TSN Announces 2007 Auto Racing Package

With increased coverage of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and the recent additions of the NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, TSN’s auto racing lineup for the upcoming 2007 season is the most comprehensive ever with a total of 105 races from five different series.

The network’s schedule features 28 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races (up from 21 races in 2006), all 35 NASCAR Busch Series races, the entire 12-race NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, all 17 Formula One races, and 13 races from the Indy Racing League (IRL). All NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and NASCAR Busch Series races are available in High Definition on TSN HD (broadcast schedules below).

TSN’s live coverage of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series gets underway on February 10 with the first race of the season – the

Budweiser Shootout
. TSN will broadcast a 30-minute pre-race show prior to each of the network’s 28 races. Highlighting the schedule is the

Daytona 500
, which will air February 18 at 2:30 p.m. ET. A

SportsCentre

correspondent will be on-site from Daytona International Speedway to cover all the action from the day’s events and race.

Leading up to the Daytona 500, TSN will televise ESPN’s NASCAR Now, a daily news show dedicated solely to NASCAR, from February 12 to 15. Last year, TSN’s coverage of the Daytona 500 attracted a national average audience of 568,000 viewers, making it the most watched motorsport race in TSN history. TSN recorded record ratings for its coverage of the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series with a national average audience of 332,000 viewers, up 15 per cent from 2005.

This year also marks the first season of TSN’s multi-year deal as the exclusive Canadian English broadcaster for all 35 NASCAR Busch Series races. The 10-month NASCAR Busch Series season gets underway February 17 at Daytona with the

Orbitz 300
and concludes at
Homestead in

Miami on November 17. TSN will have live coverage of the inaugural race in

Montreal on August 4, at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

TSN will also have coverage of the newly-formed NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, which launches in May. TSN will televise 12 one-hour broadcasts – one for each of the series’ 12 races – including race coverage, driver interviews and features.

TSN offers Formula One fans a trip around the globe in 2007, televising the entire 17 race F-1 season, including pre-race and qualifying. TSN’s schedule is highlighted by live coverage of the

Canadian Grand Prix
from

Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 9 and 10. The 2007 F-1 season gets underway March 17 with the

Australian Grand Prix
(Qualifying on March 16). Last year, TSN’s average audience for F-1 was 179,000 viewers, up 19 per cent from 2005.

TSN also has coverage of 13 races from the IRL, beginning with the

XM Satellite Radio Indy 300
on March 25. The crown jewel of the series – the

Indianapolis
500
– airs live on TSN May 27.