CBS Sports to Televise Three Trans-Am Events in 2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: T.E. McHale (727) 533-0503

 

CBS SPORTS TO TELEVISE THREE TRANS-AM EVENTS IN 2002
 

CLEARWATER, Fla. (January 17, 2002) - For the second consecutive year, CBS Sports will air three of the 12 events which comprise the 2002 Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup. The announcement was made today by Rob Correa, Senior Vice President of Programming for CBS Sports, and Trans-Am President Dennis Huth.

 

CBS will provide same-day, tape-delayed coverage of Trans-Am events at the Mid-Ohio Sports Course on Saturday, June 29 and at Cleveland's Burke Lakefront Airport on Saturday, July 13. Air time of the Mid-Ohio event will be 4 p.m. ET, while the Cleveland event will air at 5 p.m. ET.

 

In addition, CBS will air the July 20 Trans-Am event in Washington, D.C. live, with 90 minutes of coverage scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET. The Washington round is one of three new temporary circuits on the 2002 Trans-Am calendar, the others being the April 6 season opener at Miami and a Labor Day weekend visit to Denver.  In addition, the Trans-Am returns to the streets of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, for the first time since 1999. 

 

"We were very pleased with the results of our first-year partnership with the Trans-Am Series in 2001," Correa said. "Our telecasts of events at Detroit, Cleveland and Sears Point [Calif.] performed very well in their time slots, and we look for the Trans-Am to continue to play a vital role as we expand our motorsports coverage in 2002."

 

According to Sponsors Report, last year's Trans-Am broadcasts at Detroit and Cleveland on CBS delivered $3.7 million each in sponsor value, while the broadcast at Sears Point delivered $5.7 million.

 

Huth sees the CBS package as an integral part of the overall Trans-Am marketing plan.

 

"There's no doubt that network television exposure helps take our teams, competitors, and sponsors to the next level," Huth said. "We're extremely pleased to return to the CBS Sports family in 2002, and look forward to building upon the strong foundation we put in place with last year's telecasts."

 

The remaining nine Trans-Am events will air on Speed Channel (formerly Speedvision) in 2002, beginning with the season-opening Grand Prix of the Americas, April 6 on the streets of Miami. Air dates for Speed Channel coverage will be released shortly.


      

 

The Trans-Am Series, sanctioned by the Englewood, Colorado-based Sports Car Club of America, is the longest-running road racing series in North America, entering its 37th year of competition in 2002. Defending and three-time series champion Paul Gentilozzi will be looking to claim his fifth title against a strong field of rivals, including Johnny Miller, Brian Simo, Tommy Archer and Rookie of the Year Justin Bell. All Trans-Am drivers compete for the prestigious BFGoodrich Tires Cup, emblematic of the series title.