Indy 500: Coverage for race has been expanded

INDY 500 COVERAGE EXPANDING THIS WEEKEND ON ABC, ESPN NETWORKS

INDIANAPOLIS, Monday, May 19, 2008 -- Live coverage of Miller Lite Carb Day, an expanded Race Day broadcast and historic past race broadcasts will highlight the ESPN family of network's high-definition coverage of the 92nd Indianapolis 500 and related activities.

Final Indianapolis 500 practice, the Firestone Freedom 100 and the Pit Stop Challenge will be broadcast live from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (ET) Friday, May 23 on ESPN2. Bob Jenkins and Robbie Buhl will call the action with Mike King reporting from pit lane.

Expanded Race Day coverage kicks off at 11 a.m. (ET) Sunday, May 25 on ESPN2, leading into the ESPN on ABC telecast at noon. Brent Musburger is host, while lead broadcaster Marty Reid will be joined in the booth by IndyCar Series analysts Scott Goodyear and 1998 Indianapolis 500 winner Eddie Cheever Jr. Jack Arute, Jamie Little, Brienne Pedigo and Vince Welch will report from the pits.

Welch will play host to "Ready to Race: The 92nd Indianapolis 500," airing at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 24 on ESPN2. Also May 24, ESPN2 will air highlights of the IPL 500 Festival Parade at 5 p.m.

ESPN Classic presents an afternoon of must-see programming May 24 with three 500-Mile Race classics as well as a "SportsCentury" profile of four-time winner Al Unser at 1 p.m. (ET). The 1987 Indianapolis 500 airs at 2 p.m. as Unser wins his fourth Indy 500, finishing just ahead of Roberto Guerrero and Fabrizio Barbazza. Mario Andretti started on the pole.

The 1991 race airs at 4 p.m. with Rick Mears joining the exclusive four-winner club, winning from the pole. Michael Andretti finished second and Arie Luyendyk third.

The day concludes with the event that jump-started Danica Patrick's rise to IndyCar Series stardom -- the 2005 Indianapolis 500 -- airing at 6 p.m. Dan Wheldon passed Patrick in the race's closing laps to take the victory.

ESPN Classic also will replay the 92nd Indianapolis 500 at 9 a.m. (ET) May 26.

ABC is covering the Indianapolis 500 for the 44th year in 2008, extending the second-longest relationship in television history between a sporting event and television network. Weekend coverage of the Masters has been on CBS for 53 years.

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Indy 500 tickets on sale: Tickets are on sale for the 2008 Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 25, the 92nd running of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

Fans can order tickets online at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com, by calling the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or at the ticket office at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Parking and camping information also can be obtained through the ticket office.

Hours for phone orders and the ticket office are 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (ET) Monday-Sunday during May, with special hours of 6 a.m.-1 p.m. on Race Day, Sunday, May 25. Online orders can be made at any time. Race Day ticket prices start at just $20.

-credit: ims