SPORTS1 extends NASCAR Cup Series rights
January 26, 2023
SPORT1+ will continue to broadcast the NASCAR Cup Series until 2024 following a 2 year rights extension with IMG. As usual, all 36 championship races as well as the invitational race for the season opener and the All-Star Race will be broadcast live with original US commentary.
The majority of the races will be shown live on SPORT1+, and MOTORVISION.TV will also once again cover selected races live as part of a sub-licensing agreement. It starts on SPORT1+ with the Busch Light Clash at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum on from February 6th. The official season opener is on the agenda two weeks later with the legendary DAYTONA 500. The 65th edition of the “Great American Race” at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida will be shown live on Sunday, 19 February, from 08:25 p.m. on SPORT1+. More top-class motorsport is being offered with the Australian Repco Supercars Championship, which will also be covered live and in highlights extensively on SPORT1+ and MOTORVISION.TV until 2024. The popular touring car series from “Down Under” will start the new season on the second weekend in March.
The new season of the NASCAR Cup Series already promises to be exciting and full of action: The “Next-Gen-Cars” from the three manufacturers Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota are entering their second year and will continue to provide thrilling duels on the asphalt with their around 670 PS and top speeds of up to 320 km. A total of 36 teams are permanently represented again this season, including Penske Racing with defending champion Joey Logano in the Ford, Trackhouse with former Formula 1 world champion Kimi Räikkönen as a possible guest starter or the racing team 23XI Racing of NBA legend Michael Jordan. The German focus is on the new team 3F Racing of founder and owner Dennis Hirtz. The Cologne native wants to compete in the premier class for the first time with his crew in the early stages of the season and form a competitive team in the foreseeable future.
Season starts in L.A. and Daytona in February, street circuit debut in Chicago in July
A total of 36 championship rounds are on the calendar of the NASCAR Cup Series 2023. The official opening event is traditionally the legendary DAYTONA 500, which SPORT1+ will broadcast live in primetime on February 19th. The series will enter the decisive phase with the playoffs in September, the final with the best four drivers will then take place in Phoenix on November 5. Other season highlights include the upcoming Busch Light Clash invitational race at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum on the night of Sunday to Monday, February 6th, live from 01:00 a.m. and the popular All-Star Race, which this time takes place on May 21st at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The races will continue to be held mainly on oval tracks, but the road courses of Watkins Glen and Sonoma will also be back. In addition, the street circuit in Chicago will celebrate its debut on July 2nd.
High-class motorsport from ‘Down Under’ with the Repco Supercars Championship
The Australian Repco Supercars Championship, which is one of the best touring car series in the world, also continues to be at home on SPORT1+. In 2023, twelve stops are scheduled in “Down Under” from the beginning of March to the end of November. Several races will be held on each race weekend. Different race formats provide additional variety during the season. This year, the Repco Supercars Championship starts on March 11th and 12th with the Thrifty Newcastle 500, the absolute highlight of the season is the well-known endurance race Repco Bathurst 1000 at the Mount Panorama Moto Racing Circuit at the beginning of October. The defending champio is New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen in the Holden Commodore ZB, who won 21 races in the previous season. In addition to the model of the Australian manufacturer Holden, the Ford Mustang GT runs also in the series. SPORT1+ shows all races of the Repco Supercars Championship live or relive, on top there are highlights of the rounds one week later.
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