IndyCar opens up its May schedule down south as the series returns to the hilly, 16-turn Barber Motorsports Park, where reigning series champion Alex Palou picked up his first career win in 2021 at the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama.
After three races in this 2022 NTT IndyCar Series season, Team Penske and their three drivers have emerged as clear frontrunners. 2-time champion Josef Newgarden won at Texas and Long Beach while teammate Scott McLaughlin took the season opener in St. Petersburg. As the first true road course on the 2022 schedule, Barber gives some of the other teams another chance to claw their way back up the standings.
Last year, Barber opened up the 2021 season and future series champion Alex Palou took his first win in a wild race. This time around, it could be anyone’s race, as Penske, Ganassi, Andretti, and McLaren have all shown pace. Barber, known as the ‘Alabama Roller Coaster’ by some, has already sold out race day tickets, as the championship fight makes its way down south for 90 laps around Barber Motorsports Park.
Read on to find out where you can catch this weekend’s action, no matter where you’re from!
Race Details: Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama
Location: Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Length and Turns: 2.366 miles (3.808 km), 16 turns
Race Length: 90 laps, 214.2 miles (344.72 km)
Previous Winner: Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
Lap Record: 1:06.8182, Pato O’Ward, 2021
2021 Pole Position: 01:05.8479, Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren SP
Most Wins: Josef Newgarden (2015, 2017, 2018)
United States (All Times in EST)
- Practice 1: Friday, 4/29 – 4:00 PM on Peacock
- Practice 2: Saturday, 4/30 – 10:00 AM on Peacock
- Qualifying: Saturday, 4/30 – 1:00 PM on Peacock
- Final Practice: Saturday, 4/30 – 5:20 PM on Peacock
- Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama: Sunday, 5/1 – 1:00 PM on NBC (Green flag at 1:05 PM EST)
Note: All sessions can be heard on SiriusXM Channel 160, IMS Radio Network affiliates, and on the IndyCar app.
International Viewers
For the 2022 season, IndyCar has launched IndyCar Live! which is a subscription-based streaming service that brings live streaming of all IndyCar and Indy Lights sessions to countries without traditional IndyCar TV broadcasting contracts.
For a full list of IndyCar Live! availability by country, click here.
For a list of IndyCar broadcasters by continent, click here.
Six Questions for Barber:
- Will Penske’s Newgarden and McLaughlin continue their dominance of this season so far?
- Can Chip Ganassi and Alex Palou pick up their first win of 2022 and climb back up the standings?
- With an 80% chance of rain on Sunday, who will shine in possible treacherous conditions?
- Can Jimmie Johnson redeem himself after his nightmare weekend at Long Beach?
- Will Alexander Rossi finally find his groove and contend for a win?
- How will Colton Herta recover after a disappointing finish at Long Beach?
In Other News: Indy Open Test: Slick Pit Exits, Rain Delays and Ganassi Domination
Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
