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NorthernLight IRL: Excite to sponsor Indy Racing season finale at Texas

27 August 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
FORT WORTH-DALLAS - The Indy Racing Northern Light Series season finale Oct. 15 at Texas Motor Speedway is getting a new name.

Excite@Home will now sponsor the event, to be called the Excite 500. "It seems fitting that the season finale, for what has been proven to be the most exciting racing series in America, will now be called the Excite 500," said Texas Motor Speedway General Manager Eddie Gossage. "Our June Indy Racing event was the most exciting race in motorsports history. With the Indy Racing Northern Light Series championship on the line, the Excite 500 is appropriately named."

The one-year sponsorship deal was officially announced today at the Indy Racing Northern Light Series event at Kentucky Speedway.

Excite@Home, headquartered in Redwood, Calif., is the leading provider of broadband high-speed Internet service in the world.

"Through Excite@Homes sponsorship of Indy Racing driver Eddie Cheever, we have been impressed with the professionalism of the league and track owners, the sheer excitement that surrounds the races and the devotion of the fans," said Byron Smith, executive vice president, consumer broadband services & chief marketing officer of Excite@Home. "We jumped at the opportunity to sponsor this years final Indy Racing event at Texas Motor Speedway as we see it to be the perfect conclusion to a thrilling season."

Cheever is making a bid for his first Indy Racing championship. Cheever, the 1998 Indianapolis 500 winner, is second in points and has one win this year, in June at Pikes Peak.

"Excite@Homes sponsorship of the Excite 500 is one more step toward solidifying the Internets position in the Indy Racing Northern Light Series," said Cheever. "Its great for Excite@Home and great for the fans, and its a perfect way to celebrate a great year for the #51 Excite@Home team. Im looking forward to a fantastic Excite 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, and to competing for the Northern Light Cup in my Excite@Home car." Said Bob Reif, Indy Racing League senior vice president of sales and marketing & chief marketing officer: "Were pleased that Excite is increasing its involvement with Indy Racing through its sponsorship of the season-ending race at Texas Motor Speedway. Excite has enjoyed tremendous benefits through its relationship with Team Cheever, and its sponsorship of this thrilling race at such a great venue like Texas Motor Speedway is further proof of the growth and business potential of our series."

Excite@Home (Nasdaq: ATHM) is the leading broadband online service provider, offering residential and commercial broadband services, with a global footprint of 105 million homes under long-term cable and DSL contract. Excite@Home offers consumers broadband services over cable-modem, DSL and other "last-mile" connections and businesses high-speed commercial services.

Excite@Home has more than 30 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 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.