AUTO RACING: Byron gives Hendrick more to celebrate in Martinsville. Verstappen gets another F1 win
All Times Eastern
NASCAR CUP SERIES
AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400
Site: Fort Worth, Texas.
Schedule: Saturday, practice, 10:30 a.m., and qualifying, 11:20 a.m.; Sunday, race, 3:30 p.m. (FS1).
Track: Texas Motor Speedway.
Race distance: 267 laps, 400.5 miles.
Last year: William Byron won after starting 18th in late September.
Last race: Byron held onto the lead during a two-lap dash to the finish and led a 1-2-3 finish for Hendrick Motorsports at Martinsville, the first for a team in the track's storied history.
Fast facts: The victory was Byron's third in eight races. ... Kyle Larson finished second and Chase Elliott was third on the 40th anniversary of the team's first win. ... Larson also took over the points lead by 14 over former leader Martin Truex Jr. ... Despite his three victories, Byron is fourth in points, 48 behind Larson. ... There were 13 lead changes among eight drivers. ... The victory was the 29th for Hendrick on the 0.526-mile oval, the most for any organization at any track.
Next race: April 21, Talladega, Alabama.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES
Andy's Frozen Custard 300
Site: Fort Worth, Texas.
Schedule: Friday, practice, 6 p.m., and qualifying, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, race, 1:30 p.m. (FS1).
Track: Texas Motor Speedway.
Race distance: 200 laps, 300 miles.
Last year: John Hunter Nemechek won after starting 11th in late September.
Last race: Aric Almirola grabbed the lead by going three-wide on the outside in a two-lap overtime dash to the finish and won at Martinsville.
Fast facts: Almirola led six times for 148 laps in his fifth career victory in the series. He also won $100,000 as the top finisher among four drivers eligible for the Dash for Cash. ... Chandler Smith finished third and expanded his points lead to 35 over Austin Hill. Smith is the only driver to have finished in the top 10 in all seven races. ... Carson Kvapil finished fourth in his series debut. ... The race featured 15 lead changes, eight different leaders and 11 cautions.
Next race: April 20, Talladega, Alabama.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR TRUCK SERIES
SpeedyCash.com 250
Site: Fort Worth, Texas.
Schedule: Friday, practice, 4:05 p.m., qualifying, 4:35 p.m., and race, 8:30 p.m. (FS1).
Track: Texas Motor Speedway.
Race distance: 167 laps. 250.5 miles.
Last year: Carson Hocevar won after starting fifth.
Last race: Christian Eckes rallied from 19th and outran pole-winner Ty Majeski at Martinsville.
Fast facts: Eckes led the first 104 laps then regained the lead on the 172nd of 200 laps. ... The victory was the second for Eckes this season. He also won on another short track at Bristol. ... Majeski assumed the points lead by seven over Corey Heim and Tyler Ankrum.
Next race: May 4, Kansas City, Kansas.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
FORMULA ONE
Last race: Max Verstappen won for the third time in four races this season. The win in Japan was also his 22nd in the last 26 races.
Next race: April 21, Shanghai, China.
Online: http://www.formula1.com
INDYCAR
Last race: Two-time and reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou won the Thermal $1 Million Challenge, leading all 20 laps of IndyCar’s first non-points race since 2008.
Next race: April 21, Long Beach, California.
Online: http://www.indycar.com
NHRA DRAG RACING
Last event: Shawn Langdon won in Top Fuel and Austin Prock won in Funny Car in Arizona.
Next event: April 14, Las Vegas.
Online: http://www.nhra.com
WORLD OF OUTLAWS
Next events: April 12 & 13, Pevely, Missouri.
Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars
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