Northern Light IRL: Atlanta 500 Classic Event Happenings

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

April 24, 2001

ATLANTA - Event happenings leading up to and during the Atlanta 500 Classic on April 26-28 at Atlanta Motor Speedway:

SCHEDULE:

The Atlanta 500 Classic starts at 7 p.m. (EDT) April 28. MBNA Pole Qualifying starts at 8 p.m. April 27.

Practice sessions start at 2:30 p.m. (two groups) and 5:15 p.m. (two groups). April 27, and 3:30 p.m. April 28.

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ON THE AIR:

The Atlanta 500 Classic will be televised live on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. (EDT) April 28. "Indy Racing 2Day" will be televised live at 6:30 p.m. April 28 on ESPN2.

ESPN2 will televise MBNA Pole qualifying at 4 a.m. (EDT) April 28.

The Indy Racing Radio Network will broadcast a 30-minute pre-race show at 6:30 p.m. (EDT) April 28, followed by the live race broadcast at 7 p.m.

The area IRRN affiliates are WBTR-AM/FM, Carrollton, Ga.; WYAY-FM 106.7, Atlanta; WTRP-AM, LaGrange, Ga.; WEKS-FM 92.5, Griffin, Ga.

The IRRN race broadcast also will be available live on the Internet at www.indyracing.com as part of a partnership between Indy Racing Online and Yahoo!/broadcast.com, the world's leading Web broadcast site.

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TICKETS:

Tickets for the Atlanta 500 Classic are available by calling (770) 946-4211, at Ticketmaster Ticket Centers or online at www.ticketmaster.com .

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FALCONS IN THE PITS:

Atlanta Falcons stars Keith Brooking and Shawn Swayda will help a pair of Indy Racing Northern Light Series teams in the pits for the Atlanta 500 Classic.

Brooking, a linebacker out of Georgia Tech, will be with rookie Felipe Giaffone in the Treadway Racing pit stall. Swayda, a defensive tackle, will be with former Indianapolis 500 winner Eddie Cheever in the Cheever Indy Racing pits.

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FIREWORKS GALORE:

Fans attending the Atlanta 500 Classic will be treated to a fireworks show during both the pre-race and post-race ceremonies.

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MOONLIGHTING AS A SINGER:

Georgia Public Service Commissioner Lauren "Bubba" McDonald will sing the national anthem prior to the start of the Atlanta 500 Classic. The pre-race show also will feature skydivers, a balloon release and a flyover by F-18 fighter jets.

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PLANET HOLLYWOOD PARTY:

Indy Racing drivers will sign autographs on Thursday, April 26 from 7-8:15 p.m. at Planet Hollywood on Peachtree Street. A Johns Manville Indy Racing car will be on display.

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APPERANCES:

Greg Ray's Johns Manville Indy Racing car will be on display April 23 at the 9th Annual Rhubarb Jones Celebrity Golf Classic at the Country Club of the South in Alpharetta, Ga.

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AL SIGNS ON THE DOTTED LINE:

Al Unser Jr. will sign autographs on Wednesday, April 25 from 5:30-7 p.m. at Andretti Speed Lab in Roswell, Ga. Unser's Galles Racing Starz SuperPak Indy Racing car will be on display.

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SIGN HERE PLEASE:

An autograph session with Indy Racing drivers will take place at 9:15 p.m. on Friday, April 27 in the garage area. The session is free of charge.

Text Provided By Paul Kelly

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.