This week marks a not-really-major accomplishment for the Motorsports Weekend Guide: It’s the MWG’s first anniversary. So thanks to Hooniverse’s editors for letting this hack writer continue this weekly feature that probably doesn’t get a ton of traffic. Long may it live because I’ve already put a ton of work into it for the rest of the year!
This weekend sees the opener of the biggest series in the Land of the Original Hoons and a massive field at one of America’s stories racing circuits. There’s also rally in the forest and the second of several dozen NASCAR races. Make the jump for more on this weekend’s motorsports offerings!

V8 Supercars: Clipsal 500 (Adelaide)

Australia’s thundering national racing series starts off 2015 as it does every season with 500 miles of hard racing around the Adelaide Street Circuit. The track is just one of several incredible street circuits in Australia, featuring the curb-launching Senna Chicane and the flat-out insanity of Turn 9. Six-time and defending champion Jamie Whincup remains an undeniable force in his Holden Commodore along with his Red Bull Racing Australia teammate Craig Lowndes. Young Kiwi Shane Van Gisbergen finished runner-up in the championship and he is absolutely stellar to watch.
This also marks the last certain season of racing for the Ford Falcon; the staple of Australian racing ends production this year, meaning Ford lead pilot and Red Bull rival Mark “Frosty” Winterbottom will have only this last chance to take a title home for Ford. Of course, Nissan, Mercedes, and Volvo all return looking ever-stronger. The Clipsal 500 features a full menu of supporting races, including vintage V8 monsters like Touring Car Masters and Robby Gordon’s spectacular Stadium Super Trucks.
Website: V8S site. Clipsal 500 site. Event page with schedule. Entry list.
Supporting series: Dunlop Development Series. V8 Ute Racing Series. Touring Car Masters. Australian GT. Porsche Carrera Cup Australia. Stadium Super Trucks.
Live coverage: International coverage live on V8 SuperView (subscription service). See schedule for race times; The World Clock is your friend for time conversion.
 

Trans Am Series: Sebring International Raceway

Speaking of thundering, tube-frame V8s, the Trans Am series opens its 2015 campaign with a sprawling 70-car field at Sebring. Expect a crowded start and some held breath as the field dives into Turn 1 for the first time. Should they all get through safely, spectators there for the combined weekend with the SVRA can enjoy the sonic assault of 40,000 horsepower, mostly in the form of V8s. Each of the top TA1 and TA2 classes have clear favorites in defending champions Doug Peterson and Cameron Lawrence, respectively, but 70 cars and one of the world’s toughest racing circuits on equipment means plenty of unpredictability.
Website: Trans Am site. Sebring site. Event page. Schedule. Entry list.
Supporting series: SVRA.
Live coverage: Live timing on Trans Am site and on Race Monitor app for smartphones and devices. Delayed broadcast on CBS Sports Network eventually.
 

Rally America: Rally in the 100 Acre Wood

In a not-twist of fate, defending Rally America champion David Higgins won the season opener, Sno*Drift, in Michigan. Higgins, who is the only factory-backed driver in the field, now heads to Missouri for the 100 Acre Wood rally. This was the only rally he didn’t win last year, finishing with a DNF while Ken Block (above) took the win in his only Rally America outing. Block is absent this year and Higgins’ win would make an eight consecutive rally wins in the series.
Higgins isn’t the only driver on Missouri’s wooded gravel roads this weekend; 2WD specialist Andrew Comrie-Picard will flog a Fiesta and, if that’s not a small enough car, local brothers Zach and Kyle Williams return this year with their Mazda BP-swapped 1992 Ford Festiva. The Open and Group 2 classes feature all manner of Subarus and Fiestas, but the real money is in the cars that are at home in LeMons: a 1985 Audi Quattro, an Eagle Talon, a Hyundai Tiburon, a Merkur XR4Ti, a Nissan Sentra, a Porsche 944, a few old water-cooled Volkswagens, and a Volvo 240.
Website: Rally American site. 100 Acre Wood site. Event page. Entry list. Spectator Guide with Schedule and Maps! Championship standings.
Live coverage: Rally America radio. Recaps posted on the R-A YouTube page.
 

NASCAR Sprint Cup: Fold of Honor QuikTrip 500 (Atlanta Motor Speedway)

After a grueling and at times trying Speedweek, NASCAR’s season hits the road to Atlanta’s 1.5-mile tri-oval. All three of the big series are in action with the Trucks series curiously running after the Xfinity race.
Website: NASCAR site. AMS site. Event page. Schedule. Entry list.
Supporting series: Hisense 250 (Xfinity Series). Hyundai Construction Equipment 200 (Camping World Truck Series).
Live coverage: Sunday @ 1 p.m. ET on FOX (TV) and Motor Racing Network (Radio/Streaming audio). Xfinity Series: Saturday @ 2 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1 and MRN. Camping Trucks: Saturday @ 5:30 p.m. on FS1 and MRN.
 

24 Hours of LeMons: Eagles Canyon Raceway

LeMons makes its annual pilgrimage to north Dallas, where the weather is unpredictable and the track is absolutely brutal on cars’ brakes and tires when it’s even moderately warm. Check our preview for the full scoop.
Website: LeMons site. ECR site. Event page with schedule. Hooniverse preview.
Live coverage: Live timing on Specialty Timing site or on Race Monitor app for smartphones and devices.
 

ChumpCar World Series: Thunderhill Raceway

ChumpCar will race Thunderhill’s five-mile “Thunderschleife” for the first time this weekend, running it on Saturday’s half of a Double-7 weekend. Sunday sees the track switching over to the shorter, technical West (new) course while the East course hosts the Ultimate Street Car Association weekend held in conjunction with ChumpCar.
Website: CCWS site. Thunderhill site. Event supplemental rules with schedule.
Live coverage: Live timing on CCWS site or on Race Monitor app for smartphones and devices.
 
[Lead photo copyright 2015 Hooniverse/Eric Rood | Photos: V8 SuperCars, Trans Am Series, Hoonigan Racing]