IndyCar Detroit doubleheader: Start times, TV, schedule

After a two-year absence, the NTT IndyCar Series will return to Belle Isle Raceway in Detroit this weekend for a Saturday-Sunday doubleheader schedule of start times.

There are 25 entries for each race as Santino Ferrucci was added this week in a third car for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing after his sixth place in the Indy 500. Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Dallara-Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing) and Romain Grosjean (No. 51 for Dale Coyne Racing) will return in Detroit after missing the Indianapolis 500.

After becoming the fourth driver to win his fourth Indy 500, Helio Castroneves won’t be racing at Detroit (but will be appearing in five more IndyCar races for Meyer Shank Racing this year and in the SRX this weekend). It’s the first time the Indy 500 winner isn’t entered in the following IndyCar race since the late Dan Wheldon in 2011.

The 2021 IndyCar season has opened with six winners in six races. There have been seven winners in the first seven races three times — 1958, 2000, and ’17 (when the streak was broken by Graham Rahal sweeping Detroit). If there is no repeat winner in Saturday’s race, the record for most IndyCar winners to start a season will be tied.

Among those still seeking victories are former Detroit winners Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud and Will Power of Team Penske.

Here are the details and IndyCar start times for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at Belle Isle Raceway in Detroit (all times are ET):

Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix doubleheader at Belle Isle Raceway in Detroit

TV: Both races are on NBC (SUNDAY UPDATE: If the French Open has not concluded, Race 2 will begin on CNBC) and streaming on the NBC Sports App and NBCSports.com. Leigh Diffey is the lead announcer for IndyCar on NBC with analyst Townsend Bell. Saturday’s broadcast begins at 2 p.m.; Sunday’s broadcast will start at 12:30 p.m. ET.

Broadcast of the @detroitgp will begin at 12:30 PM ET on @NBC. If the French Open has not concluded, coverage will start on @CNBC. #INDYCAR // #DetroitGP

— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) June 13, 2021

COMMANDS TO START ENGINES: 1:58 p.m. Saturday; 12:43 p.m. Sunday

GREEN FLAG SATURDAY: 2:05 p.m.

GREEN FLAG SUNDAY: 12:50 p.m.

DISTANCE: Both races are 70 laps (164.5 miles) on a 14-turn, 2.35-mile street course at Belle Isle Raceway in Detroit.

TIRE ALLOTMENT: Eight sets primary, five sets alternate (weekend). Teams must use one set of primary and alternate tires in each race. One additional set available to teams fielding a rookie driver is available for the first session of the weekend.

PUSH TO PASS: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation (for each race). 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 85 degrees with a 24% chance of rain at the green flag Saturday. Sunday is predicted to be 81 degrees with a 9% chance of rain at the green.

PRACTICE: Friday, 5 p.m. (Peacock Premium)

WARMUP: None scheduled this weekend

QUALIFYING: Race 1, 11 a.m. Saturday; Race 2, 9 a.m. Sunday

ENTRY LISTS: Click here for Race I l Click here for Race II

IndyCar weekend schedule for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix

Detroit Grand Prix Friday schedule

9:50-10:30 a.m.: Indy Lights practice

8:55-9:25 a.m.: Indy Lights qualifying, Race 1

5-6:15 p.m.: IndyCar practice (Peacock Premium)

Detroit Grand Prix Saturday schedule

9:30-9:50 a.m.: Indy Lights qualifying, Race 2

11 a.m.-noon: IndyCar qualifying, Race 1 (NBCSN, Peacock Premium)

Noon-1 p.m.: Indy Lights, Race 1 (Peacock Premium)

2-4 p.m.: IndyCar, Race 1 (NBC)

Detroit Grand Prix Sunday schedule

9-10 a.m.: IndyCar qualifying, Race 2 (NBCSN, Peacock Premium)

10:20-11:45 a.m.: Indy LIghts, Race 2 (Peacock Premium)

Noon-3 p.m.: IndyCar, Race 2 (NBC)

COVERAGE ON NBCSPORTS.COM:

ROUND 1: Alex Palou breaks through with first victory in season opener

ROUND 2: Colton Herta puts on a sublime showing in St. Pete

ROUND 3: Scott Dixon maintains Texas dominance

ROUND 4: Pato O’Ward scores first IndyCar victory

ROUND 5: Helio Castroneves becomes fourth four-time Indy 500 winner

JIMMIE INDYCAR WATCH, RACE 1: A 19th at Barber Motorsports Park

JIMMIE INDYCAR WATCH, RACE 2: Tough day for the No. 48

JIMMIE INDYCAR WATCH, RACE 3: Making progress in a 24th-place finish

Jimmie Johnson takes a break from IndyCar but not from racing one of his daughters

Ryan Hunter-Reay credits aeroscreen with saving life

Five Things To Watch during the 2021 IndyCar season

In a continuing effort to help fans keep track of the on track action, SuperMotocross is in the process of developing and implementing leader lights for the unified series.

Currently Supercross (SMX) utilizes stanchions in the infield that are triggered manually by a race official. At least two stanchions are used in each race as a way to draw the eye to the leader, which is especially useful in the tight confines of the stadium series when lapping often begins before the halfway mark in the 22-bike field. This system has been in place for the past two decades.

Later this year, a fully automated system will move to the bike itself to replace the old system. At that point, fans will be able to identify the leader regardless of where he is on track.

The leader lights were tested in the second Anaheim round this year. An example can be seen at the 1:45 mark in the video above on the No. 69 bike.

“What we don’t want to do is move too fast, where it’s confusing to people,” said Mike Muye, senior director of operations for Supercross and SMX in a press release. “We’ve really just focused on the leader at this point with the thought that maybe down the road we’ll introduce others.”

Scheduled to debut with the first SuperMotocross World Championship race at zMax Dragway, located just outside the Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 3D carbon fiber-printed LED light will be affixed to each motorcycle. Ten timing loops positioned around the track will trigger the lights of the leader, which will turn green.

SMX’s partner LiveTime Scoring helped develop and implement the system that has been tested in some form or fashion since 2019.

When the leader lights are successfully deployed, SuperMotocross will explore expanding the system to identify the second- and third-place riders. Depending on need and fan acceptance, more positions could be added.

SuperMotocross is exploring future enhancements, including allowing for live fan interaction with the lights and ways to use the lighting system during the race’s opening ceremony.

IndyCar Detroit Belle Isle doubleheader: How to watch, start times, live streaming info

Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix doubleheader at Belle Isle Raceway in Detroit