IRL/CART EXECS HOPE NASCAR'S ESPN DEPARTURE RAISES PROFILE

          The "fracture in open-wheel racing has outside experts
     questioning whether Disney's exclusive hold" on the IRL and
     CART "will generate big benefits," according to Bill Koenig
     of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR.  The Bonham Group Chair Dean
     Bonham: "I think they're in a very difficult spot.  Which
     league, or organization, do you promote?"  ESPN Senior
     VP/Programming Mark Quenzel: "We promote them both.  For the
     most part, they're not running on the same weekends."  He
     added that once NASCAR departs ESPN this fall, "promotion of
     (open-wheel) racing will be a lot easier because you don't
     have all that NASCAR inventory to promote."  Koenig: "One
     possibility interests both series -- a higher profile on RPM
     2Night" on ESPN2.  ESPN says RPM 2Night "could have more
     open-wheel content, but the show will always have a big
     NASCAR focus" because of its appeal.  Quenzel: "I don't see
     RPM changing significantly" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 5/26).