Aug. 14-16 Weekend Racing Blowout: What, Why and Where to Watch on TV
Familiar faces in different places might just be the racing theme this week.
In Formula 1, Max Verstappen finds himself in second place in the Formula 1 standings after a strong weekend at Silverstone. He's never finished an F1 season that high in the standings.
In NASCAR Cup, the familiar faces will be taking on a road course for the first time at Daytona International Speedway. Over on the NASCAR Xfinity side, IMSA champion Earl Bamber makes his Xfinity Series debut.
And at Indianapolis this weekend, two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso is back on this side of the pond attempting to qualify for his second Indianapolis 500. (Spoiler alert, if he keeps his car between the walls, he'll make the 33-car field).
Here's where to find all the racing fun:
Formula 1
What: F1 Spanish Grand Prix (Sun.)
Where: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain.
Why it is a Must-See: Surprise, surprise. The 2020 Formula 1 racing season might not be a season-long Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton party, after all. Red Bull's Max Verstappen won last week at Silverstone to end Mercedes' winning streak at five races, dating back to 2019. Hamilton still leads Verstappen by 30 points in the standings (26 points is most a driver can win in any race).
What to Watch:
• Keep an eye on the rubber. Tire issues have plagued Mercedes and its drivers Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas each of the last two weeks at Silverstone. The circuit in Spain, however, features more braking and is a little easier on the tires.
• The FIA finally ruled this past week that the Racing Point cars were legal to race in 2020, but it still fined the team and took away 15 points (7.5 points from each car) in the F1 Constructors' Championship. Let's get this straight. The cars, which have been protested for having brake ducts that copy the 2019 Mercedes, are legal, but the team was still fined and docked points. Don't worry, McLaren's Zak Brown doesn't get it, either.
• Sergio Perez, who missed both races at Silverstone after testing postive for COVID-19, is expected to be back in his Racing Point machine this week. If he's not cleared to go, expect Nico Hulkenberg to be back in the seat. Hulkenberg finished seventh in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix a week ago. Perez was running fifth in the points before being sidelined.
• Sebastian Vettel's final season with Ferrari has been disappointing, to say the least. The four-time champion is just 13th in the F1 points standings, which is one place ahead of Hulkenberg (Hulkenberg has only appeared in one race all season). Vettel could right the ship this weekend, however. In five previous trips to Catalunya with Ferrari, he's finished no worse than fourth.
Where to Find the Action:
FRIDAY, AUG. 14
Formula 3 Practice, Barcelona, Spain; 3:35 a.m., ESPN+ (L)
Formula 1 Welcome to the Weekend Preview, Barcelona, Spain; 4:30 a.m., ESPN2 (L)
Formula 1 Practice 1, Barcelona, Spain; 4:55 a.m., ESPN2 (L)
Formula 3 Qualifying, Barcelona, Spain; 8 a.m., ESPN+ (L)
Formula 1 Practice 2, Barcelona, Spain; 8:55 a.m., ESPN2 (L)
SATURDAY, AUG. 15
Formula 3 Race 1, Barcelona, Spain; 4:25 a.m., ESPN+
Formula 1 Practice 3, Barcelona, Spain; 5:55 a.m., ESPN2 (L)
Formula 1 Qualifying, Barcelona, Spain; 8:55 a.m., ESPN (L)
SUNDAY, AUG. 16
Formula 3 Race 2, Barcelona, Spain; 3:45 a.m., ESPN+ (L)
Formula 1 Grand Prix Sunday Prerace Show, Barcelona, Spain; 7:30 a.m., ESPN (L)
Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona, Spain; 9 a.m., ESPN (L)
Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona, Spain; 2 p.m., ESPN2 (S)
NASCAR
What: NASCAR Cup Series GoBowling 235 (Sun.), NASCAR Xfinity Series UNHO 188 (Sat.), ARCA Menards Series General Tire 100 (Fri.), NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors (Sun.)
Where: Daytona International Speedway Road Course, Daytona Beach, Fla.
Why it is a Must-See: Two words. Road Course. This will not only be the first time NASCAR has raced on a road course at Daytona International Speedway, the first lap of the race will be mark the first time the drivers will have raced on the configuration. And, get this, no practice and no qualifying. Get your popcorn, sit back, and enjoy that first turn.
What to Watch:
• Kevin Havrick, winner of two races last weekend on the big oval of Michigan International Speedway said it best when asked about what it will be like leading the NASCAR field into the unknown territory tha tis the first turn of the DIS Road Course. "Me leading everyone into turn 1 at Daytona could be interesting because I have no freaking clue where I'm going."
• Speaking of Harvick, he's the driver to watch just about anywhere right now. He leads the NASCAR Cup Series with six wins this season. Not only did he win two races in two days last weekend, he's won five of the last 13 in the Cup Series in 2020.
• The Playoff picture is nearly set with just four races remaining until the Cup postseason. Matt DiBenedetto in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford holds down the final playoff spot, a healthy 57 points ahead of both Erik Jones in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and Jimmie Johnson in the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. It's looking more and more like the only way Jones or Johnson get in is with a win in one these final four races.
• Keep an eye on Earl Bamber in Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race on the road course. For NASCAR fans who don't recognize that name, Bamber is a Porsche Factory driver in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. He is the defending champion in IMSA's GT Le Mans class and he knows his way around a round course. He'll be making his NASCAR Xfinity debut in the No. 21 for Richard Childress Racing.
Where to Find the Action:
FRIDAY, AUG. 14
ARCA Menards Series General Tire 100, Daytona Beach, Fla.; 5 p.m., MAVTV (L)
SATURDAY, AUG. 15
NASCAR Xfinity Series UNOH 188, Daytona Beach, Fla.; 3 p.m., NBCSN (L)
SUNDAY, AUG. 16
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Series Race, Daytona Beach, Fla.; noon, FS1 (L)
NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling 235, Daytona Beach, Fla.; 3:30 p.m., NBC (L)
NTT IndyCar Series
What: Pole Day for the 104th Indianapolis 500 (Sun.)
Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Why it is a Must-See: OK, so there's no Bump Day this year, as only 33 cars are entered. Still, the pole means something for the Indianapolis 500. In the history of the Indianapolis 500, the pole sitter won the race in 20 of 103 times (19.4 percent). Simon Pagenaud won from the pole in 2019.
Rick Mears is the all-time leader in poles for the Indy 500 with six. Among drivers in this year's field, Helio Castroneves leads with four poles, with the most recent coming in 2010. Scott Dixon and Ed Carpenter are next with three each.
What to Watch:
• The fans. Wait, just kidding. No fans allowed in the grandstands this year. Or the Snake Pit.
• The good news for two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso is that he will qualify for the 500 this year after failing to qualify in 2019. The bad news is that the 39-year-old Alonso has not been in an Indy car race in more than two years. He qualified an eye-opening fifth in 2019 and led 27 laps in the race before falling out of contention with engine issues. Alonso is driving the No. 66 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.
• While Ed Carpenter has been a part-time driver in the NTT IndyCar Series since 2013, he's been a full-timer in the Indy 500 since 2004. He's not only qualified for the pole three times (2013, 2014 and 2018), but he's qualified on the front row each of the past three years and five of the past seven. Carpenter will be in the No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet.
Where to Find the Action:
SATURDAY, AUG. 15
Indianapolis 500 Practice, Indianapolis, 8:30-9:30 a.m., NBC Sports Gold (L)
Indianapolis 500 Qualifying, Indianapolis; 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m., NBC (L)
SUNDAY, AUG. 16
Indianapolis 500 Qualifying Fast Nine Shootout, Indianapolis, 1:15 p.m., NBC (L)
Indianapolis 500 Practice, Indianapolis, 3:30 p.m., NBCSN (L)
(L) - Live; (S) - Same day, taped. All times Eastern.
