Get ‘IndyCar Pass’ from NBC Sports Gold

By Feb 7, 2019, 12:03 PM EST
IndyCar Gold
NBC Sports
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The 2019 IndyCar season begins in one month, including an historic broadcast of the Indianapolis 500 on NBC.

Fans can, of course, watch every race on the networks or NBC and the NBC Sports app, but fans wanting even more might want NBC Sports Gold, which will have nearly everything an IndyCar race fan could want.

A full release on what’s included in NBC Sports Gold is listed below. to buy the package, click here.

STAMFORD, Conn., & INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – February 7, 2019 – NBC Sports Gold — NBC Sports Group’s direct-to-consumer live streaming product — launched “INDYCAR Pass“ today, providing fans in the U.S. with one convenient location to watch live coverage of all NTT IndyCar Series qualifying and practice sessions, and Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires races, plus full-event replays of all NTT IndyCar Series races, and 15-30 minute race cutdowns of both series. “INDYCAR Pass” will provide 200+ hours of programming, including 50+ hours of coverage surrounding the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. It is available now until March 10 for an early-bird price of $49.99. The regular price is $54.99.

NBC Sports’ INDYCAR commentators Leigh Diffey, Townsend Bell, Paul Tracy and others will call all live streaming coverage on NBC Sports Gold, marking the first time that all NTT IndyCar Series qualifying and practice sessions will receive television-quality production, including timing and scoring. All qualifying and practice sessions will be streamed live on “INDYCAR Pass”, many on an exclusive basis. Some practice and qualifying sessions will be available on television either live or on delay. NBC Sports Gold will also feature INDYCAR archival and library content, and other motorsports shoulder programming.

For the Indianapolis 500, which NBC Sports will broadcast for the first time in its history on May 26, “INDYCAR Pass” will provide 50+ hours of streaming coverage surrounding the race, including qualifying, practices, Carb Day, the banquet, parade, and other shoulder programming.

“We’re excited about our partnership and could not be more thrilled to offer ‘INDYCAR Pass’ throughout the season,” said Portia Archer, Vice President, Direct-to-Consumer Services, NBC Sports Group. “‘INDYCAR Pass’ is a first-of-its-kind direct-to-consumer experience that will provide INDYCAR fans with high-quality coverage and unprecedented access to some of the circuit’s most exciting events, all in one easy-to-access location.”

“Having NBC Sports Gold as an option for INDYCAR fans who want to consume all of INDYCAR and engage more deeply with the sport is really exciting for us this year, particularly given the high-quality production NBC Sports will bring to it,” said Mark Miles, CEO of Hulman & Company, which owns INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “This is our first opportunity to present the sport this way. INDYCAR Pass on NBC Sports Gold is a great complement to watching the NTT IndyCar Series on television, either on NBC or NBCSN. It really is another format that we think will make us that much more accessible and that much more exciting, especially to our hard-core fans.”

All INDYCAR Series races will be televised live on either NBC or NBCSN, and streamed live via authentication on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. For a full schedule, click here.

The 2019 INDYCAR season is the first under a new media rights agreement that was announced in March 2018 in which NBC Sports Group acquired the exclusive rights to all races – including the Indianapolis 500 for the first time – qualifying, practices, and Indy Lights across its numerous platforms.

“INDYCAR Pass” is powered by Playmaker Media, NBC Sports Group’s end-to-end video support service for companies in need of best-in-class live streaming and VOD solutions.

NBC Sports Gold is available on Apple iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast and online at NBCSportsGold.com.

Following is NBC Sports Gold’s “INDYCAR Pass” schedule:

EVENT LOCATION DATE
Streets of St. Petersburg St Petersburg, Fla. Practice – March 8-9
Qualifier – March 9
Indy Lights – March 9-10
Circuit of the Americas Austin, Tex. Practice – March 22-23
Qualifier – March 23
Indy Lights – March 23-24
Barber Motorsports Park Birmingham, Ala. Practice – April 4-5
Qualifier – April 6
Streets of Long Beach Long Beach, Calif. Practice – April 12-13
Qualifier – April 13
Indianapolis Motor Speedway/Road Course Indianapolis, Ind. Practice – May 9-10
Qualifier – May 10
Indy Lights – May 11-12; May 24
103rd Running of the Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis, Ind. Practice – May 14-18
Qualifier – May 18
Carb Day – May 24
Red Carpet – May 26
Streets of Belle Isle Detroit, Mich. Practice – May 30-31
Qualifier – May 31-June 1
Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Tex. Practice – June 6-7
Qualifier – June 7
Road America Elkhart Lake, Wis. Practice – June 21-22
Qualifier – June 22
Indy Lights – June 22-23
Streets of Toronto Toronto, Ontario Practice – July 12-13
Qualifier – July 13
Indy Lights – July 13-14
Iowa Speedway Newton, Iowa Practice – July 18-19
Qualifier – July 19
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Lexington, Ohio Practice – July 26-27
Qualifier – July 27
Indy Lights – July 27-28
Pocono Raceway Long Pond, Penn. Practice – August 16
Qualifier – August 17
Gateway Motorsports Park Madison, Ill. Practice – August 22-23
Qualifier – August 23
Indy Lights – August 24
Portland International Raceway Portland, Ore. Practice – August 30-31
Qualifier – August 31
Indy Lights – August 31- September 1
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Salinas, Calif. Practice – September 20-21
Qualifier – September 21
Indy Lights – September 21-22

 

With throaty roar, NASCAR Next Gen Camaro is taking Le Mans by storm on global stage

Associated PressJun 8, 2023, 4:00 PM EDT
Le Mans 24 Hour Race - Car Parade
Chris Graythen/Getty Images
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LE MANS, France — The V8 engine of the NASCAR Chevrolet Camaro has a distinct growl that cannot go unnoticed even among the most elite sports cars in the world at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

When the Hendrick Motorsports crew fired up the car inside Garage 56, NASCAR chairman Jim France broke into a huge grin and gave a thumbs up.

“The only guy who didn’t cover his ears,” laughed seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson.

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France has been waiting since 1962 – the year his father, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., brought him to his first 24 Hours of Le Mans – to hear the roar of a stock car at the most prestigious endurance race in the world.

A path finally opened when NASCAR developed its Next Gen car, which debuted last year. France worked out a deal to enter a car in a specialized “Innovative Car” class designed to showcase technology and development. The effort would be part of NASCAR’s 75th celebration and it comes as Le Mans marks its 100th.

Once he had the approval, France persuaded Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear – NASCAR’s winningest team, manufacturer and tire supplier – to build a car capable of running the twice-around-the-clock race.

The race doesn’t start until Saturday, but NASCAR’s arrival has already been wildly embraced and France could not be more thrilled.

“Dad’s vision, to be able to follow it, it took awhile to follow it up, and my goal was to outdo what he accomplished,” France told The Associated Press. “I just hope we don’t fall on our ass.”

The car is in a class of its own and not racing anyone else in the 62-car field. But the lineup of 2010 Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller, 2009 Formula One champion Jenson Button and Johnson has been fast enough; Rockenfeller put down a qualifying lap that was faster than every car in the GTE AM class by a full three seconds.

The Hendrick Motorsports crew won its class in the pit stop competition and finished fifth overall as the only team using a manual jack against teams exclusively using air jacks. Rick Hendrick said he could not be prouder of the showing his organization has made even before race day.

“When we said we’re gonna do it, I said, ‘Look, we can’t do this half-assed. I want to be as sharp as anybody out there,” Hendrick told AP. “I don’t want to be any less than any other team here. And just to see the reaction from the crowd, people are so excited about this car. My granddaughter has been sending me all these TikTok things that fans are making about NASCAR being at Le Mans.”

This isn’t NASCAR’s first attempt to run Le Mans. The late France Sr. brokered a deal in 1976, as America celebrated its bicentennial, to bring two cars to compete in the Grand International class and NASCAR selected the teams. Herschel McGriff and his son, Doug, drove a Wedge-powered, Olympia Beer-sponsored Dodge Charger, and Junie Donlavey piloted a Ford Torino shared by Richard Brooks and Dick Hutcherson.

Neither car came close to finishing the race. McGriff, now 95 and inducted into NASCAR’s Hall of Fame in January, is in Le Mans as France’s guest, clad head-to-toe in the noticeable Garage 56 uniforms.

“I threw a lot of hints that I would like to come. And I’ve been treated as royalty,” McGriff said. “This is unbelievable to me. I recognize nothing but I’m anxious to see everything. I’ve been watching and seeing pictures and I can certainly see the fans love their NASCAR.”

The goal is to finish the full race Sunday and, just maybe, beat cars from other classes. Should they pull off the feat, the driver trio wants its own podium celebration.

“I think people will talk about this car for a long, long time,” said Rockenfeller, who along with sports car driver Jordan Taylor did much of the development alongside crew chief Chad Knaus and Greg Ives, a former crew chief who stepped into a projects role at Hendrick this year.

“When we started with the Cup car, we felt already there was so much potential,” Rockenfeller said. “And then we tweaked it. And we go faster, and faster, at Le Mans on the SIM. But you never know until you hit the real track, and to be actually faster than the SIM. Everybody in the paddock, all the drivers, they come up and they are, ‘Wow, this is so cool,’ and they were impressed by the pit stops. We’ve overachieved, almost, and now of course the goal is to run for 24 hours.”

The car completed a full 24-hour test at Sebring, Florida, earlier this year, Knaus said, and is capable of finishing the race. Button believes NASCAR will leave a lasting impression no matter what happens.

“If you haven’t seen this car live yet, it’s an absolute beast,” Button said. “When you see and hear it go by, it just puts a massive smile on your face.”

For Hendrick, the effort is the first in his newfound embrace of racing outside NASCAR, the stock car series founded long ago in the American South. Aside from the Le Mans project, he will own the Indy car that Kyle Larson drives for Arrow McLaren in next year’s Indianapolis 500 and it will be sponsored by his automotive company.

“If you’d have told me I’d be racing at Le Mans and Indianapolis within the same year, I’d never have believed you,” Hendrick told AP. “But we’re doing both and we’re going to do it right.”

Le Mans 24 Hour Race - Car Parade
Fans gather around the NASCAR Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 that is the Garage 56 entry for the 100th 24 Hours of Le Mans at the Circuit de la Sarthe (Chris Graythen/Getty Images).

General Motors is celebrating the achievement with a 2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Garage 56 Edition and only 56 will be available to collectors later this year.

“Even though Chevrolet has been racing since its inception in 1911, we’ve never done anything quite like Garage 56,” said GM President Mark Reuss. “A NASCAR stock car running at Le Mans is something fans doubted they would see again.”

The race hasn’t even started yet, but Hendrick has enjoyed it so much that he doesn’t want the project to end.

“It’s like a shame to go through all this and do all this, and then Sunday it’s done,” Hendrick said. “It’s just really special to be here.”