Category: Weekend Preview

Feature Events

IRL IndyCar Series

– Honda Indy 200
– Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
– Lexington, Ohio, USA
– (13/17)
– www.indycar.com

Mid-Ohio is a nice place and I’m sure it is a fantastic place to drive a racing car – it certainly looks it – unfortunately I find the ‘racing’ to be processional, this is a strategy event. The place is too narrow and too bumpy. There is one passing opportunity, the do-or-die at the end of the long straight, if it works you look a hero but if it fails… into the kitty litter and an almost-certain safety car. There have been some very good moves at that corner but it really is a “send it up the inside and hope it works” type of place, rather than somewhere to set up a move.

I remember it said in my short CART-watching stint 8 or so years ago that it needed widening and nothing has changed. They should widen only some of it though! The back section is a good test of driving skill and is the best feature of the course, keep that as it is. For all it’s faults it is really good to see IndyCars away from street racing and on natural terrain courses – it needs more open road courses and fewer streets, IMO.

TV Guide:
UK – TAPE DELAY on Sky Sports Xtra at 10.30pm BST Sunday
USA – LIVE on VERSUS at 1pm ET Sunday

The tape delay is due to live NASCAR at the same time and Sky Sports are showing golf, tennis and cricket on the other three channels (perhaps ironically, the golf is also from Ohio).

Other Events

American Le Mans Series

– Acura Sports Car Challenge
– Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
– Lexington, Ohio, USA
– (6/10)
– www.americanlemans.com

Thankfully the racing in the ALMS at Mid-Ohio can be better than the IRL, and that is because of the traffic of the different classes. Unfortunately I am not able to make this a ‘Feature Event’ until live coverage returns – and that applies both here in the UK where several races have been aired a week late, but also in the USA where this event is delayed one day. I’m not saying I’d be able to see it but as far as I’m concerned, not offering even a same-day tape is unforgivable.

TV Guide:
The race starts at 3pm EDT Saturday and you can follow it at their website and Radio Le Mans.
UK – TAPE DELAY on MotorsTV at 5pm Sunday 16th
USA – TAPE DELAY on NBC at 2.30pm Sunday 9th

Also at Mid-Ohio:
Indy Lights
Atlantic Championship

NASCAR Sprint Cup

– Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen
– Watkins Glen International, New York, USA
– www.nascar.com

TV Guide:
UK – LIVE on Sky Sports Xtra at 7pm Sunday
US – LIVE on ESPN at 1pm Sunday

NASCAR on the road course will be frenetic. They are on a version of the course which is a bit shorter than the one used by IndyCar a few weeks ago. I think that’s all there is to say there, other than the name of this race is genuine, this isn’t a parody!

NASCAR Nationwide Series

– Zippo 200
– Watkins Glen International, New York, USA
– www.nascar.com

I didn’t realise Nationwide was a support to the main series on the roads..

Grand-Am Rolex Series

– Crown Royal 200 at the Glen
– Watkins Glen International, New York, USA
– www.grandamerican.com

Formula Nippon

– Twin-Ring Motegi
– Motegi, Japan
(with All-Japan F3)

Dutch Supercar Challenge // German F3 Cup

– Assen
– Netherlands

Brazilian V8 Stock Cars

– Salvador
– Salvador, Brazil

Possible support series for the new IndyCar round?

* * * *
Sources:
Live Sport on TV
RadioTimes.com
and several of the series sites mentioned above

For motorbike fans, I don’t usually note anything other than MotoGP but FYI the British Superbikes are at Brands Hatch this weekend. Otherwise it seems most European-based series are on a break for this weekend, meaning a very US-dominated schedule for this weekend. Nothing wrong with that – if only we could see it live!