IndyCar on new channel in Australia

SPEED, Australia's only dedicated 24-hour motorsports channel, welcomes the world-renowned IndyCar series to its rapidly-expanding programming stable after announcing a two-year broadcast agreement today.

The American-based open-wheel racing series is staged over eight months across 13 different venues in the US and includes a handful of international events in Canada, Brazil and Japan.

The series is contest by 15 teams and features two prominent Australian drivers, Ryan Briscoe and Will Power.

SPEED will provide LIVE coverage of all 17 IndyCar Series races this season, including the sport’s flagship Indianapolis 500 event in May.

The 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series action begins on Monday 28 March with LIVE coverage of the Honda Grand Prix of St Petersburg from 3.30am AEDT on SPEED & SPEED HD.

James Harrison, SPEED Channel Manager, said: "SPEED will become the new home for the IZOD IndyCar Series with coverage of every race to feature on SPEED and SPEED HD over the next two years."

"The series has a very strong following in Australia, which was forged over the long association with the Gold Coast IndyCar event," he said.

"Although the Gold Coast event has not been held in recent years, there is still a strong local interest in the series with the two Aussies Ryan Briscoe and Will Power expected to feature among the top drivers this season."