Monday, April 24, 2017
NASCAR
BRISTOL, TENN.
NASCAR postponed the Monster Energy Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway because of heavy rain that was not expected to let up on Sunday. The race was pushed until today at 1 p.m. Weather has been a problem all weekend at Bristol, where Friday qualifications were washed out. On Saturday, the Xfinity Series race had a lengthy stoppage for rain. Cup points leader Kyle Larson will start on the pole next to Chase Elliott.
INDYCAR
BIRMINGHAM, ALA.
Josef Newgarden kept Team Penske on top at Barber Motorsports Park with his second Alabama win in three years. The new Penske driver didn’t allow Scott Dixon an opening over the final stretch to give Chevrolet its first win of the season Sunday in the Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. Newgarden was overshadowed by his own teammates coming into the race. Pole sitter Will Power, Helio Castroneves and defending champion Simon Pagenaud were the top three qualifiers after small Honda teams won the first two races. Pagenaud was third and Castroneves fourth.
NHRA
BAYTOWN, TEXAS
Leah Pritchett powered her dragster to her fourth career Top Fuel victory Sunday at the 30th annual NHRA SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway. Pritchett used a 3.781-second pass at 321.96 mph to defeat Steve Torrence, who ran a 3.787 at 322.11, and win for the third time this season. Pritchett also leads the Top Fuel points standings with 494, ahead of Antron Brown (440) and Tony Schumacher (438). Ron Capps, the defending Funny Car champion, won for the first time this season when he outran Robert Hight with a 4.004 pass at 284.33 in his Dodge Charger R/T. Bo Butner earned his first career Pro Stock win, racing his Chevy Camaro to a 6.550 pass at 212.26 to defeat the No. 1 qualifier, Jeg Coughlin Jr.
Associated Press