AUTO RACING: Blaney seeks second straight NASCAR win at New Hampshire; F1, IndyCar return to action

Published Jun. 18, 2024 6:01 p.m. ET

Associated Press

All Times Eastern

NASCAR CUP SERIES

USA TODAY 301

Site: Loudon, New Hampshire.

Schedule: Saturday practice, 12:35 p.m., qualifying, 1:20 p.m.; Sunday race, 2:30 p.m. (USA).

Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Race distance: 301 laps, 318.5 miles.

Last year: It took 30 tries, but Martin Truex Jr. led 41 laps after starting second to earn his first victory on the 1.058-mile oval in a race postponed a day by showers. His Toyota won by 0.396 seconds over Joey Logano's Ford, followed by Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski as former Cup Series champions claimed the top five spots.

Last race: Reigning Cup champion Ryan Blaney won the first stage after starting second, was fourth in the second and went on to lead 201 of 350 laps for his first victory this season in the inaugural Iowa Corn 350. Blaney also clinched a playoff berth, closing the deal this time with plenty of fuel in his Penske Ford after running dry two weeks ago while leading the final lap in Madison, Illinois.

Fast facts: William Byron was second with 2020 Series champion Chase Elliott third, propelling Elliott to the points lead by eight over Larson. Denny Hamlin is third. ... Blaney jumped five spots to seventh. ... Truex announced over the weekend that he will retire from full-time racing after this season, his 19th.

Next race: June 30, Nashville, Tennessee.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

SciAps 200

Site: Loudon, New Hampshire.

Schedule: Friday practice, 4:05 p.m., qualifying, 4:35 p.m.; Saturday race, 3:30 p.m. (USA).

Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Race distance: 200 laps, 211.6 miles.

Last year: John Hunter Nemechek started second in a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and led a race-high 137 of 206 laps to earn his second consecutive Xfinity win and fourth of the season. He won the wreck-filled race under the white flag after the 10th caution.

Last race: Sam Mayer took charge on an overtime restart and won the HyVee 250 in the series' return to Iowa Speedway after a four-year hiatus. He led 47 laps in his Chevy for his second victory this season, winning by 0.146 seconds over Riley Herbst (Ford) with Corey Heim (Toyota) third.

Fast facts: Chandler Smith started sixth and won the first two stages in a Toyota before finishing eighth. He jumped a spot to second in the standings and trails Cole Custer by a point. ... The top 10 featured four Chevys, followed by Ford and Toyota with three each. ... Shane Van Gisbergen wrecked in stage 2 to finish 34th after consecutive victories. ... Toyota has won seven of the past eight at New Hampshire, with Chevy the only other winner in 2022.

Next race: June 29, Nashville, Tennessee.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR TRUCK SERIES

Last race: Corey Heim gained the lead on lap 134 at Madison, Illinois, beat pole-winner Ty Majeski on a restart on lap 138 and won for the fourth time this season, all in the last eight races.

Next race: June 28, Nashville, Tennessee.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

FORMULA ONE

Spanish Grand Prix

Site: Montmelo, Spain.

Schedule: Friday practice, 7:30 a.m., 11 a.m.; Saturday practice, 6:30 a.m., qualifying, 10 a.m.; Sunday race, 9 a.m. (ESPN).

Track: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Race distance: 66 laps, 190.907 miles (307.236 km).

Last year: Max Verstappen wasn't challenged from the pole on the way to his fifth win of the season. Verstappen also earned a bonus point for the fastest lap. Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were second and third, respectively.

Last race: Verstappen won his third consecutive Canadian Grand Prix, beating McLaren’s Lando Norris by 3.879 seconds for his sixth victory in nine races this season.

Fast facts: Verstappen has won 50 of the past 75 F1 races and ranks third in career wins behind Hamilton (103) and seven-time champion Michael Schumacher (91). He leads Ferrari's Charles Leclerc by 56 points.

Next race: June 30, Spielberg, Austria.

Online: http://www.formula1.com

INDYCAR

Grand Prix of Monterey

Site: Monterey, California.

Schedule: Friday practice, 5 p.m.; Saturday practice, 1 p.m., qualifying, 5:15 p.m.; Sunday race, 6 p.m. (USA).

Track: Raceway Laguna Seca.

Race distance: 95 laps, 212.61 miles.

Last year: Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon beat Team Penske's Scott McLaughlin by 7.318 seconds to win the former season finale. Dixon led 20 laps for his third victory over the final four races.

Last race: Will Power won at Road America at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, to end a 34-race drought stretching just over two years and move atop the standings.

Fast facts: Nolan Siegel, 19, will debut for Arrow McLaren in the No. 6 Chevrolet after signing a deal on Wednesday. He joins Pato O'Ward and Alexander Rossi and is coming off an LMP2 class team victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. ... The race now marks the series' midway point.

Next race: July 7, Lexington, Ohio.

Online: http://www.indycar.com

NHRA DRAG RACING

Virginia Nationals

Site: Dinwiddie, Virginia.

Track: Virginia Motorsports Park.

Last event: Tony Schumacher won in Top Fuel and Austin Prock won in Funny Car at Bristol, Tennessee.

Fast facts: The event returns after a one-year absence.

Next event: June 27-30, Norwalk, Ohio.

Online: http://www.nhra.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS

Last events: David Gravel and Corey Day won events last weekend at Knoxville, Iowa.