By Ben Antonius | Daily Republic | November 20, 2009
Copart President Jay Adair stands in the company's control room at their Fairfield headquarters. Photo by Brad Zweerink
FAIRFIELD - Copart has signed a deal with the cable channel Speed to produce a new television show that will highlight vehicle auctions on Copart's Web site.
The television show, called 'Sold In Seconds,' will make its debut March 2 and air each Tuesday at noon. So far, the companies have agreed to produce 13 episodes.
Copart has long lamented the fact that it languishes in relative anonymity, despite being a multibillion-dollar company that sells thousands of cars each year.
Company President Jay Adair said the arrangement with the Speed network was borne out of Copart's recent involvement with professional racing. In 2009, it sponsored two trucks in the NASCAR Truck Series and another car in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
'Once we got into NASCAR, that got the attention of Speed,' Adair said. 'We got the standard response we always get -- 'You guys are selling billions of dollars of cars, how have I never heard of you?''
The half-hour show will be filmed live each week at noon, which is when activity in Copart's online auctions is typically at its peak. The format will involve hosts -- who have not been hired yet -- describing the activity in the auctions as it is occurring. They might note, for example, that someone in Guatemala is bidding against someone from Alaska for a Dodge Neon that is located in Missouri, or point out that an exotic Bugatti is about to go on sale.
Adair said he is hoping the show can capture for viewers the experience of witnessing or participating in the auction themselves. Adair said an apt comparison is participating in a charity auction. Of course, it would be even more desirable if they actually did participate.
'The experience of bidding is the fun and whether you end up purchasing the items may come later,' he said.
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