Indianapolis 500 Drivers Spend Day at ESPN

The 33-driver starting field for the Indianapolis 500 spent Monday on the ESPN campus in Bristol, Conn., as the drivers appeared on multiple ESPN platforms and programs both domestic and international.

ESPN’s production of the Indianapolis 500 airs on ABC on Sunday, May 30, beginning at noon ET. The race is on ABC for the 46th consecutive year, one of five IZOD IndyCar Series events on ABC this season.

All 33 drivers were photographed in front of ESPN’s iconic satellite dish farm, and all appeared in the studio on ESPN2’s First Take. Defending IZOD IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti officiated a tire changing contest on an actual IndyCar between First Take’s Dana Jacobson and Reischea Canidate, won by Canidate.

Former Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon and Danica Patrick appeared on Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN2 and ESPN Radio and participated in a pit stop challenge with hosts Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic. Patrick also was interviewed on the set of SportsCenter by anchor Hannah Storm and all 33 drivers recorded a promo for SportsCenter.

Franchitti and defending Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves were on SportsCenter and on ESPN2’s SportsNation with hosts Colin Cowherd and Michelle Beadle, where they participated in a game with a pizza as the prize. Castroneves and teammate Ryan Briscoe appeared on ESPNEWS while Briscoe, Will Power and Scott Dixon appeared on SportsCenter Australia. Dixon, Franchitti, Power and Marco Andretti recorded an appearance for ESPN Radio’s GameNight.

Numerous drivers were interviewed for ESPN.com and SportsCenter.com pieces and appeared on ESPN Mobile, ESPN Deportes Radio and RPM Semanal (in Spanish) on ESPNDeportes.com. In addition to SportsCenter Australia, drivers also appeared on other ESPN International platforms, including segments on Limite, ESPN Brasil’s autosports news and information program, and on ESPN360.com, ESPN’s localized broadband platforms in Brazil, Chile and Mexico.

International drivers also appeared in their native languages on the ESPN networks in Australia, the UK, Africa, and Latin America and on regional networks ESPN Dos (Mexico) and ESPN Mas (Southern Cone South America).