AUTO RACING roundup

Richard Petty returns to track after wife’s death

RICHmond, va.

The King is back.

Richard Petty returned to the race track on Friday for the first time since the death of his wife. Lynda Petty, the seven-time NASCAR champion’s partner of 57 years, died of cancer on March 25.

Petty said he needed some time on his own and skipped races at Martinsville, Texas and Darlington before a large family Easter celebration at home last weekend.

“I am back in the saddle again now,” the Hall of Famer said Friday at Richmond International Raceway. “I am just learning to live all over again.”

This week, he joined the team for appearances in Georgia on Monday, Tennessee on Tuesday and Wyoming on Wednesday before getting to Richmond on Thursday.

“The busier they keep me, the better off I will be,” Petty said.

And the happier his team, too.

“To have him back and have him back on top of the trailer and in the garage with us will be big,” said Aric Almirola, who drives the No. 43 car that Petty made famous in winning 200 career races. “It is big for me as a driver but really for our entire race team, to have his presence back, is going to be huge.”

Early Friday, Petty and Richard Petty Motorsports driver Marcos Ambrose unveiled a new paint scheme for Saturday night’s race highlighting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals on his No. 9 Ford.

If Ambrose wins Saturday night’s race, his sponsor Stanley will donate $1 million to CMN. If he finishes second, it will donate $500,000 and $250,000 for third.

Bowyer returns to site of controversial incident

RICHMOND, VA.

Clint Bowyer sounds happy to be back at Richmond International Raceway.

NASCAR’s last visit here in September 2013 threatened Bowyer’s popularity with the fans when he spun intentionally with seven laps to go, causing a jumble in the race standings — and in NASCAR’s playoffs.

Bowyer went from second in the standings heading into the Chase for the Sprint Cup to admittedly being distracted by a NASCAR investigation that led to fines and suspensions against Michael Waltrip Racing.

By the time the Chase was two races old, Bowyer was essentially out of contention.

“The fan base, Twitter and things like that — I took a beating for a while, but we weathered the storm, it’s behind us and it’s a lot of fun to interact with those fans whether it’s good or bad,” he said Friday. “It’s all positive interaction as far as I’m concerned because they are talking about our sport.”

Bowyer, who got married during the week off for Easter, would like to leave them talking again Saturday night for another reason: his third career victory at a favored track.

“Looking back over the years, you always have a track that fits your driving style and your confidence level is more for some reason, and this has always been the case for me,” he said before practice.

“I’m looking forward to having another good run here and shaking that off from last year.”

Winless through eight races, and with only two top-10 finishes, Bowyer is 16th in points and eager to get that victory most drivers think will be a free pass into the 16-driver Chase format this year.

Larson wins pole after qualifying is rained out

RICHMOND, VA.

Kyle Larson still wants to earn a pole position on his own, but he’s not complaining about being handed his first one.

The rookie will start in the top spot Saturday night in the NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway after a thunderstorm washed out qualifying.

“I’m still happy,” he said Friday. “But yeah it would be nice to get a legit pole. I don’t know if we would have gotten it had it not rained.”

Actually, he probably wouldn’t have.

The field was set based on the fastest laps run in the first practice, and Larson had his best run his the third of his 70 laps around the 0.75-mile oval. His top lap of 126.880 mph easily beat runner-up Brad Keselowski, whose best came at 126.192 mph, and No. 3 starter Clint Bowyer (125.900 mph).

The top starting spot comes in just the 13th Sprint Cup Series race for Larson, including eight this season.

Associated Press