INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis 500 and four other IndyCar Series races will be televised by ABC Sports at least through 2012 in a contract extension announced Thursday by the Indy Racing League.
Also, the Versus cable channel, already the home of the NHL, Davis Cup and Tour de France, will carry at least 13 IndyCar races annually for the next 10 years. The move to Versus means ESPN will no longer carry IRL races on its domestic channels.
"We couldn't be happier moving forward with our media rights with longtime partner ABC and now welcoming Versus to the IndyCar Series family," IRL boss Tony George said.
He said the new television package will help the IRL capitalize on the recent unification of open-wheel racing with the former Champ Car series and next year help bring attention to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's centennial celebration. The IRL currently runs 15 IndyCar races in the United States and one each in Australia, Canada and Japan.
Financial details of the new agreement were not disclosed.
Versus is owned by Comcast Corp. and reaches about 74 million homes through cable and satellite.
All the races will be telecast in high-definition. Besides the Indy 500, which has been aired on ABC the past 44 years, the specific races to be carried on each network will be announced later.
In addition to race-day coverage, Versus also will air a one-hour preview show the day before each race.
ESPN, which produces all sports coverage for ABC, also will have the rights to televise the five ABC races on ESPN's international networks and to air highlights of the five races on all of its digital outlets.
