IRL'S LONGHORN 500 ROPES IN NASCAR-LIKE TV ARRANGEMENT

     Texas Motor Speedway landed the TV rights to the IRL's
Longhorn 500, allowing speedway officials to determine which
network will broadcast the race, the INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS' Bill
Koenig reported on their motorsports home page, SPEEDNET.  The
Longhorn 500 TV arrangement is similar to NASCAR where each
individual track that holds a NASCAR race negotiates its own TV
contract, with NASCAR receiving a 20% cut which is one reason why
NASCAR races appear on several networks, including CBS, ABC,
ESPN, TBS and TNN.  IRL officials said the Texas Speedway "would
follow general league guidelines concerning television," as ABC,
which carries the IRL, "will have first option" on a deal."
Texas Motor Speedway Chair Bruton Smith has already "had some
conversations with some networks," about the race, which is
scheduled for prime time on June 7, 1997.  Bill Donaldson, a
VP/Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said, it's "less likely" a major
network will carry a race since it is featured in prime time"
(INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS SPEEDNET, 8/27).