AUTO RACING: Chevy continues to dominate in NASCAR, and Verstappen wins F1 season-opener
All Times Eastern
NASCAR CUP SERIES
Shriners Children's 500
Site: Avondale, Arizona.
Schedule: Friday, practice, 5:05 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 2:10 p.m.; Sunday, race, 3:30 p.m. (FOX).
Track: Phoenix Raceway.
Race distance: 312 laps, 312 miles.
Last year: William Byron won after starting third.
Last race: Kyle Larson swept all three stages and won at Las Vegas.
Fast facts: Larson's victory was the third straight for Chevrolet to start the season and the second for Hendrick Motorsports. ... It also was Larson's second in a row at Las Vegas and the third win of his career there. ... Tyler Reddick was second, followed by Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain and Ty Gibbs. ... Chastain won the season finale at Phoenix last season, while Blaney won his first series championship.
Next race: March 17, Bristol, Tennessee.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES
Call 811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200
Site: Avondale, Arizona.
Schedule: Saturday, practice, 12:30 p.m., qualifying, 1 p.m. and race, 4:30 p.m. (FS1).
Track: Phoenix Raceway.
Race distance: 200 laps, 200 miles.
Last year: Sammy Smith won after starting 11th.
Last race: John Hunter Nemechek beat pole-sitter Cole Custer by 4.3 seconds at Las Vegas.
Fast facts: Nemechek led five times for a race-high 99 laps for his 10th win in the series. ... His victory in a Toyota is the lone non-Chevrolet win in the three national series thus far through nine races. ... Custer was second, followed by Chandler Smith — who led 74 laps — and Austin Hill. ... Hill and Smith have finished in the top five in all three races this year.
Next race: March 23, Austin, Texas.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR TRUCK SERIES
Last race: Rajah Caruth became the third Black driver to win in one of NASCAR's three national series, winning after starting on the pole at Las Vegas.
Next race: March 16, Bristol, Tennessee.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
FORMULA ONE
Saudi Arabia Grand Prix
Site: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Schedule: Friday, practice, 8:30 a.m. and noon; Saturday, practice, 8:30 a.m. and qualifying, noon; Sunday, race, noon (ESPN).
Track: Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
Race distance: 50 laps, 191.662 miles.
Last year: Sergio Perez won after starting from the pole position.
Last race: Three-time defending series champion Max Verstappen won from the pole position.
Fast facts: Verstappen set an F1 record with 10 consecutive wins last season, when he won 19 of 22 races, and has won the last eight F1 races. ... Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez finished second.
Next race: March 24, Melbourne, Australia.
Online: http://www.formula1.com
INDYCAR
Firestone Grand Prix
Site: St. Petersburg, Florida.
Schedule: Friday, practice, 2:45 p.m.; Saturday, practice, 9:35 a.m., and qualifying, 2 p.m.-3 p.m.; Sunday, race, 12:15 (NBC).
Track: St. Petersburg road course.
Race distance: 100 laps, 180 miles.
Last year: Marcus Ericsson won after starting fourth.
Last race: Scott Dixon won last year’s season finale at Laguna Seca, his third win of the season, all in the last four races. The six-time champion gave Chip Ganassi Racing a 1-2 finish in the standings.
Fast facts: Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing last year became the first driver in 18 years to clinch the title before the final race of the season. It was his second championship in three years.
Next race: March 24, Thermal, California.
Online: http://www.indycar.com
NHRA DRAG RACING
Next event: March 7-10, Gainesville, Florida.
Online: http://www.nhra.com
WORLD OF OUTLAWS
Next events: March 8 and 9, Kennedale, Texas.
Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars
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