INDY RACING: Delphi Indy 300 Event Happenings, Chicago
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
August 30, 2001JOLIET, Ill. - Event happenings leading up to and during the Delphi Indy 300 on Aug. 31-Sept. 2 at Chicagoland Speedway:
SCHEDULE:
The Delphi Indy 300 starts at 3 p.m. (CDT) Sept. 2. MBNA Pole Qualifying starts at noon Sept. 1.
Practice sessions start at 11 a.m. (two groups) and 2:30 p.m. (two groups) Aug. 31, 9 a.m. (two groups) Sept. 1, and 10:30 a.m. (all cars) Sept. 2.
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ON THE AIR:
The Delphi Indy 300 will be televised live on ABC at 4 p.m. (EDT) Sept. 2. "Indy Racing 2Day" will be televised live at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 2 on ESPN2.
MBNA Pole Qualifying will be broadcast on ESPN2 at 2 a.m. (EDT) Sept. 2.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network will broadcast a 30-minute pre-race show at 3:30 p.m. (EDT) Sept. 2, followed by the live race broadcast at 4 p.m. There will be a qualifying wrap-up show at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 1.
The area IMS Radio Network affiliates are WJOL-AM 1340, Joliet, Ill. and WAIT-AM 850, Chicago.
The IMS Radio Network 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.
TICKETS:
Race tickets and MBNA Pole Qualifying tickets for the Delphi Indy 300 are sold out.
Friday practice tickets are available for $15 each at the gate or by calling (815) 727-RACE. Children 12 and under are free Friday.
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AL MAKES HIS PITCH AT WRIGLEY:
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. will throw out the first pitch Aug. 30 at Wrigley Field prior to the Florida Marlins-Chicago Cubs game.
Unser, who won the Gateway Indy 250 on Aug. 26 at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis, will meet with Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa before the game. Game time is 1:20 p.m. (CDT).
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INDY RACING MUSEUM:
Expo Village, located outside behind the Chicagoland Speedway grandstands, will feature a temporary museum that will display the historical cars of open-wheel racing during the Delphi Indy 300 weekend.
Inside the museum, fans can experience the history of open-wheel racing as they see a variety of open-wheel race cars, each representing a decade of racing beginning in 1909. Also on display in the museum will be the Northern Light Cup, the Indy Racing League's championship trophy, and a 20-minute documentary about the Indy Racing League. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum is supplying the cars on display.
Cars on display include the first ever mail-order car, Illinois-native open-wheel driver Rich Vogler's midget car, along with a Dodge Viper Pace Car and several other Indy Racing cars.
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ROCK ON:
The World Classic Rockers, comprised of members from the Eagles, Toto, Steppenwolf, Foreigner, Wings and Moody Blues, will play a live performance at 11 a.m. Sunday on the main stage in Expo Village.
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MORE MUSIC:
A disc jockey will play music and give away merchandise starting at 11 a.m. Saturday on the main stage in the Expo Village.
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IT'S JUST FOR FUN:
Four racing simulators will be available for fans throughout the weekend in the Expo Village.
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SIGN HERE PLEASE:
A free autograph session with Indy Racing drivers will take place at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 31 in the garage area at Chicagoland Speedway.
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.