IndyCar at Barber: Start time, how to watch, entry list, etc.

This weekend’s event will be the 13th Indy car race at Barber Motorsports Park, and six of this weekend’s 27 starters have earned wins here: three for Josef Newgarden, two for Will Power and then one apiece for Pato O’Ward, Alex Palou, Simon Pagenaud and Helio Castroneves.

Six of the drivers have also started earned pole here, namely Power (four), Castroneves (two) and one each for Rinus VeeKay, O’Ward, Newgarden and Pagenaud.

Notable by his absence in the list of Barber winners (and polesitters) is six-time champion Scott Dixon, yet in the 12 races held so far there, he has finished nine of them on the podium, six times as runner-up.

In terms of teams, Penske has claimed six victories at Barber, while Andretti Autosport have won twice, and Chip Ganassi Racing, Ed Carpenter Racing, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Arrow McLaren have triumphed once.

When is the IndyCar race at Barber Motorsports Park?

Date: Friday, April 28 – Sunday, April 30

Start time: Sunday, 2.30pm Central Time

How can I watch the IndyCar race at Barber?

NBC’s coverage of the 2023 Grand Prix of Alabama will begin on Sunday, 2.00pm (CT).

Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for NBC's coverage of the NTT IndyCar Series, alongside analysts and former IndyCar racers Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe.

All IndyCar practice sessions, qualifying and races will stream live on Peacock, NBC’s livestreaming product.

IndyCar and Indy NXT broadcast schedule (Central Time)

Friday, April 28

1.40-2.25pm – Indy NXT practice 1 – IndyCar Live
2.40-3.55pm – IndyCar practice 1 – Peacock

Saturday, April 29

10.00-10.45am – Indy NXT practice 2 – IndyCar Live
11.00am-12.00pm – IndyCar practice 2 – Peacock
1.20-1.40pm – Indy NXT qualifying – IndyCar Live
2.00-3.15pm – IndyCar qualifying – Peacock

Sunday, April 30

11.00-11.30am – IndyCar warm-up – Peacock
12.00pm – Indy NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Alabama (35 laps / 55 mins) – Peacock
2.00pm – NBC broadcast begins
2.23pm – “Drivers, start your engines”
2.30pm – Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix (90 laps / 207 miles) – NBC

Will the IndyCar race at Barber be on the radio?

Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Nick Yeoman and Jake Query are the turn announcers. Michael Young, Alex Wollf and Georgia Henneberry are the pit reporters. All IndyCar and Indy NXT races, practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 160, racecontrol.indycar.com and the IndyCar App powered by NTT DATA.

Race Notes

How many laps is the IndyCar race at Barber Motorsports Park? 90 laps (207 miles)

Track: 2.3-mile, 17-turn road course in Birmingham, AL.

Firestone tire allotment: Six primary sets, four alternate sets, with rookies permitted one extra primary set for the Friday afternoon practice session.

Push-to-pass parameters: 150sec total time, with a maximum time of 15sec per activation. The push to pass is not available on the initial start or any restart unless it occurs in the final two laps or three minutes of a timed race.

2022 Barber winner: Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren-Chevrolet

2022 Barber pole-winner: Rinus VeeKay, Ed Carpenter Racing-Chevrolet, 1m06.2507s, 124.980mph.

Qualifying lap record: O’Ward, Arrow McLaren-Chevrolet, 1m05.5019s, 126.409mph, set in April 2021, in Q2)

Entry list