Weekend Motorsports Roundup, March 15-16, 2014
Welcome to the Jalopnik Weekend Motorsports Roundup, where we let you know what's going on in the world of racing, where you can see it, and where you can talk about it all in one convenient place. Where else would you want to spend your weekend?
Spring is back, and with it, comes racing. Okay, so it's going to snow on the east coast on Monday, and technically Autumn is just starting where it's relevant, but clearly those two things only mean one thing – the return of Formula One, and with it, the Australian Grand Prix.
This season is different. Really different. For one thing, turbochargers are back, and with them, comes V6 engines. Both of which are radical departures from the previous season. RPM limits are lower, too, and in combination the engines now sound totally different. It was originally feared that they'd sound a little like steroidal vacuum cleaners, but to be honest, I like the new sound. Instead of sounding like amped-up superbikes, they now sound like raspy racers. And that's a good thing.
Everyone's been having reliability problems, but especially the teams with Renault engines, and the aero rules have been changed, so while Sebastian Vettel's eventual championship seemed like an inevitability from day one, everything is up in the air this year. Oh, and the Williams looks gorgeous, if not its driver, Felipe Massa. Can't have it all, I guess.
We'll see who comes out on top.
The other big race this weekend is the famous 12 Hours of Sebring, where GT racers, Le Mans prototypes, and the former Daytona prototypes will storm around the old Floridian airfield. It's incredibly bumpy, incredibly fast, and incredibly grueling, and that makes it incredible racing. And because it's so tough, it's seen as a good preview for Le Mans. Watch for all the teams to bring out all the stops on this one.
And, of course, NASCAR returns to the high-banked short track at Bristol. That race shouldn't be too bad, either.
As always, let us know about anything we missed, or about good livestreams out there, in the comments.
Formula One Australian Grand Prix Qualifying
Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit
Melbourne, Australia
2 AM Saturday/6 AM Saturday (same-day replay) on NBCSN
NASCAR Sprint Cup Food City 500 Practice
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol, Tennessee
9 AM Saturday on FS1
NASCAR Nationwide Series Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 Qualifying
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol, Tennessee
10 AM Saturday on ESPN2
United SportsCar Racing 12 Hours of Sebring
Sebring International Raceway
Sebring, Florida
10 AM Saturday on FS1/1 PM Saturday on IMSA.com
NASCAR Sprint Cup Food City 500 Final Practice
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol, Tennessee
12 PM Saturday on FS2
NASCAR Nationwide Series Drive to Stop Diabetes 300
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol, Tennessee
1:30 PM Saturday on ESPN2
AMA Supercross Detroit
Ford Field
Detroit, Michigan
11:30 PM Saturday on FS1 (same-day delay)
Formula One Australian Grand Prix
Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit
Melbourne, Australia
1:30 AM Sunday/6:30 AM Sunday (same-day replay) on NBCSN
United SportsCar Racing 12 Hours of Sebring (highlights only)
Sebring International Raceway
Sebring, Florida
8:30 AM Sunday on FS1
NASCAR Sprint Cup Food City 500
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol, Tennessee
12:30 PM Sunday on FOX
NHRA Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals
Auto-Plus Raceway
Gainesville, Florida
7 PM Sunday on ESPN2