What's Next in 2023: All Things Motorsport - Part Three

We are back with part three of our 2023 motorsport events preview. So far we've looked at rallying events, motorcycle racing, drifting, and endurance racing. We've saved some more tarmac action for last, but this story will also give you some insights about racing on the water. If you've got any ideas about other motorsport events we should follow in 2023, let us know!

17. Supercars Championship

Somehow V8 Supercars made a lot more sense back in the day. But now it's called the Supercars Championship, and it's now just people living Down Under that follow it year in and year out. This Touring Car racing series has been a thing since the late '90s, and you must have heard about the Bathurst 1000 or the Adelaide 500 events among other things.

Alternatively, you might be familiar with some of the top drivers like Jamie Whincup, Craig Lowndes, or Shane van Gisbergen, all of which have had their fair share of success within the championship. Gen3 Supercars are coming up this year, as the season is set to start at Newcastle Street Circuit in March. There are 12 races to go through before a winner is decided, and it will be interesting to see how the Camaros will fare against the Mustangs this year.

18. NASCAR

If none of the above-mentioned series gets you hyped for 2023, then NASCAR might be the answer for you. Some people could argue that this is a turn-left-only kind of sport, but you still need skills and commitment to go through with it all. Stock Car Racing has been around for three-quarters of a century now, and it's still one of the most popular motorsports in the United States of America to this day.

We recently had an interview with Travis Pastrana who gave it his best at the Daytona 500, but at this point in his life it's difficult to believe that he'll ever manage to outscore the greatest Cup drivers of all time: Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt or Jimmie Johnson. Just like with other sports, there are several classes to look out for, but the Cup Series is where all the excitement goes down. Joey Logano won with Team Penske and Ford last year, he'll have to fend off quite a few opponents if he wants to get the same result in 2023.

19. DTM

I used to be a big fan of DTM (German Touring Car Masters) back when Mattias Ekstrom and Bernd Schneider were on top of the game, but some of the excitement seems to have been lost along the way. Switching from naturally-aspirated V8s to turbocharged 2.0-liter units took away some of the beauty of it all, but 2023 might be fun after all.

With Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche competing against the more "traditional" teams such as BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-AMG, the calendar holds eight rounds scheduled to take place in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands. Ralf Schumacher's son David is competing for Mercedes-AMG, and we can't help but wonder if he will ever make the switch to F1 one day.

20. World Time Attack Challenge

After a quick stop in Europe let's go back to Australia with one of the most well-known Time Attack events in the world. While purists might point out that all the OGs are mainly racing at Tsukuba, you just can't ignore WTAC and what it has achieved since its debut in 2010.

Drivers from all over the world ship their cars to Sydney Motorsport Park for this sprint-format race that goes on almost every year. The fastest man in 2022 was Barton Mawer in a Porsche 968, who stopped the watch at 1:20.101. You can always count on seeing the wildest aero upgrades on cars at WTAC events, and you might remember seeing a certain Nissan S15 driven by Suzuki-san of Scorch Racing. This year the event will be held on the 1st and 2nd of September!

21. NHRA

For some automotive enthusiasts, it's all about quarter-mile (402 meters) racing. And the National Hot Rod Association schedule is a busy one for 2023, with the first event having drivers go flat out at Gainesville Raceway in March. Brittany Force was the Top Fuel Champion in 2022, with three opponents following in P2, P3, and P4.

Even though this kind of challenge is usually over in a matter of seconds, some drivers reach speeds that you won't see in any other sport soon. While MotoGP riders can get up to 225 mph (362 kph), Brittany went as fast as 338 mph (544 kph) in 2022. Just remember to use earplugs if you plan on going to one of these events shortly.

22. F1H2O

Last but not least, here's something you might have not expected on this list. While we chose to leave out the virtual racing series that have appeared in recent years, we wanted to move away from dry land and onto the water for our last pick of the day. The F1H20 World Championship is just what it sounds like, and we can think of a few things that are as insane as racing these boats on the water. You'll see some nasty crashes on some of the official series channels, but then again what do you expect?

It's not uncommon for these powerboats to reach speeds of about 150 mph (241 kph), and we're surprised the sport hasn't gained more traction given how spectacular it looks. Just like with F1, 10 teams are fighting for the top spot on the podium at each race. The first one of the season is happening in Indonesia as we speak, and there should be another seven more to go by the end of it all. You might have not heard about any of the drivers or teams in this championship, but you'll want to know more by the time you're done watching some highlight videos.