Sunday, March 13, 2011

2011 IZOD INDYCAR TV Schedule for US and Canada

Photo source: Chris Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

Confirming the 2011 IZOD INDYCAR schedule by announcing a poorly-kept secret of Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosting the finale event, the open wheel racing series' television partners in the United States and Canada will continue broadcasting action and sounds.

For the United States, ABC will cover 5 races (including the 2011 series opener, the Indianapolis 500 and the Las Vegas finale) while VERSUS is slated to cover the remaining 12 events. Both television broadcasters provided coverage to the 2010 IZOD INDYCAR season. Just like last season, all rounds of the open wheel racing series will be shown live through the American networks.

In Canada, TSN is continue to simulcast the United States network's broadcasts. Feeding 11 race coverage to their digital channel TSN2, the cable and satellite sports network in Canada have been criticized by the sizable open wheel racing fan base for not meeting the races as accessible as other sports including NASCAR. Last season, the Iowa Speedway round for the IZOD INDYCAR Series (regarded in hindsight as one of the better competitions of the 2010 season) ran on a nearly 10-hour tape-delay on the TSN2 digital channel. In my personal opinion, its bad enough to run an auto racing event on a time delay but if they want to run it late night, shift it to the base TSN channel. For 2011, Iowa Speedway round is made into a night race and therefore TSN2 intends to carry the race live.

TSN, in conjunction with TSN2, again appears to not be siding entirely with open wheel fans for 2011. Notable on the Canadian television schedule is the broadcasts of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, Kentucky Indy 300 and the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix starting later than the US live broadcast times. While sometimes TSN enters into live coverage following a 30 minute to 1-hour prerace show, the air time gaps on the mentioned to those races is substantial. While an one and half hour difference exists with the IZOD INDYCAR round in Long Beach between US and Canadian tv carriers, the second-to-last round of the 2011 season at Kentucky sees a four and a half hour gap. The Baltimore Grand Prix is set for a tape delay as deep as the Iowa race last season. While an afternoon event in September, the IZOD INDYCAR's Baltimore Grand Prix will not air until 11pm at night on TSN2.

Fortunately, VERSUS broadcasts of the 2011 IZOD INDYCAR Series Canadian rounds (the Honda Indy of Toronto and the reinstated Edmonton Indy) will air live on the more widely-viewed base TSN channel.

The following television schedule for the 2011 IZOD INDYCAR Series is mentioned as tentative and could change due to weather or other issues.

Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
Streets of St. Petersburg
Sunday, March 27

U.S. Carrier: ABC 12:30pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 12:30pm et



Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama
Barber Motorsports Park
Sunday, April 10

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 3:00 pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN 3:00pm et



Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
Streets of Long Beach
Sunday, April 17

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 3:30pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 5:00pm et



Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle
Street of Sao Paulo
Sunday, May 1

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS Noon et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 Noon et



Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Sunday, May 29

U.S. Carrier: ABC Noon et
Canadian Carrier: TSN Noon et



Firestone Twin 275s
Texas Motor Speedway
Saturday, June 11

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 8:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN 8:00pm et



The Milwaukee 225
The Milwaukee Mile
Sunday, June 19

U.S. Carrier: ABC 3:30pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 4:30pm et



Iowa Corn Indy 250
Iowa Speedway
Saturday, June 25

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 8:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 8:00pm et



Honda Indy of Toronto
Streets of Toronto
Sunday, July 10

U.S. Carrier: Versus 2:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN 2:00pm et



Edmonton Indy
Edmonton City Centre Airport
Sunday, July 24

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 2:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN 2:00pm et



Honda Indy 200
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Sunday, August 7

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 2:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 2:00pm et



IZOD INDYCAR 225
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Sunday, August 14

U.S. Carrier: ABC 3:30pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 4:00pm et



Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma
Infineon Raceway
Sunday, August 28

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 4:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN 4:00pm et



Baltimore Grand Prix
Streets of Baltimore
Sunday, September 4

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 2:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 11:00pm et



Indy Japan 300
Twin-Ring Motegi
Sunday, September 18

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 11:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 11:00pm et



Kentucky Indy 300
Kentucky Speedway
Sunday, October 2

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 2pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 6:30pm et



IZOD INDYCAR World Championships at Las Vegas
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sunday, October 16

U.S. Carrier: ABC 3:30pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 4:00pm et

2 comments:

  1. Sunday, October 18th??? What? How's that work?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi riffraff:

    Good eye. I was operating off the schedule posted by TSN when it came to the dates. TSN has posted Sunday as the 18th when it is actually the 16th. I've checked with the INDYCAR Series and verified the Las Vegas finale is on the 16th of October. I've revised the XSL Speed Reporter schedule to correct the error. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete