RACING roundup

Xfinity Food City 300

Kyle Busch completes sweep at Bristol

BRISTOL, TENN.

It’s Bristol Motor Speedway and Kyle Busch practically owns the place. Busch swept the weekend for the second time in his career by winning the Monster Energy Cup Series race Saturday night. He also won in the Truck Series on Wednesday night and the Xfintiy Series on Friday night. He’s the only driver to pull of the sweep, and he also did it in 2010. Busch toyed with the crowd, which had equal cheers and boos, by cupping his ear to the fans who disapproved of the win. “So proud of Rowdy Nation. This one’s for you!” he shouted.

And the haters? “I don’t care. All noise is good noise,” he said. He then collected a broom from an onlooker to commemorate the sweep. Busch admitted this win was the most difficult of the week because of the race he had with rookie Erik Jones, his protege, future teammate and fellow Toyota driver. Jones led the most laps and the rookie believes he needs a victory to lock up his spot in the playoffs. “Erik Jones put up a whale of a fight,” said Busch. “I was running with my tongue hanging out, my arms were Jell-O and my throat hurts.” Busch won for the 40th time in the Cup Series, sixth time at Bristol in Cup, and second time this season. All told, he’s won 20 times across NASCAR’s national series at the Tennessee bullring. Jones settled for second, one spot short of his first career victory. Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth were third and fourth as Joe Gibbs Racing took the win and two other spots inside the top four, while all four drivers were in Toyotas. Busch passed Jones for the lead with 55 laps remaining as the track changed and the top lane became the preferable spot. Jones’ car didn’t handle as well in that area, and he had Busch and Kenseth all over his bumper. It was Busch who moved from third to first, but Jones didn’t relent.

INDYCAR QUALIFIERS

Takuma Sato wins Pocono Pole

LONG POND, PA.

Indianapolis 500 champion Takuma Sato posted an average of 219.639 mph on Saturday to win the pole for the IndyCar race at Pocono Raceway.

Sato was the last driver to take his qualifying laps and went out moments after Andretti Autosport teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay was involved in a high-impact crash. Hunter-Reay needed assistance out of his car, limped to an ambulance and was transported to a hospital.

Hunter-Reay appeared to lose control of the No. 28 Honda and the left side slammed the protective soft wall. The car shot down the track and hit the inside wall.

Helio Castroneves also was involved in a violent wreck. Castroneves is the series points leader and holds a seven-point lead over Josef Newgarden with just four races left this season.

Newgarden has won the last two IndyCar races.

Simon Pagenaud joins Sato on the front row. Charlie Kimball and Tony Kanaan are on the second row.

NHRA NATIONALS QUALIFYING

Leah Pritchett has record run

BRAINERD, MINN.

Leah Pritchett’s NHRA-record pass help up Saturday at Brainerd International Speedway in Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals qualifying. Pritchett took the No. 1 spot in Top Fuel with her Friday night run of 3.640 seconds at 330.63 mph, the quickest pass in NHRA history. She broke her own Top Fuel record of 3.658 set in Arizona in February. Robert Hight broke the Funny Car time record Friday with a 3.793 at 338.00 in a Chevrolet Camaro SS, and that also stood as the top mark Saturday. He set the speed record of 339.87 last month at Sonoma. Tanner Gray topped the Pro Stock field, and Hector Arana Jr. was the fastest in Pro Stock Motorcycle, also both with their Friday runs. Gray had a 6.607 at 208.617 in a Chevrolet Camaro, and Arana had a 6.879 at 194.24 on a Buell.

Staff/wire reports