AUTO RACING: Historic start and a surprise winner for NASCAR
All Times Eastern
NASCAR CUP SERIES
Pala Casino 400
Site: Fontana, California.
Schedule: Saturday, practice, 2:05 p.m., and qualifying, 2:50 p.m.; Sunday, race, 3:30 p.m. (FOX).
Track: Auto Club Speedway.
Race distance: 200 laps, 400 miles.
Last year: Austin Cindric won after starting fifth.
Last race: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the longest Daytona 500 in history in the second overtime and under caution after a race-ending crash.
Fast facts: Stenhouse’s third career victory came at the same track as his last one, the summer race in 2017. … Reigning series champion Joey Logano finished second, followed by Christopher Bell. … Pole-sitter Alex Bowman finished fifth, the first time the pole winner has finished in the top five since Bill Elliott in 2001. … Kyle Busch led with three laps to go in search of his first Daytona 500 win in 18 tries, but a spin brought out a caution that sent the race to overtime. … Brad Keselowski led a race-high 42 laps but finished 22nd. He’s 0 for 14 in the 500.
Next race: March 5, Las Vegas.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES
Production Alliance Group 300
Site: Fontana, California.
Schedule: Saturday, practice, 12:05 p.m., qualifying, 12:35 p.m., and race, 5 p.m. (FS1).
Track: Auto Club Speedway.
Race distance: 150 laps, 300 miles.
Last year: Austin Hill won after starting second.
Last race: Hill was declared the race winner in overtime after Sam Mayer crashed, bringing out a final lap caution.
Fast facts: Hill led a race-high 38 laps and was trying to hold off a challenge from John Hunter Nemechek when the caution flag flew, necessitating a video review to determine positioning. … It was contact with Hill that sent Mayer’s car onto its roof. … Mayer was treated and released from the infield care center. … Justin Allgaier finished third, rookie Parker Retzlaff was fourth and Myatt Snider was fifth.
Next race: March 4, Las Vegas.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR TRUCK SERIES
Last race: Defending series champion Zane Smith took the lead on Lap 65 and was declared the race winner 14 laps later when a fifth rain shower caused NASCAR to abandon track drying efforts at Daytona.
Next race: March 3, Las Vegas.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
FORMULA ONE
Last race: Max Verstappen, who had already clinched his second straight series championship, won for the 15th time of the season at Abu Dhabi to finish one of the most dominant seasons in series history.
Next race: March 5, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain.
Online: http://www.formula1.com
INDYCAR
Last race: Alex Palou won at Laguna Seca and Will Power finished third in the season finale to beat Team Penske teammate Josef Newgarden for the season championship by 16 points. It was the second title for Power, who also won in 2014, and the 17th for the Penske organization.
Next race: March 5, St. Petersburg, Florida.
Online: http://www.indycar.com
NHRA DRAG RACING
Next event: March 9-12, Gainesville, Florida.
Online: http://www.nhra.com
WORLD OF OUTLAWS
Next events: March 5-6, Barberville, Florida.
Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
