Champ Car series to air on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2

The Champ Car World Series (formerly known as CART) will have 14 races aired on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 during the 2008 season. The series returns to the ESPN Networks following an absence of six years.

ESPN2 will also televise the Champ Car Atlantic Championship, the circuit’s development series, on a tape-delayed basis.

“WIth the close competition and the exciting mix of street and road courses, anything can happen in a Champ Car race,” said John WIldhack, ESPN executive vice president for programming and acquisitions. “We look forward to bringing the entire season to our viewers across ESPN’s multimedia platforms.”

Sebastien Bourdais of France won the 2007 season title, topping Englishman Justin Wilson, Dutchman Robert Doornbos, Australian Will Power and American rookie Graham Rahal. Other top names on the circuit include Bruno Junqueira of Brazil and Canadians Alex Tagliani and Paul Tracy.

ESPN’s history with Champ Car goes back to the network’s first live race, a 1981 event at Milwaukee. The series appeared on ESPN through the 2001 season.

Champ Car television schedule:

• April 20: Long Beach, Calif., ESPN2, 5 p.m.
• April 27: Houston, ESPN2, 10 p.m.
• May 18: Laguna Seca (Monterey, Calif.), ESPN, 4 p.m.
• June 1: Heusden-Zolder, Belgium, ABC, 3 p.m.
• June 8: Jerez, Spain, ABC, 4 p.m.
• June 22: Cleveland, ABC, 3:30 p.m.
• June 29: Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, ESPN, 1 p.m.
• July 6: Toronto, ESPN, 2 p.m.
• July 20: Edmonton, ESPN, 3 p.m.
• July 27: Portland, ESPN2, 10 p.m.
• Aug. 10: Road America (Elkhart Lake, Wisc.), ABC, 5 p.m.
• Sept. 14: Assen, Holland, ESPN2, 10 p.m.
• Oct. 26: Surfers Paradise, Australia, ESPN2, 11 p.m.
• Nov. 9: Mexico City, ESPN2, 3 p.m.