Network Celebrating 40 Years Of Airing 'Greatest Spectacle In Racing'

By Dave Lewandowski
indy500.com

Tuesday, May 25, 2004

A "pan cam," which has the ability to pan 180 degrees from its spot atop an IRL IndyCar® Series car in the 88th Indianapolis 500, is one of the innovations planned during the ABC Sports' broadcast of the race May 30. The network broadcast, which begins at 11 a.m. (EDT), will use 70 cameras total to bring the action of the 2.5-mile oval into homes of millions of viewers worldwide. Also used for the first time will be the "Strada Crane" -- an 87 foot jib arm used in Turn 3. Cars will go underneath the camera as they enter the corner. It is the same type of crane used to film the movie "Titanic." The network is celebrating its 40th consecutive year of covering the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," and its broadcast and production team mirror that experience. Play-by-play announcer Paul Page is a 25-year veteran broadcaster of the Indianapolis 500. He was the lead announcer when the network earned back-to-back Emmys for Best Sports Special in 1989 and 1990. Scott Goodyear, a former IRL driver, returns for his third season with the network as an analyst. He made his racing debut in 1980, racking up five top-10 Indianapolis 500 finishes, including two of the most memorable second-place finishes in history. Jack Arute was a pit reporter on the ABC broadcast of the 500-Mile Race for 19 years and moves into the booth above the "yard of bricks." Todd Harris makes his Indianapolis 500 debut in the pits, joining veteran reporter Vince Welch, Dr. Jerry Punch and Gary Gerould. Little, who covers IRL for ESPN and ESPN2, will conduct interviews and give behind-the-scenes reports during the telecast. ABC Sports commentator Terry Gannon will serve as host, and 15-time Emmy Award winner Curt Gowdy Jr. is the coordinating producer. Terry Lingner, a three-time Emmy Award winner and a veteran of auto racing productions, is the producer. Conrad Piccirillo, a five-time Emmy Award winner who directs the IRL IndyCar Series broadcasts on ABC and ESPN, is the director. Jim McKay, a longtime member of the broadcast team, has recorded a special "40 years at Indy" segment for the pre-race show. McKay reflects and relates personal anecdotes from the Speedway. From 1965 through 1970, ABC carried the 500-Mile Race on a delayed basis on its "ABC's Wide World of Sports" telecasts. ABC first televised the Indianapolis 500 in prime time on a same-day delay basis from 1971 through 1985. ABC began its live telecast of the race in 1986. Technical broadcast facts and figures Pan Cam -- A new on-board camera that's mounted on the top of the car and will pan 180 degrees. Visor Cam -- Located in the helmets of Scott Sharp and Dario Franchitti. Fly Cam - A high-speed camera that flies over the front stretch. It can travel 80 mph and will span 2,200 feet. This camera will be used on pit stops, in the pre-race and during caution periods. Strada Crane -- An 87-foot jib arm used in Turn 3. Cars will go underneath the camera as they enter the corner. Robotic cameras -- ABC will use 13 robotic cameras for the race and two pit robotics to cover the action. Balloon Cam - A camera will be mounted to a larger balloon and will ascend with the release of traditional multi-colored balloons during pre-race festivities. 7000 Cam -- A new technology that can record up to 7,000 frames per second. The technology, which recently won four awards at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas, evolved from government crash testing.

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