Road America situation costs CART a TV date; race may be aired in HDTV

[Gregg Lengling]

Hemming and hawing with Road America has cost CART a TV date, and the series will have to be creative just to get its most impressive road race on the airwaves.

When CART dropped Road America from its 2003 schedule in a dispute over sanctioning fees, it gave up its time-buy television slot on Speed TV. By the time Road America returned to the schedule, following personal intervention from Mario Andretti, both of CART's TV partners—CBS and Speed—had other commitments. The late-night spot available on Speed wasn't much better than no coverage at all.

So Pook is doing what he often does, putting the best face on a difficult situation. CART is negotiating with HDNet, a television production company owned by entrepreneur Mark Cuban, to show the first fully digital HDTV auto racing broadcast in the United States. A lot of details remain to be worked out, but the plan would make the race available to DirecTV satellite customers free of charge. It might also include a pay-per-view option on cable. HDNet would work with the Lingner Group, CART's production company, and share some of the cost in order to showcase its sports- oriented HDTV coverage.

[Skipjack]

This is exciting news... when is the race?

[uplinkguy]

The race is on August 3rd.

HD Net carried the race at the Denver Grand Prix last August.  They also carried a qualifying session from Cleveland as well.

Unfortunately, if they use one of their own trucks, the limited cameras of 5 might have a hard time covering a road circuit of 4 miles in length.

HD Net does still show parts of the Denver race.

Phil Garvin, the GM of HD Net also owns mountain mobile, the production truck company that works on the cart series for Speed, CBS and everyone else involved.


(I used to be involved with the series, uplinking about 30 races in past years.  I was visiting the HD Net truck last year while it was doing the Denver race.)


enjoy the race,
andy