Special to Marcus: You Can Race in the Indy 500!

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Poached from Motorsport.com today

Indy500: Race online with the Indy500
IRL WEB

2000-05-19


INDIANAPOLIS and HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Friday, May 19, 2000 - AniVision, Inc., IMS Properties, Inc and the Indy Racing League launch Net Race LiveTM to allow race fans to compete online in the Indy Racing Northern Light Series. The launch of www.netracelive.com with the Indy Racing Northern Light Series events represents the first application of AniVision's interactive technology to allow fans to compete online in real sporting events. Visitors to www.netracelive.com can download AniVision's Net Race LiveTM Software Player and compete in race segments from each Indy Racing Northern Light event for free.

Premium Subscribers can race in a wide range of race segments from each event to hone their skills and realize first-hand the fierce competitive nature of Indy Racing. Each Premium Subscriber will also compete for prizes by being top finishers in individual races and establishing their virtual points standing in the Net Race LiveTM Championship Points Series. "We are very pleased that AniVision has launched Net Race LiveTM to coincide with the 84th running of the Indianapolis 500," said Bob Reif, senior vice president of sales and marketing & chief marketing officer of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "The exposure generated during this time frame will help ensure the early success of the program. We are proud to be on the leading edge of technology and the leader in motorsports entertainment. This launch is just another example of how we continue to lead our industry." Known as "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing", the Indianapolis 500 is the largest single-day sporting event in the world, televised globally to millions of fans and attracting the top drivers in the world. The field of 33 drivers competed for a purse of more than $9 million in 1999.

With the launch of the site, users can compete in the Indy Racing Northern Light Series' first event of the 2000 season - the Delphi Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando, Fla. Today, the premium subscribers will begin competition in the Net Race LiveTM Championship Points Series. Over the next two weeks, www.netracelive.com will release additional racing segments from the 2000 Delphi Indy 200, the MCI WorldCom Indy 200 at Phoenix International Raceway and the Vegas Indy 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Net Race LiveTM racing for the Indianapolis 500 will begin on May 28, minutes after the completion of the actual race.

"We appreciate the cooperation we have received over the past few months from the Indy Racing League officials, team owners, drivers, track owners, sponsors and ABC/ESPN in bringing this truly unique online racing opportunity to the Internet," said Brian Mitchell, President of AniVision, Inc. "We look forward to delivering Net Race LiveTM for every Indy Racing Northern Light Series event over the next several years."

Initial sponsors for Net Race Live include Delphi Automotive Systems Corporation (NYSE PH) and KECO Engineered Coatings, Inc.

The Net Race LiveTM site will offer competitive prizes throughout the year for both individual races and the virtual points series. The prizes include new cars, gift certificates for computers and electronics and authentic Indy Racing Northern Light Series racing memorabilia such as driver helmets, fire suits, and Indy Racing car parts.

"Today's launch of Net Race LiveTM represents AniVision's debut as a creator and aggregator of sports content using the AniVision 3D-media technology," said Robert Wells, chief executive officer of AniVision, Inc. "Net Race LiveTM is the first of several interactive sports channels we will be introducing over the next several months from the AniVision Sports NetworkTM at www.anivision.com.