Northern Light IRL: Indy Racing schedule set for 14 races in 2002
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
July 1, 2001RICHMOND, Va. - With new events at Michigan International Speedway and Nazareth Speedway, officials of the Indy Racing League announced a 14-race schedule for the 2002 Indy Racing Northern Light Series on June 30.
The 2002 Indy Racing season will mark the seventh season of competition for the Indianapolis-based sanctioning body and will represent its largest schedule of events.
Homestead-Miami Speedway will play host to the first event of the 2002 season with an ABC-televised event on Saturday, March 2. The season will end with another ABC-televised race, the Chevy 500 on Sunday, Sept. 15, at Texas Motor Speedway.
"The diversity of the racetracks represented on the 2002 schedule will provide challenges to the teams and drivers, and the end result will be something racing fans will enjoy," said Tony George, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy Racing League. "From the 1.5-mile, high-banked Texas Motor Speedway to the facility here at Richmond (International Raceway) to Indianapolis, the teams will be tested on all types of ovals at first-class venues."
All 14 races will be televised live, with 10 races on ABC and four races on ESPN. All three of the night races in 2002 will be on ESPN.
Michigan International Speedway and Nazareth Speedway will both play host to inaugural Indy Racing events in 2002. An ABC-televised event at Nazareth Speedway on Sunday, April 21, will be the last event before the series returns to Indianapolis for the month of May for the 86th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 26.
The inaugural Indy Racing event at Michigan International Speedway will be July 28, live on ABC. "A great deal of effort goes into producing a schedule of this magnitude," said Bob Reif, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indy Racing League. "We receive great support from our partners at ABC and ESPN, but I especially want to thank the series' track operators for the commitment they've made in producing this 2002 schedule."
The schedule includes four back-to-back racing weekends, including the traditional June events at Texas Motor Speedway (June 8) and Pikes Peak International Raceway (June 16).
"The 2002 schedule of events will be great for our fans and represents the controlled growth the League desires," said Brian Barnhart, Indy Racing League vice president of operations. "There will be 14 events in a period of just a little over six months. That will allow the teams and drivers to find a rhythm and also maintain the fans' interest. I'm ready to go."
2002 INDY RACING NORTHERN LIGHT SERIES SCHEDULE
- Date Track Television
- March 2 Homestead-Miami Speedway ABC
- March 17 Phoenix International Raceway ABC
- April 21 Nazareth Speedway ABC
- May 26 Indianapolis Motor Speedway ABC
- June 8* Texas Motor Speedway ESPN
- June 16 Pikes Peak International Raceway ABC
- June 29* Richmond International Raceway ESPN
- July 7 Kansas Speedway ABC
- July 20* Nashville Superspeedway ESPN
- July 28 Michigan International Speedway ABC
- Aug. 11 Kentucky Speedway ABC
- Aug. 25 Gateway International Raceway ESPN
- Sept. 8 Chicagoland Speedway ABC
- Sept. 15 Texas Motor Speedway ABC
- * -- Night race
Text provided by Paul Kelly
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