The Speed Channel is upgrading its online presence to be interactive and dynamic, as well as more friendly to ads, reports Mediaweek.

The cable network is upgrading its video player to include more formats and sizes, introducing more editorial content and rolling out social networking features to connect race fans on the site. The goal for the site, according to execs, is to make it a channel in and of itself, which fans can access for content on their terms and on their schedule.

That content will, of course, be ad-supported; the new formats and features, it's hoped, will be more conducive to advertisers. About half of the channel's advertisers, it's reported, also buy online ad space; the new formats and content should allow for an expansion of that.

One of the biggest advertisers on the revamped SpeedTV.com will be Sprint, which will take advantage of the synergy created by sponsoring coverage of the NASCAR title series as well as sponsoring the races itself, which this year will become the Sprint Cup Series.