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?
This is a big weekend with a little bit of everything: IndyCar, Pirelli World Challenge, NASCAR, F1, NHRA, MotoGP, AMA Supercross, and shoot, I'm even attempting not to crash a boyfriend's car at a time-speed-distance rally. There's magical frozen water in white clumps everywhere here. I'm from Texas. WE DON'T GET THAT. (Help!)
Last week's Formula One race was like watching Formula Ultra-Wacky Knockout Elimination Challenge. Look, a higher percentage of cars make it to the end of a 24 Hours of LeMons race than to the end of the 2015 Australian Grand Prix. It was a hot mess. Is this week going to be any better? Well, for one, we've at least got a delightfully clean and largely sponsorless pair of Manor Marussia cars now turning laps in practice, so whoohoo! Maybe those 2014 cars, y'know, work?
Place your bets now for when (not if, but when) the Red Bull Renaults 'splode. I'm so glad my background is in LeMons racing. I feel like I understand Formula One's reliability plight so much better as a result. There are lemons. Turds. Rolling poopbaskets. This is the so-called pinnacle of motorsport? Okay. I'm pretty sure I could take on at least one McLaren in a Volkswagen Type 3, though. I'm just sayin'. It's bad. Really bad. Please get better soon, F1. Deliver sweet racing action like you should. Otherwise, this feels like a must-watch for all the wrong reasons.
F1, of course, isn't the only show on TV. We finally get IndyCar's season opener! Will the Honda IndyCars catch up with the Chevrolets in the race? It seems like Chevy's whole car package nailed it out of the bag, and now Honda's being forced to play catch-up. The fastest Honda in practice came in sixth, though, so thankfully, they're not too far off the pace. C'mon, Honda. Give us the cross-manufacturer battles we all deserve.
And oh, there's some crazy stuff going on with NASCAR tires, apparently. The rumor is that some teams have devised a system (read: drilled some holes) that allow tires to maintain a certain pressure instead of ballooning up when they get too hot. Who's cheating and how there? And why on earth are they doing that with something that's considered a safety item by nearly every racing series on the planet? Tampering with safety items is generally considered a bad idea, guys. Must we whip out the lecture about inadequately-tubed roll cages and unsafe fueling mods again?
If you know about anything we missed, or about good livestreams out there, let us know in the comments below.
All times below are EDT.
Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix Qualifying
Sepang International Circuit
Sepang, Malaysia
5:00 AM Saturday on NBCSN (replays at 5:00 PM Saturday on NBCSN and 1:00 AM Sunday on NBCSN)
NASCAR Sprint Cup STP 500 Qualifying
Martinsville Speedway
Ridgeway, VA
8:30 AM Saturday on FS1 (replay from 3/27; replay at 10:00 AM Sunday on FS1)
NASCAR Sprint Cup STP 500 Practice 2
Martinsville Speedway
Ridgeway, VA
10:00 AM Saturday on FS1
NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing
Auto-Plus Raceway
Gainesville, FL
10:00 AM Saturday on ESPN2 (replay from 3/12-15)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250 Qualifying
Martinsville Speedway
Ridgeway, VA
11:00 AM Saturday on FS1
WRC Rallye Deutschland 2014
Germany
12:00 PM Saturday on MAVTV (replay from 8/22-24; replay at 3:00 PM Saturday on MAVTV)
NASCAR Sprint Cup STP 500 Final Practice
Martinsville Speedway
Ridgeway, VA
1:00 PM Saturday on FS2 (last half only on at 1:30 PM Saturday on FS1)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250
Martinsville Speedway
Ridgeway, VA
2:30 PM Saturday on FS1 (replay at 3:00 AM Sunday on FS1)
NHRA 4 Wide Nationals Qualifying
zMAX Dragway
Charlotte, NC
8:00 PM Saturday on ESPN2
AMA Supercross
Edward Jones Dome
St. Louis, MO
8:00 PM Saturday on FS1 (replay at 10:00 PM Sunday on FS2)
Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix
Sepang International Circuit
Sepang, Malaysia
2:30 AM Sunday on NBCSN (replay at 3:30 PM Sunday on NBCSN)
National Arenacross
Smoothie King Center
New Orleans, LA
9:00 AM Sunday on FS1
AMSOIL Championship Snocross Soaring Eagle's Ram Trucks National Round 1
Soaring Eagle Resort & Casino
Mt. Pleasant, MI
9:00 AM Sunday on CBSSN (replay from 2/27)
AMSOIL Championship Snocross Soaring Eagle's Ram Trucks National Round 2
Soaring Eagle Resort & Casino
Mt. Pleasant, MI
10:00 AM Sunday on CBSSN (replay from 2/28)
NHRA 4 Wide Nationals
zMAX Dragway
Charlotte, NC
1:00 PM Sunday on ESPN3.com (replay on 2:00 PM Sunday on ESPN)
NASCAR Sprint Cup STP 500
Martinsville Speedway
Ridgeway, VA
1:00 PM Sunday on FS1
MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix
Losail International Circuit
Lusail, Qatar
2:00 PM Sunday on FS2 (replay at 9:00 PM Sunday on FS2)
IndyCar Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, FL
3:00 PM Sunday on ABC
FIM Motocross MXGP
Patagonia Race Track
Neuquén, Argentina
5:00 PM Sunday on CBSSN
FIM Motocross MX2
Patagonia Race Track
Neuquén, Argentina
6:00 PM Sunday on CBSSN
MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix - Moto3
Losail International Circuit
Lusail, Qatar
7:00 PM Sunday on FS2
MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix - Moto2
Losail International Circuit
Lusail, Qatar
8:00 PM Sunday on FS2
Photo credit: AP Images
Contact the author at stef.schrader@jalopnik.com.