Indianapolis 500, IndyCar Series Events Set for ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC in 2008

December 12, 2007 -- ESPN on ABC will televise the Indianapolis 500 for the 44th year and ESPN will celebrate its 13th year of IndyCar Series coverage as two longstanding motorsports relationships continue in the upcoming 2008 season.

The entire 16-race season for the IndyCar Series will appear on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. The 2008 television schedule includes seven events on both ESPN2 and ABC and two on ESPN. The networks also will cover Indianapolis 500 qualifying May 10-11 and 17-18.

“We look forward to another exciting season of IndyCar Series racing on our networks,” said John Wildhack, ESPN executive vice president, programming and acquisitions. “The series showed ratings growth in 2007 and we feel that the personalities of the drivers and the close, competitive racing are resonating with our viewers.”

The IndyCar Series season begins Saturday, Mar. 29, at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a prime time telecast on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET. The series concludes at Chicagoland Speedway Sunday, Sept. 7, at 3:30 p.m. on ABC. The 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500 airs Sunday, May 25, at noon on ABC.

Helio Castroneves, recent winner of “Dancing With the Stars” on ABC, is a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and will compete in the full IndyCar Series schedule. Former series champions Tony Kanaan, Dan Wheldon, Scott Dixon and Scott Sharp are also expected to contest the full season along with young stars Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti.

The ESPN alliance dates back to the series’ inaugural 1996 event and with ABC’s’ first telecast of the Indianapolis 500 in 1965, a relationship that is the second-longest in sports between a network and sports property. Only CBS and The Masters have been together longer.

“ABC and ESPN have played a significant role in the advancement of the IndyCar Series,” said Terry Angstadt, president of the commercial division of the Indy Racing League, sanctioning body of the IndyCar Series. “With innovations, such as side-by-side and Sportvision, our broadcasts offer viewers a unique motorsports experience.”

The complete 2008 IndyCar Series schedule:

Date - Venue - Network - Time:

Mar. 29 - Homestead-Miami (FL) Speedway - ESPN2 - 8 p.m.

April 6 - Streets of St. Petersburg - ESPN - 2:30 p.m.

April 19 - Twin Ring Motegi, Japan - ESPN - Noon

April 27 - Kansas Speedway - ESPN2 - 5 p.m.

May 25 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway - ABC - Noon

June 1 - The Milwaukee Mile - ABC - 4 p.m.

June 7 - Texas Motor Speedway - ESPN2 - 10 p.m.

June 22 - Iowa Speedway - ABC - 3 p.m.

June 28 - Richmond (VA) International Raceway - ESPN2 - 8 p.m.

July 6 - Watkins Glen (NY) International - ABC - 3:30 p.m.

July 12 - Nashville (TN) Superspeedway - ESPN2 - 8 p.m.

July 20 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course - ABC - 1:30 p.m.

Aug. 9 - Kentucky Speedway - ESPN2 - 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 24 - Infineon Raceway, CA - ESPN2 - 5:30 p.m.

Aug. 31 - The Raceway at Belle Isle, MI - ABC - 3:30 p.m.

Sep. 7 - Chicagoland Speedway, IL - ABC - 3:30 p.m.

(all times Eastern)

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