network satellite programming competitor DirecTV has a sponsorship billboard for the big race event.

In a release, Joe Clayton, president/CEO of Dish Network, said: “The Hopper is in the pole position as the fastest in the consumer technology race. We are giving consumers what they want, when they want and where they want it. Fox is trying to hold up traffic. You can’t stop the future.”

Scott Speed finished the race in 23rd place.

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