Indy 500, F1 & NASCAR: Motorsports Mania on Memorial Day Weekend
There's nothing like Memorial Day Sunday if you're a racing fan. Here's how to stream the Monaco GP, Indy 500, and Coca-Cola 600 with Sling.
The month of May is a busy time of year for everyone — Mother's Day, graduations galore, and the NBA and Stanley Cup Playoffs are in full swing. But if you’re a motorsports fan, this is the best time of year.
The Sunday before Memorial Day features three incredible races: Monaco Grand Prix in F1, the Indianapolis 500 in IndyCar, and the Coca-Cola 600 in NASCAR. Here’s why these three events are so special, plus which markets you can stream all three on Sling.
Monaco: An Exciting Modernized Relic
Common logic dictates that Formula 1 should’ve left the streets of Monaco in the ‘60s or ‘70s when the series was growing rapidly and the cars were becoming much too fast for Monte Carlo’s hairpin turns and narrow straits. Instead, the series returns to the principality at the end of May every year for the most anticipated race of the season. It is an expensive, multi-month process to set up the barriers, fences, grandstand bleachers, and other safety equipment to keep the drivers contained within the two-mile circuit run entirely on city streets. But there’s a reason F1 continues to come back year-after-year even though “permanent” racetracks dominate the schedule.
Tradition is king, and Monte Carlo is full of it. The Monaco GP is one of the longest-running events in F1 history and has survived decades of change and uncertainty in the sport. It has been a consistent sight on the schedule since 1955, except for 2020 when the race was canceled due to COVID-19. There is so much history and prestige associated with the event, drivers will gladly admit that a win at Monaco is worth two anywhere else. Still, it is amusing to see today’s souped-up, brutally-modernized machines take to the tiny streets as if the drivers are, to quote F1 legend Nelson Piquet, “riding a bicycle around a living room.” It’s certainly a sight to behold, and one that is welcome every May.
Who’s the favorite to win? We're not going out on a limb with this one. Red Bull have been in a league of their own this season with every race won by either defending champion Max Verstappen or teammate Sergio Pérez. We're betting on a 1-2 Red Bull finish, while giving the slight edge to Pérez considering all six of his career wins have come on street courses, including last year's Monaco GP. Longshot: a victory by Ferrari driver and hometown favorite Charles Leclerc would be one for the ages, but unlikely against the juggernaut that is Red Bull this year.
How to watch: Lights out for the Monaco Grand Prix is scheduled for 3:00pm track time, or 9:00am ET in the United States. Sling Orange or Orange + Blue subscribers can watch on ESPN3, while select Sling Blue or Orange + Blue subscribers can watch live on ABC in the following markets: Chicago, Fresno, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Raleigh/Durham, and San Francisco.
Here's how to watch the entire F1 season with Sling.
Indianapolis: The Greatest Spectacle in Racing
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has a storied history just like Monaco: it was constructed in 1909 with more 3.2 million bricks making up the track surface and is the third-oldest permanent racetrack in the world. There have been 106 runnings of the Indianapolis 500 to date, with last year's winner Marcus Ericsson currently leading third in IndyCar points as the Month of May is underway.
The resurgence of the Indy 500 as a major sporting event is a welcome one after nearly a quarter of a century of turmoil. In the mid-90’s, IndyCar split in two to form the IRL (Indy Racing League) and CART (later Champ Car), a decision that nearly cannibalized American open-wheel racing, and with it, one of the world’s most historic races. In the fallout, there was a time when NASCAR’s race at IMS, the Brickyard 400, outdrew the Indy 500 in spectators and TV ratings by a wide margin. The two leagues reunited after Champ Car went bankrupt in 2008, but the series has yet to fully rebound to its heyday decades go. Now fifteen years after the reunification, IMS is expecting close to a sell-out crowd for the 107th running in 2023.
Who’s the favorite to win? Out of the three races run on Sunday, picking the victor for the Indianapolis 500 is by far the hardest. 2021 series champion Alex Palou won the pole for this year's race with a four-lap average speed of 234.217 MPH (!) - the fastest pole speed in the history of the Indy 500. Veterans Will Power, Scott Dixon, and Tony Kanaan (competing in his last 500) will likely contend over the course of 500 grueling miles, and it's impossible to count out last year's winner Marcus Ericsson. Longshot: Graham Rahal initially missed the 33-car field on Bump Day, but has been recruited to replace the injured Stefan Wilson following a practice crash on Monday afternoon. The Indy 500 has a weird way of propelling drivers in the headlines to the front, so don't be surprised if Rahal makes his presence known on Sunday.
How to watch: Coverage for the 107th Indianapols 500 begins Sunday at 11am ET on NBC. Sling Blue or Orange + Blue subscribers can watch in the following markets: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Hartford, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
Here's how to watch IndyCar racing all season long with Sling.
Charlotte: NASCAR’s Marathon Crown Jewel
Rounding out the day in Charlotte, North Carolina is the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR’s longest race of the season. Originally intended as a competitor to the Indy 500 with a near-identical start time, the Coca-Cola 600 now begins in late afternoon and finishes at night to beat the southern heat. Whereas Monaco is about finesse and Indy is about raw speed, Charlotte is about tenacity: drivers will be cooped up in their cars for over four hours as they drive the distance from Chicago to Washington, D.C., with parts failures and engine issues constantly on their mind. Every 100 laps, the caution flag will fly to slow the field and award points to the top-10 drivers on track. The Coca-Cola 600 is considered a “crown-jewel” event in NASCAR Cup Series competition – the other races being the Daytona 500 in February and the Southern 500 on Labor Day weekend. Drivers want to win this race as much as any other, but being the first one to the checkered flag after 600 grueling miles is easier said than done.
While IndyCar doesn’t do much in regards to the Memorial Day holiday, NASCAR goes all-out with an extensive pre-race show dedicated to the military as well as the playing of “Amazing Grace” and “Taps” before the green flag. At the top of each windshield, there is a rail with the name and rank of a fallen service member, and most of the cars sport special patriotic paint schemes. During the last few years, NASCAR has brought the entire field down pit road under caution at the halfway point and had the drivers turn their engines off for a reflective moment of silence.
Who’s the favorite to win? Honestly, it’s anybody’s race. Just because a driver is dominating in the early part of the event doesn’t mean they’ll have the best car when the sun goes down and there’s more grip on the track. Teams have to make timely adjustments during pit stops to stay on top of the changing surface, otherwise they’ll fall behind and no longer be competitive. While 600 miles is a long time to rally from an early mistake, an ill-handling racecar can be one of the longest nights of a driver’s life.
Two of the most dominant drivers so far in 2023, Kyle Larson and William Byron, will likely be contenders at some point, and don't count out last year's winner Denny Hamlin. Trackhouse Racing and its drivers Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez are still looking for their first victory on a 1.5 mile track, and Sunday night could be their chance. Longshot: rookie Ty Gibbs has been flying under the radar in his first full season and continues to put up impressive results. If Gibbs locks down the victory, he'll join an elite list of future champions whose first victory came in the Coca-Cola 600: David Pearson (1961), Jeff Gordon (1994), Bobby Labonte (1995), and Matt Kenseth (2000).
How to watch: Coverage for the 2023 Coca-Cola 600 begins at 6pm ET on FOX, which is available with Sling Blue or Orange + Blue in the following markets: Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York City, Oakland/San Jose, Orlando/Gainesville/Tampa, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle/Tacoma, and Washington, D.C.
Here's how to watch NASCAR Cup Series racing all season long with Sling.
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