INDY MOTOR SPEEDWAY TALKING TO ABC: ARE FOX/CBS INTERESTED?

          The Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and ABC are in
     "discussions" over how many IRL races the net will air in
     '99, according to Bill Koenig of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS. 
     Sources "familiar with the talks" said that the negotiations
     "could influence" IMS's long-term TV strategy  -- "whether
     the Speedway sticks with ABC as its broadcaster of choice
     for the Indianapolis 500 or pursues other television options
     for the year 2000 and beyond."  IMS's "immediate priority"
     is to gauge ABC's interest in the IRL for '99.  ABC has the
     first option on all IRL races, but is currently committed to
     televising only the Indy 500 and the season opener, the Indy
     200 at Walt Disney World.  If ABC "declines to broadcast the
     remaining events," IMS will "need to start talks with other
     television networks -- at a time that 1999 telecast dates
     are starting to fill up."  Koenig's sources said that if IMS
     "opts to look beyond" ABC, execs would "probably look to"
     CBS and Fox as "potential replacements" (STAR-NEWS, 8/22).