Indianapolis Brickyard 400 preview

For Immediate Release Countdown to the Brickyard

BROADCAST SCHEDULE SET FOR BRICKYARD 400 TV AND RADIO

INDIANAPOLIS, July 21, 1997 -- Programming for the Brickyard 400, which is also NASCAR's richest and largest purse in Winston Cup racing, has been set for race week, and will be highlighted by the live broadcast of the race on the ABC Network and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network. ABC Sports will feature Bob Jenkins and 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup champion Benny Parsons in the Booth for the 1 p.m. (EDT, 12 Noon local time) start of the fourth running of the Brickyard 400 on Saturday, August 2. The veteran ABC broadcast duo of Jenkins and Parsons will be joined by reporters Jack Arute, Bill Weber, and Dr. Jerry Punch to round out the on-air lineup. Mike Joy and Ned Jarrett, the two-time champion of NASCAR's top division, and father of 1996 Brickyard 400 winner Dale Jarrett will return to call the race for the IMS Radio Network at 12:00 p.m. (EDT, 11 a.m. local time). Live practice coverage will be aired by ESPN2 in addition to live qualification coverage on ESPN and a live Brickyard 400 merchandise special Thursday night on cable channel QVC. ESPN will air "The Road to the Brickyard" specials on Sunday, June 29, Saturday, July 12 and Saturday July 26. In addition, ESPN will air a one-hour Brickyard 400 special program immediately preceding the race and a two-hour race recap on Sunday following the Brickyard 400. RPM2Night, the ESPN daily racing program, will broadcast live from the Brickyard's Garage area from Wednesday, July 30 through Saturday, August 2. The IMS Radio Network has again scheduled its call-in program, "Brickyard Live" for Wednesday and Thursday evenings from the Brickyard Crossing Golf Resort. The program features NASCAR Winston Cup competitors and Brickyard 400 personalities. Also, the radio network will carry live qualifying coverage for Thursday's Busch Pole Qualifying runs and qualifying wrap-ups on Thursday and Friday of race week as the field is set. The IMS Radio Network broadcast will be carried by 500 stations nationwide and by LeSea Broadcasting and the Armed Forces Radio Network around the world. The Brickyard 400 is presented by Chevrolet, Miller Lite, Monsoon and Pennzoil. All reserved seats for the 1997 race are sold out, and general admission tickets are not available on race day. General admission tickets are available on practice ($5 per person over 5 years of age) and qualifying days ($10 per person over 5 years). A $25 three-day (Wednesday-Friday) practice and qualifying pass allows daily in-and-out privileges and is available through the IMS ticket office. For information on Brickyard 400 practice and qualifying tickets, weekend parking and camping information, or the three-day pre-race pass, call IMS Ticket Operations at 317/484-6700.

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