AUTO RACING: NASCAR intensity, Dixon eyeing IndyCar history
All Times Eastern
NASCAR CUP SERIES
Federated Auto Parts 400
Site: Richmond, Virginia.
Schedule: Saturday, practice, 5:05 p.m, and qualifying, 5:50 p.m.; Sunday, race, 3 p.m. (USA).
Track: Richmond Raceway.
Race distance: 400 laps, 300 miles.
Last year: Martin Truex Jr. won after starting third.
Last race: Kevin Harvick broke a 65-race winless streak and became the 15th different race winner this season, pulling away after a restart on the 166th of 200 laps at Michigan.
Fast facts: With three regular-season races remaining and 15 unique winners, second-place Ryan Blaney and fourth-place Truex could be battling for the lone playoff spot based on points. They are just 19 points apart. ... Truex had won three of the previous five races on the 0.75-mile oval before Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin won in early April. ... Bubba Wallace, also a non-winner this year, finished second at Michigan. ... Points leader Chase Elliott leads Blaney by 119 points and Ross Chastain by 137. ... Kurt Busch has missed three straight races after a concussion and is now the lowest-ranked race winner of the season. He’s 20th, three spots — and 39 points — behind Hamlin.
Next race: Aug. 21, Watkins Glen, New York.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES
Last race: Ty Gibbs grabbed the lead to start the final stage and held it throughout the stage-long green-flag run at Michigan for his series-best fifth victory of the season.
Next race: Aug. 20, Watkins Glen, New York.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR TRUCK SERIES
Worldwide Express 250 for Carrier Appreciation
Site: Richmond, Virginia.
Schedule: Saturday, practice, 3 p.m., qualifying, 3:30 p.m., and race, 8 p.m. (FS1).
Track: Richmond Raceway.
Race distance: 250 laps, 187.5 miles.
Last year: John Hunter Nemechek won after starting 18th in mid-April.
Last race: Grant Enfinger used fresh tires to pass points leader Zane Smith for the lead on the next-to-last lap of overtime and win the first race of the playoffs, and the first at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park since 2011.
Fast facts: Smith leads defending series champion Ben Rhodes by 14 points and Enfinger and Stewart Friesen by 22. Nemecheck and Chandler Smith are 26 back. ... Rhodes rallied to edge Zane Smith for second at Michigan. ... Nemechek wound up 10th despite leading a race-high 75 laps. ... Three-time series champion Matt Crafton finished the opening playoff race below the cutline — top eight of 10 advance after three races — with two chances remaining to stay in the running for a fourth championship.
Next race: Sept. 9, Kansas City, Kansas.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
FORMULA ONE
Last race: Defending series champion Max Verstappen overcame a spin and his worst starting spot of the season to win the Hungarian Grand Prix, his second victory in a row and eighth in 13 races, stretching his championship lead.
Next race: Aug. 28, Francorchamps, Malmedy, and Stavelot, Belguim.
Online: http://www.formula1.com
INDYCAR
Last race: Scott Dixon beat Scott McLaughlin in a two-lap dash to the finish in Nashville's IndyCar debut to win for the 53rd time, breaking a tie with Mario Andretti for second in a career. He also jumped to second in the points race as he pursues a seventh series title that would tie A.J. Foyt's career record.
Next race: Aug. 20, Madison, Illinois.
Online: http://www.indycar.com
NHRA DRAG RACING
Last event: Tony Schumacher won in Top Fuel and Robert Hight won in Funny Car at Kent, Washington.
Next event: Aug. 12-14, Topeka, Kansas.
Online: http://www.nhra.com
WORLD OF OUTLAWS
Next events: Aug. 10-13, Knoxville, Iowa.
Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars
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