SPEED All Over 'Racing's Greatest Weekend'

Formula 1

SPEED All Over ‘Racing’s Greatest Weekend’

SPEED readies for 'Racing's Greatest Weekend'...

SPEED Staff | Posted May 23, 2012 Charlotte, NC

SPEED rolls into “Racing’s Greatest Weekend,�? with the grueling Coca-Cola 600, Formula One roars into the French Riviera and IndyCar with its signature Indianapolis 500. (Image: SPEED)

ANDRETTI: ‘… THIS IS A WEEKEND WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE’

SPEED CENTER SERVES AS COMMAND CENTRAL FOR ALL THE ACTION

Coming off its live coverage of the 28th NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, SPEED rolls into “Racing’s Greatest Weekend,” as NASCAR stays in Charlotte for the grueling Coca-Cola 600, Formula One roars into the French Riviera and IndyCar takes over America’s Heartland with its signature Indianapolis 500.

“The bottom line is this is a weekend like no other in the racing world,” said Mario Andretti, the only driver to win the Formula One World Championship, Indy 500, Daytona 500 and Pikes Peak Hill Climb. “Winning any one of the races run on this weekend can be a life-changing event for a driver … this is a weekend where dreams come true.”

Said SPEED President Scott Ackerson: “If you are looking for the best television coverage during racing’s greatest weekend, there’s only one network keeping viewers in the middle of ALL the action … SPEED.”

The action gets underway on Thursday with Formula One, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup practice and qualifying sessions live on SPEED. Racing begins Friday night, with the World of Outlaws “Outlaw Showdown” at The Dirt Track @ Charlotte. Ralph Sheheen and Brad Doty call the action for SPEED beginning at 8 p.m. ET, with Bobby Gerould and Matt Yocum working the pits.

Practice and qualifying sessions continue throughout the day Saturday, with the green flag dropping for the Grand Prix of Monaco at 7:30 a.m. ET on Sunday. Bob Varsha hosts SPEED’s live coverage with analysis from David Hobbs and Steve Matchett and grid reporting from Will Buxton.

NASCAR RaceDay from Charlotte previews the Coca-Cola 600 beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET, with John Roberts, Kyle Petty, Larry McReynolds and Kenny Wallace hosting the pre-race activities on SPEED.

On Sunday evening, SPEED offers same-day coverage of AMA Pro Racing from Salt Lake City (6:30 p.m. ET), NASCAR Victory Lane from Charlotte (11 p.m. ET) and World Rally Racing from the Acropolis (1 a.m. ET).

For complete reports on all the weekend’s racing, SPEED Center airs Friday and Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET and Sunday at 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET. Andretti Autosport IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe (@Hinchtown) provides exclusive reports from Indianapolis throughout the weekend for both SPEED Center and SPEED.com.

SPEED.com is streaming Formula One Practice Session 1 (Thursday at 4 a.m. ET) and Practice Session 3 (Saturday at 5 a.m. ET). In addition, the site will be loaded with photo and video galleries, as well as extensive editorial content from multiple venues throughout the weekend.

SPEED2, the authenticated broadband network now available to more than 35 million subscribers, also has a loaded international racing schedule for the weekend, including GP3 racing from Monaco, GT1 from Spain, AMA Pro Supersport from Utah and same-day World Rally Series highlights from the Acropolis Rally.

So, with all the activity going on during “Racing’s Greatest Weekend,” do the drivers follow the action?

“The only year I had to make a decision between racing in Monaco or at Indy was in 1979,” said Andretti (@MarioAndretti), who headlines the annual SPEED Performer of the Year program on SPEED Center. “I was committed to Formula One at the time, but I can tell you that everyone in Monaco was paying attention to what was going on at Indy and I know the same thing was going on at all the other tracks … great racers pay attention to great racing, and this weekend is loaded with great racing.”

Live and same-day SPEED & SPEED2 programming schedule for “Racing’s Greatest Weekend” (all times ET and subject to change):

Thursday, May 24

• Formula One practice (8 to 9 a.m., LIVE from Monte Carlo)
• NASCAR Nationwide Series practice (2 to 3:30 p.m., LIVE from Charlotte)
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice (3:30 to 5 p.m., LIVE from Charlotte)
• NASCAR Nationwide Series final practice (5 to 6:30 p.m., LIVE from Charlotte)
• NASCAR Live! (6:30 to 7 p.m.)
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying (7 to 8:30 p.m., LIVE from Charlotte)

Friday, May 25

• SPEED Center (6:30 to 7 p.m.)
• GP3 Series – Race 1 (SPEED2, 11:10 a.m., LIVE from Monte Carlo)
• World of Outlaws: Outlaw Showdown (8 to 10 p.m., LIVE from Charlotte)

Saturday, May 26

• Formula One qualifying (8 to 9:30 a.m., LIVE from Monte Carlo)
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice (10 to 11 a.m., LIVE from Charlotte)
• NASCAR Live! (12:30 to 1 p.m.)
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice (1 to 2 p.m., LIVE from Charlotte)
• GT1 qualifying race (SPEED2, 1:30 p.m., LIVE from Spain)
• SPEED Center (6:30 to 7:30 p.m.)

Sunday, May 27

• Grand Prix of Monaco (7:30 to 10 a.m., LIVE from Monte Carlo)
• SPEED Center (10 to 11 a.m.)
• AMA Pro Supersport (SPEED2, 3:30 p.m., LIVE from Utah)
• NASCAR RaceDay Fueled by Sunoco (3:30 to 5:30 p.m., LIVE from Charlotte)
• SPEED Center (5:30 to 6:30 p.m.)
• AMA Pro Racing (6:30 to 7:30 p.m., SDD from Salt Lake City)
• NASCAR Victory Lane (11 p.m. to midnight, LIVE from Charlotte)
• World Rally Series racing (1 a.m. to 2 a.m., SDD from Athens, Greece)

Monday, May 28

• FIM World Superbike 1 (4 to 5 p.m., SDD from Salt Lake City)
• AMA Pro Racing (5 to 6 p.m., SDD from Salt Lake City)
• FIM World Superbike 2 (7 to 8 p.m., SDD from Salt Lake City)