Weekend Motorsports Roundup, October 12-13, 2013

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?

As we move deeper into October, when the leaves turn yellow, then orange, then brown, and eventually whither, fall off, and die, and other poetic things happen, we have but one solace to sustain us in these blustery days. Yes, that solace is, as always, racing. And though there may not be a lot of racing this time of year in terms of quantity, there is a virtual feast of quality abounding.

The big ticket item this week is, of course, the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix, and it remains to be seen whether or not Red Bull will come clean about the fascinating hybrid traction control system it may or may not be using in its employ, or whether or not one of the other drivers will say something about it.

My bet is "no."

The Suzuka Circuit should offer some prime examples for us to see it in action, however, as those achingly long straights tend to be bounded my sharp braking and acceleration zones. If we see Vettel rocketing away from the corners the way we've seen previously, then it may provide more circumstantial evidence to what others have said already. Either that or may provide evidence for the man with the world's most delicate ankle control. Either one.

Formula DRIFT is also make an uncommon-but-not-unappreciated stop on our weekend TV viewing schedule, and where F1 is all about precision and high rates of speed, drifting is all about style. Think of it as a smoky chaser to your shot of high technology.

The Bathurst 1000, which is an Australian racing and drinking event, is also this weekend, but as of yet a US listing for the race is still elusive. In case you're not aware of the Bathurst, it is the premier event of the Australian V8 Supercars circuit, and it is incredible. Pitting Holdens against Fords (and their fans), it provides a traditional outlet for Aussies to choose sides and root for their favorites. And punch each other in the face, if they're nearing the 24-can booze limit. Joining the traditional manufacturers this year will be Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo as well, so it adds an interesting dynamic to the normal scheme of things. We'll let you know if anything pops up.

We know there's been a few site changes recently, so in the interests of comfort and familiarity we'll be keeping the races in the body of the posts. Of course, please use our image annotation tool on the map above to show us races we might have missed, where they're being held, and where we can livestream them.

All times Eastern.

Formula One Japanese Grand Prix Qualifying

Suzuka Circuit

Suzuka, Japan

1 AM Saturday on NBCSN

MotoGP Shell Advance Malaysian Grand Prix Qualifying

Sepang Circuit

Sepang, Malaysia

1:30 AM Saturday on SPEED2

NASCAR Sprint Cup Bank of America 500

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Charlotte, North Carolina

7 PM Saturday on ABC

Formula One Japanese Grand Prix

Suzuka Circuit

Suzuka, Japan

1:30 AM Sunday on NBCSN

1 PM Sunday on NBCSN (replay)

MotoGP Shell Advance Malaysian Grand Prix

Sepang Circuit

Sepang, Malaysia

4 AM Sunday on FS1

Formula DRIFT Round 7 – Final Fight

Evergreen Speedway

Monroe, Washington

5 PM Sunday on NBCSN