Indianapolis MotoGP, Nurburgring DTM, Michigan NASCAR
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DTM - Nurburgring: Scheider has made it out onto the track. Can't have been too serious.
DTM - Nurburgring: Timo Scheider's had a problem with the fire extinguisher inside his Abt Audi. He's not been out on the track yet and that might take some time to fix.
DTM - Nurburgring: 20 minutes in and Adrien Tambay heads things, becoming the first man to dip into the high-1m23s.
He's already quicker than last year's fastest qualifying time by three hundredths (remember, the fastest qualifying time came in Q3, not Q4 as tyre changes were not allowed between the two), and over a second up on the race fastest lap.
He's already quicker than last year's fastest qualifying time by three hundredths (remember, the fastest qualifying time came in Q3, not Q4 as tyre changes were not allowed between the two), and over a second up on the race fastest lap.
DTM - Nurburgring: Ten minutes in and Robert Wickens heads the timesheets for the HWA Mercedes team. You'll remember he ran very strongly on his way to seventh - at that point his best DTM finish - a year ago here.
Green flag
DTM - Nurburgring: Free practice gets underway with Mike Rockenfeller the first man onto the track in his Phoenix Audi.
DTM - Nurburgring: Practice gets underway at 0910 local time (0810 UK), with this being Bruno Spengler's prime opportunity to overturn the 27-point deficit to Mike Rockenfeller in the standings.
Rockenfeller won at Moscow Raceway last time out while Spengler - three times a Nurburgring victor - was spun down the field by his rival's team-mate Miguel Molina.
Championship standings after 6 of 10 rounds:
1 Mike Rockenfeller, 94
2 Bruno Spengler, 67
3 Gary Paffett, 57
4 Christian Vietoris, 56
5 Augusto Farfus, 48
6 Robert Wickens, 45
(25 points for a win)
Rockenfeller won at Moscow Raceway last time out while Spengler - three times a Nurburgring victor - was spun down the field by his rival's team-mate Miguel Molina.
Championship standings after 6 of 10 rounds:
1 Mike Rockenfeller, 94
2 Bruno Spengler, 67
3 Gary Paffett, 57
4 Christian Vietoris, 56
5 Augusto Farfus, 48
6 Robert Wickens, 45
(25 points for a win)
DTM - Nurburgring: We're already in place at the Nurburgring, having had a pretty damp journey through the Eifel mountains from our hotel.
Out on track first is practice for the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, featuring Britain's Ross Wylie and a quartet of legendary drivers; Christian Danner, Markku Alen, Juha Kankkunen and Emanuele Pirro.
Out on track first is practice for the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, featuring Britain's Ross Wylie and a quartet of legendary drivers; Christian Danner, Markku Alen, Juha Kankkunen and Emanuele Pirro.
Robert Wickens
Good morning from AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live for Saturday August 17.
We'll be starting the day with the DTM's practice session from the Nurburgring, which is followed shortly afterwards at the German track by race one of the Formula 3 European Championship weekend.
Ferrari protege Raffaele Marciello secured pole for all three races in Friday's qualifying session.
The FIA GT Series is also taking to the track in the next few hours to commence practice for its Slovakia Ring round.
Then later on we're back at Indianapolis for the MotoGP qualifying sessions.
That's it for AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live tonight. Back in the morning for some DTM qualifying, FIA GT action from Slovakia, racing in Auto GP and European Formula 3, more updates from NASCAR, and qualifying for MotoGP's Indianapolis Grand Prix
Breaking news
NASCAR - Michigan: And here's the full story of that record-shattering session.
Michigan NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying report
Michigan NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying report
Checkered flag
NASCAR - Michigan: Here's the final top 10:
1 Logano; 2 Kurt Busch; 3 Johnson; 4 Martin; 5 Burton; 6 Montoya; 7 Earnhardt; 8 Hamlin; 9 Keselowski; 10 Kyle Busch.
1 Logano; 2 Kurt Busch; 3 Johnson; 4 Martin; 5 Burton; 6 Montoya; 7 Earnhardt; 8 Hamlin; 9 Keselowski; 10 Kyle Busch.
NASCAR - Michigan: Biffle is only 16th. Barring a huge shock from either Kvapil or Gaughan, pole belongs to Logano.
NASCAR - Michigan: Despite his previous pace here, Ambrose was slow in practice, and qualifying was no better. He's only 25th.
The sun is now out, which won't be helping those late in the order.
Biffle is the last threat to Logano's pole.
The sun is now out, which won't be helping those late in the order.
Biffle is the last threat to Logano's pole.
NASCAR - Michigan: Just four cars left. Brendan Gaughen and Travis Kvapil won't be contenders, but Greg Biffle and previous track record holder Marcos Ambrose could be.
NASCAR - Michigan: Two more big names come up short: only 13th for Jeff Gordon and 18th for Carl Edwards.
NASCAR - Michigan: Joey Logano looks a bit more secure on pole now as practice pacesetter Jimmie Johnson just made his run and only managed third.
NASCAR - Michigan: Haven't seen Scott Speed here for a while as he's been busy in rallycross. He does a very solid lap for his tiny Leavine Family team to go 25th.
That's plenty good enough to avoid any fear of non-qualifying. It's Landon Cassill who's currently set to miss out.
That's plenty good enough to avoid any fear of non-qualifying. It's Landon Cassill who's currently set to miss out.
NASCAR - Michigan: Dillon goes 20th. He's standing in for Tony Stewart while 'Smoke' recovers from the broken leg he sustained in a sprint car crash just after Indianapolis.
Mixed messages swirling about the next move for Stewart-Haas with its boss/lead driver sidelined.
Some say Stewart won't race again this year, others that he'll be back sometime in September. Either way, his Chase hopes seem done.
As for stand-ins, indications are now that two drivers will stand in for him during however long he is absent. For today, it's Dillon.
NASCAR - Michigan: The order is going a little bit squiffy at the moment. Jimmie Johnson was due out next but wasn't in the qualifying line quite in time, so it's Austin Dillon on track now, with Johnson set to slot in after Martin Truex Jr.
NASCAR - Michigan: First change near the front for a while as Dale Earnhardt Jr goes up to sixth.
MotoGP - Indianapolis: Oh and that new helmet design for Lorenzo is a green mamba.
Quote
Jorge Lorenzo
MotoGP - Indianapolis: How's Jorge Lorenzo and his battered collarbone feeling after Friday practice? Pretty decent...
"The collarbone is feeling good, it's not 100 per cent yet but it's close. It doesn't give me too many problems to ride at a high level."
Lorenzo's Yamaha was only fourth in practice behind three Hondas, but he reckoned he lost potential better laps to the traffic cone prompted red flag and CRT traffic late on.
NASCAR - Michigan: Denny Hamlin goes sixth. After that spell in which pole was changing relentlessly, Logano's been safe on top for a while now.
NASCAR - Michigan: First Hendrick car out is Kasey Kahne, but he's only 16th.
Jamie McMurray
NASCAR - Michigan: Tough day for Jamie McMurray. His EGR car blew an engine in practice this morning and he just qualified 14th.
NASCAR - Michigan: Only seventh for Kyle Busch. He was quickest of all in Truck practice just before this session.
Stopwatch
NASCAR - Michigan: Another car and another new polesitter and track record.
It now goes to Penske's Joey Logano on a 203.949mph, 35.303s lap.
It now goes to Penske's Joey Logano on a 203.949mph, 35.303s lap.
Quote
NASCAR - Michigan: Frankly, Mark Martin isn't too fussed that he just lost provisional pole. His thoughts are more existential:
"Gosh it's fun to drive race cars like that. It's just an amazing privilege to get to do this."
"Gosh it's fun to drive race cars like that. It's just an amazing privilege to get to do this."
Stopwatch
NASCAR - Michigan: There's the track record, Kurt Busch does a 203.695mph and a 35.347s lap to take provisional pole.
This man is so, so close to winning a race. And if he is a leading contender for that Earnhardt Ganassi seat, is a really a better bet than Furniture Row on current form?
This man is so, so close to winning a race. And if he is a leading contender for that Earnhardt Ganassi seat, is a really a better bet than Furniture Row on current form?
NASCAR - Michigan: Burton says he could've gone a bit quicker, and that his team made a set-up adjustment that he suggested that went a little too far and didn't pay off.
Stopwatch
NASCAR - Michigan: That didn't last long at all, Mark Martin grabs provisional pole, 0.018s quicker than Burton. Still not quite a track record pace.
Stopwatch
NASCAR - Michigan: AUTOSPORT was wrong, it's Childress driver Jeff Burton who deposes Montoya, putting in a near track record lap at 203.114mph to outpace JPM by 0.022s.
NASCAR - Michigan: Brad Keselowski doesn't beat Montoya's time, he's 0.046s off.
That's eight of 44 cars done. AUTOSPORT's bet is that the next big threats to Montoya will be the Busch brothers, Joey Logano and Kasey Kahne. They're all in the next dozen or so cars in the line.
That's eight of 44 cars done. AUTOSPORT's bet is that the next big threats to Montoya will be the Busch brothers, Joey Logano and Kasey Kahne. They're all in the next dozen or so cars in the line.
Checkered flag
MotoGP - Indianapolis: The day ends with Moto2 practice, and in an eventful end to the session, Simone Corsi grabs the top spot from championship leader Scott Redding in the final moments.
1 Corsi; 2 Redding; 3 Rabat; 4 Zarco; 5 Schrotter; 6 Nakagami; 7 Terol; 8 Luthi; 9 Simon; 10 Kallio.
Pol Espargaro was down in 15th after his early shunt.
1 Corsi; 2 Redding; 3 Rabat; 4 Zarco; 5 Schrotter; 6 Nakagami; 7 Terol; 8 Luthi; 9 Simon; 10 Kallio.
Pol Espargaro was down in 15th after his early shunt.
NASCAR - Michigan: This session won't be settled until very late on - Hendrick duo Jimmie Johnson (fastest in practice) and Jeff Gordon, Joe Gibbs' Matt Kenseth and Roush Fenway pair Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle are all among the final 10 cars in the qualifying order.
DTM - Nurburgring: One bizarre imprint to leave in your mind before we pack up and head to the hotel....
Bruno Spengler took on a member of his BMW crew in a radio-controlled car race. We say race, it was more like a destruction derby.
We think Spengler (BMW motorsport-liveried M3) won, as his rival's Jagermeister machine ended up stuck and unretrievable underneath the team's hospitality unit.
Audi head of DTM Dieter Gass nearly spoiled the party by riding through the middle of the race on his scooter, narrowly avoiding a collision.
Bruno Spengler took on a member of his BMW crew in a radio-controlled car race. We say race, it was more like a destruction derby.
We think Spengler (BMW motorsport-liveried M3) won, as his rival's Jagermeister machine ended up stuck and unretrievable underneath the team's hospitality unit.
Audi head of DTM Dieter Gass nearly spoiled the party by riding through the middle of the race on his scooter, narrowly avoiding a collision.
NASCAR - Michigan: Clint Bowyer is 0.120s off Montoya's pace, so the Colombian remains on pole for now.
NASCAR - Michigan: David Ragan is off Montoya's pace. Got Clint Bowyer and Brad Keselowski coming up soon, they will be threats.
We've got 44 cars out this weekend so there will be a non-qualifier. Scott Riggs makes an early bid for that non-honour with a lap a second slower than anyone else so far.
We've got 44 cars out this weekend so there will be a non-qualifier. Scott Riggs makes an early bid for that non-honour with a lap a second slower than anyone else so far.
Quote
NASCAR - Michigan: Montoya's thoughts after that lap...
"The draw wasn't the best, but the car's still pretty quick. That should get us a top-10 start."
"The draw wasn't the best, but the car's still pretty quick. That should get us a top-10 start."
Stopwatch
NASCAR - Michigan: Juan Pablo Montoya is on provisional pole right now, second man out and ahead of Bobby Labonte.
Montoya is on his way out of Earnhardt Ganassi at the end of the year by mutual consent following some very frustrating seasons.
Where Montoya goes next is one topic of conversation - and he said not entirely joking that Jeff Gordon's Hendrick Chevrolet would be nice because Gordon would surely retire soon-ish...
...but perhaps the bigger talking point is who takes Montoya's EGR seat. The smart money was on Nationwide rising star Kyle Larson initially, but today there are rumours that Kurt Busch is a contender.
Montoya is on his way out of Earnhardt Ganassi at the end of the year by mutual consent following some very frustrating seasons.
Where Montoya goes next is one topic of conversation - and he said not entirely joking that Jeff Gordon's Hendrick Chevrolet would be nice because Gordon would surely retire soon-ish...
...but perhaps the bigger talking point is who takes Montoya's EGR seat. The smart money was on Nationwide rising star Kyle Larson initially, but today there are rumours that Kurt Busch is a contender.
By: Matt Beer, Peter Mills, Jamie O'Leary, Connell Sanders Jr, Gary Watkins, Andrew van de Burgt, Scott Mitchell
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