INDY 500: Excite@home/Team Cheever Racing Notes and Quotes
12 May 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Experience The Month Of May With Eddie Online: Internet giant Excite@Home, the leading online broadband service provider, will allow race fans to enjoy unprecedented access to Eddie Cheever Jr. and the #51 Excite@Home Indy Race Team during the month of May via http://sports.excite.com/teamcheever. Special features to be unveiled this month include live webcasts, virtual tours, live telemetry on race day, and daily dairies (starting May 13) of Cheever's experiences leading up to the Indianapolis 500. Look for more details on this "all-access" opportunity early next week, and stay tuned to http://sports.excite.com/teamcheever for the latest information on the #51 Excite@Home Indy Race Team.
Cheever Honored With Key To City Of Indianapolis: 1998 Indianapolis 500 Champion Eddie Cheever Jr. was presented with a key to the City of Indianapolis on May 5 by Mayor Bart Peterson. The honor, which is reserved for visitors to Indianapolis who have made significant contributions to the city, was presented by Assistant Deputy Mayor Melina Maniatis Kennedy on behalf of the Mayor. The key was one of the first awarded since the Peterson administration took office in January. "Mayor Peterson is pleased to recognize Mr. Cheever for his special contributions to the City of Indianapolis," said Maniatis Kennedy during the presentation at the city's historic Columbia Club. "The doors to Indianapolis will always be open to the 1998 Indy 500 Champion."
Cheever Joins In Unveiling Of New Midwestern Tracks: Eddie Cheever Jr. joined IRNLS President Tony George, NASCAR chief Mike Helton, and several NASCAR stars at press conferences in Chicago and Kansas City announcing the 2001 races at the new Chicagoland Speedway and Kansas Speedway, respectively. Cheever was the featured IRNLS driver at both events, and even piloted the #51 Excite@Home for a demonstration lap at Chicago's Navy Pier. The IRNLS will race in Chicago on September 2, 2001, and in Kansas City on July 8, 2001.
"Indy Racing has been very successful in the Midwest with the Indy 500, and it's time that we return to our roots," commented Cheever. "With the Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Day weekend, the Chicagoland Speedway event on Labor Day weekend, and our goal of holding the Kansas race on the July 4th weekend, the Indy Racing series is continuing a successful tradition of racing on the most significant holiday weekends. The Joliet and Kansas tracks are state-of-the-art facilities that will allow the knowledgeable, enthusiastic motorsports fans in these key markets to see some great open-wheel racing action. The most important thing is that the IRNLS and the ISC, and the France and George families, are working together to make the most of the opportunities available to the IRNLS. There is a lot to be learned from the success of NASCAR, and as a team owner I am very encouraged by the direction the IRNLS is headed."
More IROC Miles For Cheever In Michigan: IROC series sophomore Eddie Cheever Jr. will participate in a one-day test at Michigan Speedway on May 11 in preparation for the third round of the 2000 True Value International Race of Champions at the 2-mile superspeedway on June 10. Cheever will start from the front row in the event, the first part of a double-header that the Indy Racing star will conduct that day. Cheever will return to Texas Motor Speedway following the IROC event to compete in the Casino Magic 500 on the evening of June 10.
Cheever's Mug On Pepsi Cans: Over 20.9 million cans of Pepsi showcasing #51 Excite@Home driver Eddie Cheever and nine other Indy Racing Northern Light Series drivers are being distributed throughout Indiana and surrounding states as part of a two-month promotional campaign. The Pepsi can featuring an image of Cheever is also displayed on several billboards in Indianapolis. In store displays at major retailers, convenience stores, and mass merchandisers will offer consumers free practice day admission coupons for the 84th Indianapolis 500.
American Cancer Society Benefit Raises Over $25,000: Eddie Cheever Jr. joined WXIN's Cheryl Adams and WTHR's Anne Ryder as co-chairpersons of the "Winning With Strides: Breast Cancer Awareness Fashion Show and Luncheon" on Friday, May 5. Over 300 people attended the event, which generated over $25,000 for the American Cancer Society in Central Indiana. Proceeds from the luncheon will be used to provide free mammograms for women in Central Indiana and to assist in continuing American Cancer Society education and quality of life programs.
On The Record With Eddie: Indy Racing fans will want to check out Eddie Cheever Jr.'s recent Q&A at www.freshalloy.com/interviews/cheever/. The Nissan-flavored website also features an interview with Manager of Infiniti Motorsports Frank Honsowetz, as well as a link to the #51 Excite@Home Indy Race Team website at http://sports.excite.com.
Primary Sponsorship of the #51 Indy Car comes from Excite@Home. The company is based in Redwood City, California, at the heart of Silicon Valley. Associate Sponsors of Team Cheever include Infiniti, Firestone, Indy Promotional Products, Menards, Bosch, Pennzoil, Sony Disc Manufacturing, and Nancy Flowers Promotions.
Excite@Home (Nasdaq: ATHM) is the leading broadband online service provider, offering residential and commercial broadband services worldwide through the Company's 15,000 mile Internet backbone. The company has a global footprint of 87 million broadband homes under long-term contract. Excite@Home offers consumers broadband services over cable-modem, DSL and wireless connections, and businesses high-speed commercial services with Excite representing the consumer content experience and @Home providing access in local markets through broadband connectivity partners. Excite@Home has approximately 13.5 million cable franchise homes under contract outside of North America and localized versions of the Excite service in 10 leading international markets.
Text provided by Ashleigh Higgins
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