Before the 100th Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil kicks off on Sunday, Townsend Bell and Mario Andretti tossed around a couple pizzas.
Bell, the NBCSN IndyCar analyst who starts fourth in the No. 29 California Pizza Kitchen/Robert Graham Honda, has easily his best shot to win the Indy 500 in his 10th attempt.
He’s part of the five-car Andretti Autosport armada along with Carlos Munoz, Marco Andretti, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Alexander Rossi.
The NTT IndyCar Series will return to the Motor City for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix but with start times in a new location for 2023.
After a 30-year run on Belle Isle, the Detroit GP has moved a few miles south to the streets of downtown on a new nine-turn, 1.645-mile circuit that runs along the Detroit River.
It’s the first time single-seater open-cockpit cars have raced on the streets of Detroit since a CART event on a 2.5-mile downtown layout from 1989-91. Formula One also raced in Detroit from 1982-88.
The reimagined Detroit Grand Prix also will play host to nightly concerts and bring in venders from across the region. Roger Penske predicts the new downtown locale will be bigger for Detroit than when the city played host to the 2006 Super Bowl.
Here are the details and IndyCar start times for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach race weekend (all times are ET):
TV: Sunday, 3 p.m. ET on NBC and streaming on Peacock, the NBC Sports App and NBCSports.com. Leigh Diffey is the announcer with analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Dave Burns, Marty Snider and Kevin Lee are the pit reporters. Click here for the full NBC Sports schedule for IndyCar in 2023.
Peacock also will be the streaming broadcast for both practices and qualifying.
POSTRACE SHOW ON PEACOCK: After the race’s conclusion, an exclusive postrace show will air on Peacock with driver interviews, postrace analysis and the podium presentation. To watch the extended postrace show, click over to the special stream on Peacock after Sunday’s race ends.
COMMAND TO START ENGINES: 3:23 p.m. ET
GREEN FLAG: 3:30 p.m. ET
PRACTICE: Friday, 3 p.m. (Peacock Premium); Saturday, 9:05 a.m. (Peacock Premium); Sunday, 10 a.m. (Peacock Premium)
PRACTICE RESULTS: Session I l Session II l Combined
QUALIFYING: Saturday, 1:20 p.m. (Peacock Premium)
STARTING LINEUP: Alex Palou captured the first street course pole of his IndyCar career; click here for where everyone will begin Sunday’s race
RACE DISTANCE: The race is 100 laps (170 miles) on a nine-turn, 1.645-mile temporary street course in downtown Detroit.
TIRE ALLOTMENT: Seven sets primary, four sets alternate. Rookie drivers are allowed one extra primary set for the first practice.
PUSH TO PASS: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation (Indy NXT: 150 seconds total, 15 seconds per). The push-to-pass is not available on the initial start or any restart unless it occurs in the final two laps or three minutes of a timed race. The feature increases the power of the engine by approximately 60 horsepower.
FORECAST: According to Wunderground.com, it’s expected to be 80 degrees with a 0% chance of rain.
ENTRY LIST: Click here to view the 27 drivers racing Sunday at Detroit
INDY NXT RACES: Saturday, 12:05 p.m. 45 laps/55 minutes (Peacock Premium); Sunday, 12:50 p.m. 45 laps/55 minutes (Peacock Premium)
INDY NXT ENTRY LIST: Click here to view the 19 drivers racing at Detroit
(All times are Eastern)
Friday, June 2
8:30-9:30 a.m.: IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge practice
9 a.m.: IndyCar garage opens
9:50-10:20 a.m.: Trans Am Series practice
11:40 a.m.-12:40 p.m.: IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge practice
1-1:30 p.m.: Trans Am Series practice
1:50-2:40 p.m.: Indy NXT practice
3-4:30 p.m.: IndyCar practice, Peacock
4:50-5:05 p.m.: IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge qualifying
5:30-6 p.m.: IndyNXT qualifying (Race 1 and 2)
6-7:15 p.m.: A-Track concert (Hart Plaza Stage)
7:30-8:30 p.m.: Big Boi concert (Hart Plaza Stage)
Saturday, June 3
6 a.m.: IndyCar garage opens
8:15-8:45 a.m.: Trans Am Series qualifying
9:05-10:05 a.m.: IndyCar practice, Peacock
10:35-11:35 a.m.: Trans Am Series, 3-Dimensional Services Group Muscle Car Challenge
12:05-1:00 p.m.: Indy NXT, Race 1 (45 laps or 55 minutes), Peacock
1:15-2:45 p.m.: IndyCar qualifying, Peacock
4:10-5:50 p.m.: IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic (100 minutes), Peacock
5:30-7 p.m.: Z-Trip concert (Hart Plaza Stage)
7-8:30 p.m.: Steve Aoki concert (Hart Plaza Stage)
Sunday, June 4
7 a.m.: IndyCar garage opens
10:00-10:30 a.m.: IndyCar warmup, Peacock
11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: Trans Am Series, 3-Dimensional Services Group Motor City Showdown
12:50-1:45 p.m.: Indy NXT, Race 2 (45 laps or 55 minutes), Peacock
2:47 p.m.: IndyCar driver introductions
3:23 p.m.: Command to start engines
3:30 p.m.: Green flag for the Chevrolet Detroit Prix, presented by Lear (100 laps/170 miles), NBC
ROUND 1: Marcus Ericsson wins wild opener in St. Petersburg
ROUND 2: Josef Newgarden wins Texas thriller over Pato O’Ward
ROUND 3: Kyle Kirkwood breaks through for first career IndyCar victory
ROUND 4: Scott McLaughlin outduels Romain Grosjean at Barber
ROUND 5: Alex Palou dominant in GMR Grand Prix
ROUND 6: Josef Newgarden wins first Indy 500 in 12th attempt
Inside Team Penske’s bid win another Indy 500 for “The Captain”
Annual photo shows women having an impact on Indy 500 results
Roger Penske feeling hale at another Indy 500 as Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner
Honda needed 45 seconds to approve Graham Rahal racing a Chevy at Indy
A.J. Foyt takes refuge at Indy 500 while weathering grief of wife’s death
Gordon Johncock: The most unassuming Indy 500 legend
Alex Palou on his Indy 500 pole, multitasking at 224 mph and a Chip Ganassi surprise
Marcus Ericsson, engineer Brad Goldberg have ties that run very deep
New competition elements for 2023 include an alternate oval tire
Indy 500 will be Tony Kanaan’s final race
IndyCar drivers say Thermal Club could host a race
IndyCar team owners weigh in on marketing plans, double points
Alexander Rossi fitting in well at McLaren
Phoenix takes flight: Romain Grosjean enjoying the pilot’s life
Helio Castroneves says 2023 season is “huge” for IndyCar future
How Sting Ray Robb got that name
Kyle Larson having impact on future McLaren teammates
Simon Pagenaud on why he likes teasing former teammate Josef Newgarden
HOW TO WATCH INDYCAR IN 2023: Full NBC Sports schedule