NASCAR
- Kyle Busch won the 67th Annual STP 500, his 35th victory in 396 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. This is his first victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2016. With the win, Busch is virtually guaranteed a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. This is his first victory and 11th top-10 finish in 22 races at Martinsville Speedway. His previous best finish was second, in 2012.
- Busch, who won Saturday's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, completed the first NASCAR national series weekend sweep at Martinsville.
- Busch led 352 laps, the most at Martinsville since Bobby Hamilton led 378 on April 20, 1998.
- AJ Allmendinger (second) posted his fourth top-10 finish and second runner-up finish in 16 races at Martinsville Speedway. It is his second top-10 finish in 2016.
- Kyle Larson (third) posted his first top-10 finish in five races at Martinsville Speedway.
- Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 4 points over Jimmie Johnson.
Busch brothers tied for 3rd with most wins: with #18-Kyle Busch's 35th career Sprint Cup Series win, he and his brother Kurt, who has 27 Sprint Cup Series wins, now have 62 combined wins. This ties them with the three Flock brothers Tim (39 wins), Fonty (19) Bob (4) with 62 wins, 3rd best overall. Darrell (84 wins) and Michael Waltrip are 2nd with 88 wins. The Allison brothers, Bobby (84) and Donnie (10) hold the record with 94 overall wins by brothers. See the full list and some other brother records on the All-Time Sprint Cup Series Winners page.(4-4-2016)
Hawg Heaven BBQ Melt available at Texas: Texas Motor Speedway and Levy Restaurants are making it easy for race fans to enjoy an entire barbeque meal, including those delicious comfort food sides, with just their hands. The Hawg Heaven BBQ Melt is the next generation of the highly successful, bacon-infused Hawg Heaven line and is sure to entice Texas BBQ lovers to check out the latest creation by Levy Restaurants Executive Chef Lincoln Engstrom. This oversized sandwich features: Texas BBQ pulled pork braised in Texas Motor Speedway's recently released No Limits Checkered Past craft beer produced by the Audacity Brew House in Denton, Texas, Creamy bacon jalapeño mac & cheese, Texas 1015 sweet onions, and Fried spicy pickle chips. All of those ingredients are wedged between two slices of griddled jalapeño cornbread and garnished with a bacon-wrapped jalapeño. The Hawg Heaven BBQ Melt, which will sell for $12, makes its debut at next weekend's Duck Commander 500 NASCAR doubleheader weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. The item will only be available at the concession stand on the concourse inside the Gate 4 main grandstand entrance.(TMS)(4-2-2016)
NEXT RACE: This Saturday night at Texas Motor Speedway; TV on FOX at 4:30 p.m. PT
INDYCAR
Dixon wins at Phoenix to tie Al Unser for fourth on all-time list
Reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon won the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix in the series' return to Phoenix International Raceway following an 11-year absence. It is the 39th career win for the New Zealander, tying him with four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser for fourth on the all-time Indy car victories list.
It also gives Dixon, a four-time series champ, a race win in 12 consecutive seasons to set a record all his own. The 35-year-old was previously tied with wins in 11 straight seasons with Bobby Unser, Emerson Fittipaldi and Helio Castroneves.
Simon Pagenaud, in the No, 22 DeVilbiss Team Penske Chevrolet, finished second for the second consecutive race and took the lead in the Verizon IndyCar Series points standings for the first time in his career. Pagenaud has 83 points and leads Dixon by four. Will Power, who missed the season opener three weeks ago at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg with an inner ear infection, finished third in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet.
Tony Kanaan finished fourth in the No. 10 GE LED Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. Graham Rahal was the top-finishing Honda driver, placing fifth in the No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. The highest-finishing rookie was Max Chilton, who was seventh in his first Verizon IndyCar Series race on an oval in the No. 8 Gallagher Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet.
NEXT RACE: Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 15-17; TV on NBCSN
NHRA
Defending Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown raced to his first victory of the season Sunday at the DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals. Alexis DeJoria (Funny Car) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) also were winners in their categories at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the fourth of 24 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing events.
Brown powered his Matco Tools dragster to a 3.843 second pass at 314.60 mph to defeat first-time finalist Troy Buff, who drove his Bill Miller Engineering dragster to a 3.918 at 307.58 in the runner-up effort. With the win, Brown moves to second in the Top Fuel points standings, trailing leader Brittany Force. Force lost to Buff in round two.
It is the first time in NHRA history where three women have raced to wins in nitro categories in consecutive events. DeJoria's Funny Car win follows Top Fuel wins in Phoenix and Gainesville by Leah Pritchett and Brittany Force at the last two events.
- John Force joined Twitter! Looking for a new follow on Twitter? Check out 14-time himself @JohnForce_FC.
NEXT RACE: NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, April 22-24.
AT SONOMA RACEWAY
- NO Wednesday Night Drags/Sonoma Drift this week; returns Wednesday, April 13.
- Ferrari Challenge this weekend, April 8-20. Details here: http://www.racesonoma.com/schedule/complete_schedule/ferrari_challenge/
- NHRA Tour de Charity Karting Event THIS Saturday. Few seats still available! http://sonoma.speedwaycharities.org/events/14th_annual_tour_de_karting/