Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 20, 1995                   TAG: 9504210061
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

ESPN2 BEEFS UP AUTO RACING COVERAGE

Plans include a 60-90-minute Sunday evening recap program, beginning this fall and featuring highlights from a variety of auto racing circuits, including NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula One, IMSA, IHRA, NHRA and SCCA.

In February 1996, ESPN2 will create the first daily program devoted strictly to motorsports.

Steve Bornstein, president and chief executive officer of ESPN, said Wednesday the new all-sports cable network will also introduce a motorsports viewer call-in program and a weekly NASCAR Today show on Sundays, previewing each of the races in the stock car series, as well as increasing its presence at major auto racing events including the Daytona 500, the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400.

He said there will also be additional race coverage weeknights in prime time and more live coverage of qualifying from a variety of auto racing series.

ESPN2 reaches 19.6 million homes and expects to double that number over the next 36 months. ESPN goes into more than 65 million homes.