FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 11th, 2012
NBC SPORTS NETWORK’S 2012 IZOD INDYCAR SEASON CONTINUES SUNDAY WITH TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH
NEW YORK- April 11, 2012— TheNBC Sports Network’s coverage of the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series continues this weekend with live event coverage of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET, preceded by a new episode of IndyCar 36 featuring Graham Rahal at 3 p.m. ET. On Saturday, NBC Sports Network will air qualifying coverage at 6 p.m. ET. Additionally, a one-hour telecast of the Firestone Indy Lights race will air on Thursday, April 19 at 5 p.m. ET.
BOB JENKINS ON THIS WEEK’S RACE: “Long Beach is the longest running and most prestigious street race in the country. Every driver wants to win on the oval at Indianapolis, and on the street course in Long Beach. Organizers and promoters of the event have made the city of Long Beach synonymous with exciting and highly entertaining racing.”
INDYCAR 36: The NBC Sports Network will offer motorsports fans a second episode of the all-access series IndyCar 36 featuring Graham Rahal, this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. Rahal became the youngest winner in major open-wheel racing history when he took home a victory at St. Petersburg in 2008. He comes from a strong racing pedigree as his father is 1986 Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal.
The NBC Sports Network original series is produced by IMS Productions and gives viewers an all-access pass into the life of a world-class driver in the middle of race season. The cameras will follow a driver for 36 hours during a race weekend providing a behind-the-scenes look at the on- and off-track activities of the stars of the IndyCar Series. The all-access 36 series also includes NHL 36, which debuted in December, and Fight Night 36 that debuted last month.
FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS: NBC Sports Network will air a one-hour telecast of Firestone Indy Lights coverage on Thursday, April 19 at 5 p.m. ET, with coverage of the race from Long Beach. Firestone Indy Lights is the premier ladder series for drivers and teams striving to compete in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500. Primarily run in conjunction with the IZOD IndyCar Series, the Firestone Indy Lights schedule features races on road courses/street circuits and ovals, including the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
COMMENTATORS: NBC Sports Network’s booth is helmed by Bob Jenkins (lead race announcer), Jon Beekhuis (analyst) and Wally Dallenbach, Jr. (analyst).
REPORTERS: Veterans Marty Snider and Kevin Lee serve as pit reporters along with current IndyCar driver Townsend Bell. Robin Miller is the NBC Sports Network’s IndyCar reporter.
NBC SPORTS NETWORK’S WEEKEND COVERAGE (subject to change, all times ET):
DATE COVERAGE TIME
Sat., April 14 IndyCar Qualifying 6 p.m.
Sun., April 15 IndyCar 36 featuring Graham Rahal 3 p.m.
Sun., April 15 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach 3:30 p.m.
Mon., April 16 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (re-airs) 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Thurs. April 19 Firestone Indy Lights 5 p.m.
NBC SPORTS NETWORK’S REMAINING 2012 IZOD INDYCAR SERIES SCHEDULE
(subject to change, all times ET):
DATE RACE LOCATION TIME
April 29 Sao Paulo Indy 300 Sao Paulo, Brazil 11 a.m.
June 9 Firestone 550 Fort Worth, Texas 8 p.m.
June 23 Iowa Corn Indy 250 Newton, Iowa 8 p.m.
July 22 Edmonton Indy Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 2 p.m.
August 18 Streets of Qingdao Qingdao, China 12 a.m.
August 26 Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma Sonoma, Calif. 4 p.m.
September 2 Baltimore Grand Prix Baltimore, Md. 2 p.m.
September 15 Auto Club Speedway Fontana, Calif. 8 p.m.
