Champ Car returns to SPEED channel.

The Champ Car World Series has finalised its 2005 television schedule, announcing a return to SPEED Channel for seven of the 14 events, beginning with live coverage of the inaugural Grand Prix of Edmonton July 17.

SPEED Channel, which broadcast Champ Car races in 2002 and 2003, is the premier motorsports network in the United States reaching 68 million households across the nation.

Seven of the year's final eight Champ Car events will be shown on SPEED Channel, culminating with live coverage of the season-ending race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City.

"Champ Car is pleased to renew our partnership with SPEED Channel in 2005 and we look forward to a long and prosperous relationship," said Champ Car president Dick Eidswick.

"The opportunity to get Champ Car racing on one of the leading motorsports networks in the world is a major step for our series and our fans. It is only fitting that the top open-wheel series in the country be featured on the best racing network in the United States."

SPEED Channel will air four races live including the inaugural Grand Prix of San Jose July 31 and the Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver. As it did during the 2003 season, SPEED Channel will feature two-and-a-half hours of coverage from each event, allowing fans to see not only all of the high-speed action on track, but also some of the pre-race pageantry and the post-race reaction and excitement.

"SPEED Channel viewers will be thrilled to have Champ Car back on the network," said SPEED Channel president Jim Liberatore. "The fans of American open-wheel racing are some of the most passionate in our audience and we look forward to serving them. This relationship further defines SPEED as the television home of motor sports and all things automotive."

In addition, Champ Car has added another race to its network television package for 2005. NBC will broadcast the May 21 event in Monterrey, Mexico live from the temporary road circuit in Fundidora Park. The event will move to Saturday from its original Sunday date. The addition gives Champ Car a total of seven races on network television in 2005, with four events on CBS and three on NBC, including the season-opening Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Each of the first six races of the Champ Car season will be shown live on CBS or NBC, marking the first time since 1997 that Champ Car will open its year with six consecutive races on network television.

"CBS Sports is excited to be back televising the premiere open-wheel racing series in the United States," said CBS Sports senior vice-president of programming Rob Correa.

As announced previously, Champ Car fans in Europe will be treated to live coverage of every 2005 series event on Eurosport and the new Eurosport 2 network. Champ Car action will be available in 19 different languages through Eurosport, reaching 98 million households and 240 million viewers across 54 nations.