ON THE TRACKS This weekend’s auto racing events

NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Rain causes two delays in race at Bristol Motor Speedway

BRISTOL, TENN.

The Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway never really got going before it was stopped a second time because of more heavy rain.

The 8 p.m. start was delayed more than an hour, then the race was red-flagged for nearly 90 minutes after 38 laps. But the track had dried and racers returned to their cars to slowly circle the track under caution for 10 more laps when it was halted a second time.

Kyle Busch is the race leader with Chase Elliott in second, Ryan Blaney third, Denny Hamlin fourth and Matt Kenseth fifth. Pole-sitter Carl Edwards had fallen to seventh when the race was stopped a first time.

More rain was forecast for the Bristol area throughout the night.

DRAG RACING

Brown, Capps sweep rainy NHRA Northwest Nationals

BRAINERD, MINN.

Antron Brown and Ron Capps gave Don Schumacher Racing a sweep of the rain-delayed final rounds of the NHRA Northwest Nationals on Saturday at Brainerd International Raceway.

The Top Fuel and Funny Car finals were moved to Minnesota after they were washed out two weeks at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington. They were run during the third round of qualifying in the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.

Brown had a 3.747-second pass at 320.13 mph in his Top Fuel dragster to beat Steve Torrence. Brown has four victories this year and leads the season standings.

In Funny Car, Capps had a 4.014 at 322.42 in a Dodge Charger R/T to outlast Del Worsham for his milestone 50th career victory and fifth of the season. He also leads the standings.

The Pro Stock final between Vincent Nobile and Aaron Strong will be run in two weeks in Indiana because Strong skipped the regular Brainerd competition.

INDYCAR

Russian Aleshin captures first pole at Pocono Raceway

LONG POND, PA.

Mikhail Aleshin has won the IndyCar pole at Pocono Raceway.

Aleshin, fastest in morning practice on the tricky 2.5-mile triangular track, turned a fast lap of 220.454 mph in his No. 7 Honda to edge Josef Newgarden for the top spot Saturday. It’s the first career pole for the Russian, who drives for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.

Takuma Sato was third, his best start of the season, followed by Helio Castroneves, Carlos Munoz, Aleshin’s teammate James Hinchcliffe, Alexander Rossi, Will Power, Tony Kanaan and Ed Carpenter.

Points leader Simon Pagenaud qualified 14th in windy conditions. Defending race winner Ryan Hunter-Reay crashed in morning practice and did not qualify. Pocono Raceway painted “JW” on the track at the finish line and Union Jacks flew at half-staff in honor of Englishman Justin Wilson, who died a year ago after being struck by debris in the closing laps of the IndyCar race here.

Associated Press