PALO ALTO, Calif. — A new interactive auto shopping guide was launched this week and can help connect the auto industry with one the nation's largest and most passionate base of sports fans.

NASCAR.com, the official site of NASCAR, has teamed up with auto digital media content provider High Gear Media and AutoTrader.com to launch NASCAR Auto Guide, a new-vehicle shopping resource on the professional stock-car racing association's site.

High Gear Media developed NASCAR.com Auto Guide, and AutoTrader.com serves as the launch sponsor.

The guide is designed to blend the brand reach of NASCAR.com with High Gear's technology platform and original editorial content and a search functionality that can provide access to the variety of models for sale via AutoTrader.com.

"NASCAR.com draws upon the extensive resources of NASCAR to provide our fans unmatched access to the sport and the interests that surround the NASCAR lifestyle," shard Walker Jacobs, senior vice president Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Ad Sales (Turner Sports purchased all of NASCAR's interactive rights in 2000).

"The partnership is a natural fit connecting AutoTrader.com with our loyal fan base of car enthusiasts. This exemplifies the custom opportunities NASCAR.com delivers our advertising partners," he continued.

Hesky Kutscher, High Gear Media's founder and chairman, added: "Building this new automotive shopping guide for NASCAR.com has been a fantastic opportunity for us to use our expanding editorial content and powerful platform for an industry leading media partner. With NASCAR.com, we're developing a site on a very big stage for a large audience of potential car buyers."

The NASCAR.com Auto Guide service offers:

—Original car reviews and features. It provides comprehensive reviews, news and features on the Web, syndicated from High Gear Media owned destinations like TheCarConnection.com, MotorAuthority.com and GreenCarReports.com.

—Expert and user reviews, and other content from around the Web, while also providing links to the very car reviews, user opinions, video clips and other information from various Web sources.

—Car-shopping tools and prices. It also allows users to look for and compare car information and prices using the site's car comparison tools, as well as pricing information.

"AutoTrader.com's sponsorship of this section and the inclusion of an inventory search functionality is a great opportunity to bring AutoTrader.com's unrivaled expertise in new and used car inventory to the users of the NASCAR.com Auto Guide," said AutoTrader.com vice president and chief marketing officer Clark Wood.

Moreover, when they access AutoTrader.com's inventory, NASCAR.com visitors can also check out a wide variety of car buying tips, research and compare functionality and other tools on AutoTrader.com.