AUTO RACING: NASCAR’s short track swing wraps up at Richmond

All Times Eastern

NASCAR CUP SERIES

Toyota Owners 400

Site: Richmond, Virginia

Schedule: Sunday, race, 3 p.m.

Track: Richmond Raceway

Race distance: 400 laps, 300 miles

Last year: The spring race was canceled because of the pandemic and Brad Keselowski won after starting ninth in the fall.

Last race: Martin Truex Jr. passed teammate Denny Hamlin with 15 laps to go at Martinsville and became the first repeat winner in the series this year.

Fast facts: Consistent but winless Hamlin remains the points leader, 76 over Truex thanks to seven top-five finishes in eight races. Joey Logano is third, 77 points behind, followed by Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney. … Truex won both races on the 0.75-mile oval in 2019. … Keselowski dropped from fifth to ninth in the points race after he got caught up in a 14-car pileup that ended his day early at Martinsville. … Hamlin led 276 laps at Martinsville and leads all drivers with 487 through eight races. … Kyle Busch leads active drivers with six wins at Richmond.

Next race: April 25, Talladega, Alabama.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

Last race: Josh Berry won for the first time in his 13th career starts spread out over eight years, beating JR Motorsports teammate Noah Gragson by 0.590 seconds at Martinsville.

Next race: April 24, Talladega, Alabama.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR TRUCK SERIES

ToyotaCare 250

Site: Richmond, Virginia

Schedule: Saturday, race, 1:30 p.m.

Track: Richmond Raceway

Race distance: 250 laps, 187.5 miles

Last year: The series tried to return after a 14-year absence last spring, but the race was moved to the fall because of the pandemic and Grant Enfinger won after starting fifth.

Last race: Martin Truex Jr. led 105 of 150 laps in his first start in the series since 2006 and won on the dirt at Bristol, his first series victory in just his third start.

Fast facts: John Hunter Nemechek, who drives for Kyle Busch, is the series points leader with four top 10 finishes in five races. … Ben Rhodes, the winner of the season’s first two events, is just six points back and 2020 champion Sheldon Creed is next with three-time series champion Matt Crafton fourth. … Enfinger’s victory last year was one of four for him in the season, second to Creed in the series. … Toyotas have won all five races so far.

Next race: May 1, Kansas City, Kansas.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

FORMULA ONE

Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Site: Imola, Italy

Schedule: Friday, practice, 5 a.m., 8:30 a.m.; Saturday, practice, 5 a.m., and qualifying, 8 a.m.; Sunday, race, 9 a.m.

Track: Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari.

Race distance: 63 laps, 192 miles.

Last year: Lewis Hamilton won in November after starting second.

Last race: Seven-time and defending series champion Lewis Hamilton held off Max Verstappen in the season opener at Bahrain.

Fast facts: Hamilton has won the last four championships and six of the last seven. His victory in the season opener was his 13th in the last 19 races. … Nico Rosberg, also driving for Mercedes, provided the only interruption to Hamilton’s championship streak in 2016, edging Hamilton for the title by just five points. … Hamilton has won 11 races in each of the last three seasons.

Next race: May 2, Portimao, Portugal.

Online: http://www.formula1.com

INDYCAR

Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama

Site: Birmingham, Alabama.

Schedule: Saturday, practice, 11 a.m. and 2:40 p.m., and qualifying, 5:55 p.m.; Sunday, race, 3:30 p.m.

Track: Barber Motorsports Park

Race distance: 90 laps, 214.2 miles.

Last year: Race was not held because of the pandemic.

Last race: Scott Dixon clinched his sixth series championship, holding off Josef Newgarden despite Newgarden’s fourth victory of the season, tied with Dixon for the series lead.

Fast facts: Jimmie Johnson, 45, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and winner of 83 races on NASCAR’s premier circuit, makes his debut as a rookie in the IndyCar Series debut race.

Next race: April 25, St. Petersburg, Florida.

Online: http://www.indycar.com

NHRA DRAG RACING

Last event: Josh Hart won Top Fuel and J.R. Todd in Funny Car at the Gatornationals.

Next event: April 18, Las Vegas.

Online: http://www.nhra.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS

Next event: April 16, Lawton, Oklaoma. April 17, Mesquite, Texas.

Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars

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