All Times EDT
NASCAR
SPRINT CUP
SOUTHERN 500
Site: Darlington, S.C.
Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.), qualifying (Speed, 5-6:30 p.m.); Saturday, race, 7 p.m. (FOX, 6:30-11 p.m.).
Track: Darlington Raceway (oval, 1.366 miles).
Race distance: 501.3 miles, 367 laps.
Last year: Regan Smith raced to his first Sprint Cup victory, holding off Carl Edwards in a green-white-checker finish. Kyle Busch tangled with Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer to set up the overtime finish.
Last week: Brad Keselowski won at Talladega, getting a push from Busch to take the lead with a lap to go, then holding on for the victory.
Fast facts: Danica Patrick is making her second Cup start, driving the Stewart-Haas Racing-prepared No. 10 Chevrolet for Tommy Baldwin Racing. She was 38th in her series debut at Daytona in February. … In 2010, Denny Hamlin became the first driver in 17 years to complete a Nationwide-Sprint Cup sweep at the track. … Hendrick Motorsports, stuck on No. 199 Cup victories, is winless in 16 races. Hendrick’s Jeff Gordon has seven Darlington wins, the last in 2007. … Greg Biffle leads the season standings, seven points ahead of Matt Kenseth. … Johnny Mantz won the inaugural race in 1950 at the historic track that had two races a year from 1960-2004. … David Pearson holds the track record with 10 Cup wins, one more than Dale Earnhardt.
Next race: All-Star Race, May 19, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
—
NATIONWIDE
VFW SPORT CLIPS HELP A HERO 200
Site: Darlington, S.C.
Schedule: Friday, practice, qualifying (ESPN2, 3:30-4:30 p.m.); race, 7:15 p.m. (ESPN2, 6:30-9:30 p.m.).
Track: Darlington Raceway (oval, 1.366 miles).
Race distance: 200.8 miles, 147 laps.
Last year: Kyle Busch raced to his first Darlington Nationwide victory, edging Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin.
Last week: Joey Logano won at Talladega, nipping Busch at the finish line to give Toyota its 200th NASCAR victory.
Fast facts: Defending series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. tops the season standings, five points ahead of Elliott Sadler. Stenhouse and Sadler each have two victories this season. … Eric McClure was released from an Alabama hospital Monday, two days after he was injured in a crash at Talladega. McClure had a concussion and internal bruising. … Sprint Cup drivers Hamlin, Logano, Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne and Kurt Busch are racing. Action sports star Travis Pastrana also is driving.
Next race: Pioneer Hi-Bred 250, May 20, Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
—
CAMPING WORLD TRUCK
Next race: N. C. Education Lottery 200, May 18, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.
Last race: James Buescher won at Kansas Speedway on April 21, passing Brad Keselowski with 10 laps left and pulling away for his first series victory.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
—
FORMULA ONE
SPANISH GRAND PRIX
Site: Barcelona, Spain.
Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 8-9:30 a.m.; Saturday, practice, qualifying (Speed, 8-9:30 a.m.); Sunday, race, 8 a.m. (Speed, 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.).
Track: Circuit de Catalunya (road course, 2.89 miles).
Race distance: 190.8 miles, 66 laps.
Last year: Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel raced to the fourth of his 11 2011 victories en route to his second straight season title. McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton was second.
Last race: Vettel won in Bahrain on April 22 for his first victory of the year. The German star leads the season standings with 53 points, four more than Hamilton.
Fast facts: The race is the fifth of the season. McLaren’s Jenson Button won the opener in Australia, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso took the Malaysia race, and Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg won in China. … Caterham test driver Alexander Rossi will become the first American to participate in a Grand Prix weekend in almost five years when he replaces Heikki Kovalainen in the opening practice session. The 20-year-old Californian is competing in Formula Renault 3.5 with Arden Caterham. … Alonso is the lone Spanish champion in event history, winning in 2006.
Next race: Monaco Grand Prix, May 27, Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Online: http://www.formula1.com
—
INDYCAR
Next race: Indianapolis 500, May 27, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis.
Last race: Will Power raced to his third straight victory of the year and third in a row in the Sao Paulo 300 on April 29, extending Team Penske’s season-opening winning streak to four. Ryan Hunter-Reay was second.
Online: http://www.indycar.com
—
NHRA FULL THROTTLE
Next event: NHRA Summernationals, May 18-20, Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka, Kan.
Last week: Ron Capps won the Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway to end John Force Racing’s season-opening Funny Car winning streak at six. Steve Torrence won the Top Fuel division, Greg Anderson topped the Pro Stock class, and Eddie Krawiec took the Pro Stock Motorcycle competition.
Online: http://www.nhra.com
—
OTHER RACES
AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES: American Le Mans Monterey, Saturday (ESPN2, Sunday, 5-7 p.m.), Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif. Online: http://www.americanlemans.com
GRAND-AM ROLEX SPORTS CAR SERIES: Global Barter 250, Sunday (Speed, 1-4 p.m.), New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, N.J. Online: http://www.grand-am.com
WORLD OF OUTLAWS: Sprint Car: Friday-Saturday, Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, Pa. Online: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com
U.S. AUTO RACING CLUB: Sprint Car: Saturday, Tri-State Speedway, Haubstadt, Ind. Online: http://www.usacracing.com
Add A Comment