HDNet to broadcast Atlantic races

The speed and excitement of the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda will be on display in high definition for the first time this season as officials from HDNet and MAZDASPEED today announced that the television network is scheduled to broadcast five Atlantic events through the end of July.

The schedule for HDNet’s Atlantic Championship coverage includes four live telecasts and gets underway tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET with coverage of the March 20 VISIT FLORIDA Grand Prix from Sebring International Raceway. HDNet’s first live offerings are planned for Saturday and Sunday, June 13 and 14, when the Atlantic Championship contests its first doubleheader of the season at the Mazda Formula X presented by Cooper Tires at New Jersey Motorsports Park. HDNet will also be on hand for live coverage of the Autobahn Grand Prix Presented by Mazda at Autobahn Country Club in suburban Chicago on Saturday and Sunday, July 25 and 26.

“We are absolutely thrilled that Atlantic Championship races will be carried on HDNet beginning this weekend," said Atlantic Championship President Ben Johnston. “As the viewers will see for the first time tomorrow, the race at Sebring was an exciting way to get our 2009 season started. We are also delighted that one quarter of our schedule will be featured on live television with coverage of the doubleheaders in New Jersey and Chicago. The excitement provided by our drivers and teams is tailor made for high definition television, and we are grateful to MAZDASPEED for making this a reality."

Veteran racing announcer Rick Benjamin will provide play-by-play, with color commentary from legendary racer and Atlantic graduate Elliott Forbes-Robinson. All four of the live Atlantic telecasts from New Jersey and Chicago will be part of tripleheaders that will also include two other series in the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder, the Star Mazda Championship and the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup.

Next up for the 2009 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda is the Mazda Formula X presented by Cooper Tires doubleheader at New Jersey Motorsports Park on the weekend of June 13-14. John Edwards leads the championship standings by five points, 36-31, over Simona De Silvestro heading into the doubleheader, which will be Rounds 3 and 4 of the 12-race 2009 championship.