Beer-related rally repairs aside, last weekend didn’t feature much excitement in the motorsport world. The World Rally Championship wrapped up a dusty round in Mexico (Spoilers) while Trans Am enjoyed another large field at Homestead-Miami (Spoilers). On Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s oval, another NASCAR driver qualified for the season-ending Chase (Spoilers) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. continued on his romp through the 2014 season with his second-straight runner-up finish after winning the Daytona 500.

This coming weekend is far busier with two marquee events held on opposite sides of the globe. In addition, more than 300 nutters will challenge the Nevada desert in a long-distance race and a growing GT series will host its a 12-hour race at a gem of an Italian racing circuit. Follow the jump for more.

 

Formula One: Australian Grand Prix (Albert Park, Melbourne)

With a new formula that includes turbocharged hybrid “powerplants” (Don’t call them engines), hideous car noses, and no in-race refueling, the premiere racing series in the world opens its 2014 season Down Under with a myriad of unanswered questions. Repeat champions Red Bull Racing and Sebastian Vettel appear up against the wall with serious problems plaguing Renault’s new turbocharged V6. The first races of the season will likely be battles of attrition and fuel economy as teams grapple with the cars and the strategy put forth by the FIA this year. It will still be The Show that F1 is known for and partnering with V8 Supercars’ four-sprint, non-championship round means those at the races will get a double dose of world-class racing.

Website: Formula One. Australian Grand Prix Website. Full weekend schedule.
Supporting series: V8 Supercars. Porsche Carrera Cup Australia
Live coverage: F1 on NBC (2 a.m. EST Sunday); Live F1 Timing here. V8 Supercars Australian broadcast schedule; live streaming available on V8 SuperView (Pay service/subscription); Live V8S timing here.

 

TUDOR United SportsCar Championship: 12 Hours of Sebring

For those wanting to make a true motorsports weekend of it, TUSC’s second round will wrap up just in time to give you a couple hours’ nap before the F1 race’s green flag. The 62nd running at Sebring should be chock full of drama and is one of the toughest endurance races in the world. If you haven’t already done so, check out Bradley Brownell’s race preview here to get the scoop on what to expect. Many a race driver and engineer has claimed the half-day on Sebring’s bumpy old tarmac much harder on equipment and operator than the 24-hour race at Le Mans. It’s one of my personal favorites every year and testing seems to point toward more parity within the classes, so look for close racing.

Website: TUDOR United Sports Car Championship. Sebring official site. Full weekend schedule.
Supporting series: Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. Cooper Prototype Lites. Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA. Lamborghini Super Trofeo.
Live coverage:  Mixed TV/streaming coverage – at 10 a.m. EST on Saturday, Fox Sports 1 and at 1 p.m. EST streaming on IMSA.com. Radio on Motor Racing Network (Streaming here). Contintental Tire Race: Streaming on IMSA.com at 1 p.m. EST on Friday. Live timing here.

 

The MINT 400

The offroad race perhaps made famous by the original Gonzo practitioner Hunter S. Thompson launches into the Nevada desert this weekend, as well. The Mint 400 was relatively new when Hunter Thompson nearly attended it in 1971, but it’s no longer a shadow of low-class debauchery and sand-caked grime; it’s now big-dollar, high-stakes debauchery. Classes mirror those of the SCORE Offroad series and will also include Ultra4-spec vehicles, but the top billing belongs to the dozens of Trophy Trucks entered. The curious can get a rudimentary overview of the classing here. The race covers four laps of a course made up of a 100-mile loop, the exact route of which is not released until shortly before the event with no course reconnaissance allowed.

Website: Mint 400 official site.
Live coverage: No official broadcast or streaming, but a two-hour highlights show will air on NBC…in July.

 

NASCAR: Bristol Motor Speedway (Bristol, TN)

After a two-race trek out west to Arizona and Las Vegas, NASCAR turns around heads east to Tennessee for a run around the 1/2-mile oval at Bristol. The bullring produces plenty of racing in close quarters, so expect an all-out brawl with a spot in The Chase at stake. This will be mid-day Sunday, which would allow you to catch it after a weekend that includes Sebring and the F1 opener.

Website: NASCAR. Bristol Motor Speedway. Full weekend schedule.
Supporting series: NASCAR Nationwide. K&N Series East.
One of these race names is not like the others: Food City 500 (Sprint Cup). Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 Presented by Lilly Diabetes (Nationwide). Pittlite 125 (K&N).
Live coverage: Sprint Cup – Fox, 3 p.m. EST on Sunday. Nationwide – ESPN, 2 p.m. EST on Saturday. Radio on Performance Racing Network (PRN).

 

CREVENTIC 24H Series: 12 Hours of Italy (Mugello Circuit)

You may not be terribly familiar with the 24H series, which is almost certainly a shame. Dutch race promoters CREVENTIC put on a good show with some interesting and modern twists on the traditional endurance racing format. The 24H Series will feature all GT and Touring Cars with a broad array of performance envelopes from high-powered GT3-spec racers to diesel hatchbacks, all running on the same track. This season’s opener at the Dubai 24 Hours produced a stunning result for underdogs Stadler Motorsports’ with their Porsche over the heavily favored AMG SLS racers. The race at Mugello will actually be a two-session race with three hours Saturday and the final nine Sunday. It may not have the glitz or glamour of Formula One of the TUDOR Series, but there’s always good racing to be had. And one more good thing: CREVENTIC streams all of the series’ races on the website for free.

Website: 24H Series website. Weekend schedule. Entry list.
Live coverage: Live webstream.

 

SCCA Majors: Middle Region, Eagles Canyon Raceway

The Sports Car Club of America hosts another of the sanctioning body’s Majors with winners qualifying for the Nationals at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca this fall. As many 24 Hours of LeMons teams found out two weeks ago, Eagles Canyon can be absolutely brutal on equipment and very challenging for the drivers with Texas’ unpredictable weather lately.

Website: US Majors Tour page. Weekend schedule (PDF).
Live coverage: Live timing here or on Race Monitor for smartphones.

 

SVRA: Willow Springs

Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, having hosted Florida races on consecutive weekends, heads to the far coast to run at Willow Springs. A new set of vintage racers should crop up and California’s reputation as a mecca of sportscar racing means that you’ll likely find a tremendous mix of drool-worthy vintage racers should you find yourself at the racetrack.

Website: SVRA event page for Willow Springs.
Live coverage: Live timing should be available on Race Monitor for smartphones.

 

Who else is racing this weekend? Feel free to point out any series we may have missed in the comments.

[Lead photo copyright 2014 Hooniverse/Eric Rood; Other photos: Imgur, Imgur, Mugello Official Website]