Calling Travis Pastrana: Rally cars join X Games
Rally Car Part of X Games 12 in Los Angeles August 3-6, 2006
ESPN X Games, the premier action sports event in the world, will add
the sport of Rally Car racing to its sports lineup, starting with X
Games 12 to be held August 3-6, 2006, it was announced today by Ron
Semiao, senior vice president, ESPN Original Entertainment. X Games 12
will air live on ESPN and ABC Sports from its home in Los Angeles,
Calif.
Rally Car Racing features a driver and co-driver racing street legal
cars on closed sections of roads called "stages." The goal in
rally is to accumulate the lowest elapsed driving time on a prescribed
course. The co-driver navigates the course and communicates
upcoming road conditions to the driver, so that a high rate of speed
can be maintained around and over natural obstacles such as blind
crests, jumps, hairpin turns, dips, etc.
"Rally Car Racing is a sport we have been watching for some time
now," explained Semiao. "We feel it matches our existing X Games
audience while having the ability to attract new viewers, as well.
Rally Car Racing is incredibly dynamic and exciting. ESPN is committed
to motor sports as evidenced by our acquisition of NASCAR and its
return to ESPN in 2007. Adding Rally Car Racing to the X Games furthers
our goal of always looking to progress the event and the world of
action sports."
The X Games rally will encompass two days of competition, featuring six
scenic rally stages on Friday, Aug. 4 and a "Super Special" timed event
in a stadium setting on Saturday, Aug. 5.
"Bringing some of the world's best rally competitors in front of the X
Games viewing audience is a huge step for our sport," said J.B. Niday,
Managing Director of Rally America, the sport organizer for the
event. "We're packaging a diverse and exciting rally into two
days of action-packed entertainment, and we're sure X Games fans will
be able to see and feel the intensity of rally car racing."
Details on the complete format, teams, location, tickets, etc. are forthcoming later this spring.
