AUTO RACING: Byron gives Hendrick more to celebrate in Martinsville. Verstappen gets another F1 win

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William Byron celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, April 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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William Byron, center, celebrates with crew members in Victory Lane after receiving the trophy for winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, April 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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William Byron (24) leads Alex Bowman (48) out of Turn 4 during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, April 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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Third place Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz of Spain sprays champagne Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, left, on the podium after the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Sunday, April 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

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Max Verstappen de Red Bull (centro), luego de ganar el Gran Premio de Japón, recibe un baño de champaña de parte de Sergio Pérez (izquierda) de Red Bull y Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), el domingo 7 de abril de 2024. (AP Foto/Hiro Komae)

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

All Times Eastern

NASCAR CUP SERIES

AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400

Site: Fort Worth, Texas.

Schedule: Saturday, practice, 10:30 a.m., and qualifying, 11:20 a.m.; Sunday, race, 3:30 p.m. (FS1).

Track: Texas Motor Speedway.

Race distance: 267 laps, 400.5 miles.

Last year: William Byron won after starting 18th in late September.

Last race: Byron held onto the lead during a two-lap dash to the finish and led a 1-2-3 finish for Hendrick Motorsports at Martinsville, the first for a team in the track’s storied history.

Fast facts: The victory was Byron’s third in eight races. ... Kyle Larson finished second and Chase Elliott was third on the 40th anniversary of the team’s first win. ... Larson also took over the points lead by 14 over former leader Martin Truex Jr. ... Despite his three victories, Byron is fourth in points, 48 behind Larson. ... There were 13 lead changes among eight drivers. ... The victory was the 29th for Hendrick on the 0.526-mile oval, the most for any organization at any track.

Next race: April 21, Talladega, Alabama.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

Andy’s Frozen Custard 300

Site: Fort Worth, Texas.

Tyler Reddick celebrates his win at a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Talladega Superspeedway, Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Talladega. Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

AUTO RACING: Reddick steals one at Talladega and Verstappen and Dixon get open-wheel wins

Chase Elliott celebra su victoria en la Copa NASCAR en el Texas Motor Speedway, en Fort Worth, Texas, el domingo 14 de abril de 2024. (AP Foto/Randy Holt)

AUTO RACING: Hendrick continues to dominate as Elliott ends winless drought; open-wheelers return

In this photo provided by the NHRA, Funny Car driver John Force wins the rain-delayed Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals drag race finals on Saturday, April 6, 2024, Chandler, Ariz. (Gary Nastase/NHRA via AP)

74-year-old John Force races to record 156th NHRA victory and 1st in 2 years

Schedule: Friday, practice, 6 p.m., and qualifying, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, race, 1:30 p.m. (FS1).

Track: Texas Motor Speedway.

Race distance: 200 laps, 300 miles.

Last year: John Hunter Nemechek won after starting 11th in late September.

Last race: Aric Almirola grabbed the lead by going three-wide on the outside in a two-lap overtime dash to the finish and won at Martinsville.

Fast facts: Almirola led six times for 148 laps in his fifth career victory in the series. He also won $100,000 as the top finisher among four drivers eligible for the Dash for Cash. ... Chandler Smith finished third and expanded his points lead to 35 over Austin Hill. Smith is the only driver to have finished in the top 10 in all seven races. ... Carson Kvapil finished fourth in his series debut. ... The race featured 15 lead changes, eight different leaders and 11 cautions.

Next race: April 20, Talladega, Alabama.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR TRUCK SERIES

SpeedyCash.com 250

Site: Fort Worth, Texas.

Schedule: Friday, practice, 4:05 p.m., qualifying, 4:35 p.m., and race, 8:30 p.m. (FS1).

Track: Texas Motor Speedway.

Race distance: 167 laps. 250.5 miles.

Last year: Carson Hocevar won after starting fifth.

Last race: Christian Eckes rallied from 19th and outran pole-winner Ty Majeski at Martinsville.

Fast facts: Eckes led the first 104 laps then regained the lead on the 172nd of 200 laps. ... The victory was the second for Eckes this season. He also won on another short track at Bristol. ... Majeski assumed the points lead by seven over Corey Heim and Tyler Ankrum.

Next race: May 4, Kansas City, Kansas.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

FORMULA ONE

Last race: Max Verstappen won for the third time in four races this season. The win in Japan was also his 22nd in the last 26 races.

Next race: April 21, Shanghai, China.

Online: http://www.formula1.com

INDYCAR

Last race: Two-time and reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou won the Thermal $1 Million Challenge, leading all 20 laps of IndyCar’s first non-points race since 2008.

Next race: April 21, Long Beach, California.

Online: http://www.indycar.com

NHRA DRAG RACING

Last event: Shawn Langdon won in Top Fuel and Austin Prock won in Funny Car in Arizona.

Next event: April 14, Las Vegas.

Online: http://www.nhra.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS

Next events: April 12 & 13, Pevely, Missouri.

Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars

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