Friday Morning Warmup: Charlotte's Web

As mentioned yesterday, Russia plays host to the F1 circus this weekend, though the mood will be decidedly somber as Jules Bianchi is still in critical condition in Japan.  Marussia, after saying that American Alexander Rossi would be in the car this weekend, has decided to field only one car for the time being, out of respect.  It's a dark cloud over what's sure to be an intriguing weekend at a new circuit.

NASCAR has their home race at Charlotte, and it's a critical one for guys like Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson, who, after slamming the wall in Kansas, find themselves both in the elimination zone of the Chase.  Charlotte is one of the best tracks for both, however, so there's hope for them yet.

The longest race of the weekend is the annual epic Bathurst 1000 for the V8 Supercars.  Yesterday, Ford announced that they have no plans in the series beyond 2015, which many people interpreted as them pulling out.  If that's the case, then that completely changes the tenor of the series, since it's long been built on the Ford-Holden rivalry.  There's even talk that they may drop V8 engines if it's found that manufacturers will not support them.  For now, though, there are V8 Falcons and Commodores (and S60s and E63s and Altimas) pounding around Australia's most legendary track, and it's worth a watch if you can find it.

Any racing plans for you this weekend?