MARTIN TRUEX JR.

Before he headed onto the track for the biggest race of his career, Kyle Larson heard Mario Andretti praise him as one of the most well-rounded drivers in all of motorsports.

NASCAR Phoenix Auto Racing Kyle Larson is introduced to the fans before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race on Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) (Rick Scuteri)AVONDALE, Ariz. — (AP) — Kyle Larson won. That was the expected result of NASCAR's season-ending championship race, right? Larson closed his comeback season in NASCAR with his first championship Sunday, where he capped his return from a nearly yearlong suspension with a title-winning victory at Phoenix Raceway. It was Rick Hendrick who decided to give him another chance and he hired Larson once NASCAR lifted his suspension. Larson watched last year's championship race from the competition compound on the Hendrick Mototsports' campus in North Carolina.

Kyle Larson closed out his comeback season in NASCAR with his first national title.

Phoenix Raceway will finally get to host championship weekend in front of a packed house.

Always a threat on the track, Truex is the most unassuming championship contender in Cup. But last season, Truex stumbled in the first season he was paired with crew chief James Small. He has 28 of his 31 career wins since 2016 and is a perennial championship contender. JGR teammate Hamlin has two wins and time is running short for the veteran to win his first Cup championship. With a win, Truex would join Kyle Busch as the only active drivers with two championships.

Martin Truex Jr. is racing for his second career NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Alex Bowman spun Denny Hamlin from the lead with six laps remaining at Martinsville Speedway and then went on to win his fourth race of the season.

The NASCAR championship will pit Rick Hendrick against Joe Gibbs as both team owners put a pair of drivers in the final four.

Alex Bowman spun Denny Hamlin out of the lead at Martinsville Speedway and then won in overtime as the field for NASCAR's championship race was set Sunday.

Brad Keselowski is in the final two races of his NASCAR career with Team Penske and would love nothing more than to close his 12-year run with another Cup championship.

Kyle Larson drove to his ninth victory of the season and most meaningful to date in his new job with Hendrick Motorsports.

A conversation on driver code and on-track etiquette is raging in NASCAR, and with it comes debate about the expectations of non-playoff drivers.

FORT WORTH, Texas — (AP) — Kyle Larson claimed the first of four championship-contending spots in NASCAR's season finale with a dominating victory at Texas on Sunday to start the round of eight in the playoffs. There were two laps remaining on the final restart, and Larson was able to stay out in front of teammate William Byron. The seven remaining playoff contenders leave Texas with two more chances to get into the championship four, with Kansas and Martinsville left before the finale. Texas had always been the eighth of the final 10 races, and the middle race of the third and final elimination round, before this season. He also won at Texas in the $1 million, non-points All-Star race in June.

NASCAR Texas Preview Auto Racing FILE - In this Sept. 11, 2021, file photo, Martin Truex Jr., celebrates winning the NASCAR Cup series auto race in Richmond, Va. Truex is in third place in the NASCAR playoff standings heading into Sunday's race at Fort Worth, Texas. “The round of eight is really as tough as it gets,” said Truex, the 2017 Cup champ who finished second in both 2018 and 2019. But there’s a lot of guys with that in mind as well.”Kyle Larson, who won the NASCAR All-Star race at Texas four months ago, is the points leader. Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch round out the top five. A four-time winner at Texas, Busch will be without crew chief Ben Beshore after his suspension for two loose lug nuts on the No.

The third round of NASCAR's playoffs are getting started in Texas.

NASCAR's playoffs shift to Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday for the middle race of the second round.

Denny Hamlin earned his first career victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday night.

Kyle Larson returns to Las Vegas Motor Speedway looking for yet another victory.

Hendrick Motorsports is in a precarious position heading into first playoff elimination round.

NASCAR Richmond Auto Racing Denny Hamlin (11) and Martin Truex Jr., (19) lead the field st the start of the NASCAR Cup series auto race in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Homestead was given a second chance for 2022 with an Oct. 23 race date that makes it the middle race of the third round of the playoffs. The 1.25-mile oval has held NASCAR national series races since 1997 and IndyCar the past six seasons. It is the only new track added to the 2022 Cup schedule. The Cup Series will be 36 races as always, but Pocono Raceway lost one of its two dates to get the race near St. Louis.

Mackenzie Salmon 'overreacts' to the biggest storylines from the NFL's Week One action in the AFC.

RICHMOND, Va. — (AP) — Two races into the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, regular-season champion Kyle Larson is still the points leader, but the stable of contenders at Joe Gibbs Racing is making the most noise with victories in the last two races. It was during that winless spell that Larson really asserted himself, winning four times. “We had a lot of tough luck and a lot of crashes and got caught in the rain a few times. “In general, I think we felt good coming into the playoffs. He led 197 laps on Saturday and won both stages, just as he had in April when he led 207 laps.

Two races into the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, regular-season champion Kyle Larson is still the points leader.

NASCAR Richmond Auto Racing William Byron (24) and Kyle Busch (18) race into turn one during the NASCAR Cup series auto race in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) (Steve Helber)RICHMOND, Va, — (AP) — Martin Truex Jr. assumed the lead when Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch was penalized for speeding with about 50 laps to go and won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway on Saturday night. The victory was the third for Truex in the last five races at Richmond. Truex led a 1-2-3 finish for JGR, with Denny Hamlin finishing second and Christopher Bell. McDowell finish 37th — last — last week and had three speeding penalties and finished 29th at Richmond.

Martin Truex Jr. assumed the lead when Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch was penalized with about 50 laps to go and won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway.

Martin Truex Jr. assumed the lead when Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch was penalized for speeding with about 50 laps to go and won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway on Saturday night. The victory was the third for Truex in the last five races at Richmond. Truex led a 1-2-3 finish for JGR — the sixth in its history — with Denny Hamlin finishing second and Christopher Bell third.

There was still a buzz over Venus Williams beating little sister Serena in prime time for the U.S. Open tennis singles title. 1 college football team in all the land, coming off a 61-0 thrashing of Rutgers. In some ways, so was life as Truex and the rest of us knew it. Instead of a salve, sports has become a mirror on our angry divisions in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I’ll play for free this year to live life how I’ve lived it from day one,” Beasley added in a rant this summer.

On that sunny morning two decades ago, in the hours and minutes and seconds before everything changed, sports was playing its usual role in the fabric of life.

DARLINGTON, S.C. — (AP) — Denny Hamlin held off Kyle Larson after their cars hit nose to tail racing to the finish line Sunday night in the Southern 500 to open the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. But Hamlin held firm up near the wall to take the checkered flag“He was going to have to go through me,” Hamlin said. Hamlin broke out ahead of Larson on the restart 36 laps from the end. Earlier, Daytona 500 winner Mike McDowell hit the wall on the backstretch on lap 30 and was done for the day. UP NEXTThe NASCAR Cup series playoffs continue at Richmond, Virginia, on Saturday.

Denny Hamlin held off Kyle Larson after their cars hit nose to tail racing to the finish line Sunday night in the Southern 500 to open the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

Tyler Reddick finished fifth in the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season finale Saturday night and secured the final spot in the 16-car postseason field.

Ryan Blaney won for the second consecutive week when the race Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway ended under caution in overtime with a typical fiery finish.

One week after Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe tangled on the track in NASCAR's Cup Series, they'll be back in action Sunday at Michigan.

NASCAR drivers got their first laps on Indianapolis Motor Speedway's road course in practice — and it opened to mixed reviews.

Kyle Larson won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International, building a big lead in the final stage and keeping Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott at bay over the final laps.

Chase Elliott is going for a three-peat at Watkins Glen International.

The now half-over, two-week hiatus is something Harvick wishes would become a regular thing. “I’d take it off the front end because everybody’s fresh and energized," he said of moving the break to the summer months. “I think having this two-week break really allows these guys in the shop and on the road to be able to actually have two, for-sure weeks off that they can plan around. That’s something very important to the families of those individuals.”Harvick, though, wasn't planning on getting too far away from racing. Harvick won a series-high nine races last year, but like points leader Denny Hamlin, has only visited Victory Lane this season to congratulate other winning drivers.

Kevin Harvick headed into NASCAR’s two-week break during the Tokyo Olympics delighted to be away from his own race car, but with plans to be wrapped up in his young son’s fledgling career behind the wheel.

With darkness closing in, Aric Almirola sprung to life late Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and pulled off a surprise for Stewart-Haas Racing’s first victory of the year.

Kurt Busch passed brother Kyle with 24 laps left and won the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday to complete a sibling weekend sweep at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott are looking for redemption at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Kurt Busch has welcomed the uncertainty of this season as he chases a playoff berth while pondering his future in NASCAR.

William Byron, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott paced the first ever Cup Series practice at Nashville Superspeedway in yet another display of how dominant Hendrick Motorsports is right now.

(AP Photo/Nell Redmond) (Nell Redmond)The Hendrick Motorsports train rolls into Sonoma Raceway on a three-race winning streak that pushed it past Petty Enterprises as NASCAR's winningest organization. “I think we all look at them as being a really strong team and having really strong race cars consistently,” Truex said. Since then it has been all Hendrick Motorsports, starting with an Alex Bowman 1-2-3-4 sweep at Dover. Out in wine country, Elliott will be seeking his first career victory at Sonoma. Those six wins tie him for third on NASCAR's all-time road course win list with Bobby Allison, Richard Petty, Ricky Rudd and Rusty Wallace.

NASCAR makes its first visit to California in nearly two years with Sunday's stop at the Sonoma Raceway road course.

Hendrick Motorsports’ quest to pass Petty Enterprises as the all-time winningest NASCAR Cup Series race team got off to a good start when Kyle Larson captured the pole for the Coca-Cola 600.

NASCAR Austin Auto Racing Martin Truex Jr. (19) slides through Turn 12 after a crash as Chris Buescher (17) and Garrett Smithley (53) drive around during the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, Sunday, May 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) (Chuck Burton)AUSTIN, Texas — (AP) — Chase Elliott raced to a short and slippery victory Sunday as rain spoiled the end of NASCAR’s debut at the Circuit of the Americas, where drivers struggled to navigate the winding course in the first rain race in Cup Series history. Elliott, the defending series champion, won for the first time this year and the sixth time on a road course. The rain started on the opening lap and several drivers complained about treacherous conditions that limited visibility, and caused a pair of violent crashes. UP NEXTNASCAR heads to North Carolina for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway next Sunday before a return to road racing at Sonoma Raceway___More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Chase Elliott raced to a short and slippery victory Sunday as rain spoiled the end of NASCAR’s debut at the Circuit of the Americas, where drivers struggled to navigate the winding course in the first rain race in Cup Series history.

NASCAR is set to race the Circuit of the Americas for the first time and all eyes are on Chase Elliott and a wet weather forecast that could make the inaugural Texas Grand Prix a wild one.

Alex Bowman won the the NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway to led Hendrick Motorsports to a 1-2-3-4 finish.

All the information you need to get ready for Sunday's Drydene 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway.

NASCAR Dover Preview Auto Racing FILE - In this Sunday, May 9, 2021, file photo, Kyle Larson uses his cell phone before the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. Larson took time out from his NASCAR schedule to Zoom in with the class at Philadelphia’s Urban Youth Racing School. The school has served more than 7,500 students from ages 8 to 18 over the last 22 years and teaches all aspects of auto racing, including driving and Black racing history. The Joe Gibbs Racing star and 2017 Cup champion has been the runner-up finisher in three straight Dover races. For the lottery's current fiscal year of July 1, 2020 through May 13, 2021, auto racing comprised $196,000 or 0.18% of the wager handle. _____More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NASCAR driver Kyle Larson made a virtual visit with students at the Urban Youth Racing School.

NASCAR last weekend had a soft re-opening of the garage area and allowed 350 fully vaccinated sponsors and guests into the competition footprint at Darlington Raceway. NASCAR is not requiring its competitors be vaccinated, only guests and media who enter the garage area. ___The Milwaukee Brewers will begin allowing fans to fill all the seats at American Family Field for home games on June 25. They announced Tuesday they would start filling up to half the seats at American Family Field beginning with Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Braves. American Family Field has a seating capacity of 41,900.

NASCAR Darlington Auto Racing Martin Truex Jr. drives into Turn 1 during the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Darlington Raceway, Sunday, May 9, 2021, in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/Terry Renna) (Terry Renna)DARLINGTON, S.C. — (AP) — Martin Truex Jr. powered his way around Darlington Raceway, sweeping both stages and leading the final 105 laps Sunday. Kyle Larson cut into Truex's often large lead over the final 30 laps, coming as close as two car-lengths down the stretch. The victory gave Truex some payback at Darlington from the last time here last September, when he led 196 laps, yet finished 22nd after tangling for the lead late with Chase Elliott. WHO’S HOTKyle Busch followed up his first win of the season at Kansas last week with a solid third place at Darlington. But Busch hasn’t come that close to a Darlington victory in 22 races since.

Martin Truex Jr. powered his way around Darlington Raceway, sweeping both stages and leading the final 105 laps Sunday.

Brad Keselowski made it nine different winners through the first 10 races of the NASCAR Cup Series season last week at Talladega.

Roger Penske doesn’t want a repeat of the Daytona 500, when teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski took each other out racing for the win on the final lap.

Alex Bowman passed Denny Hamlin on a restart with 10 laps to go and drove away at Richmond Raceway for his third career victory in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Martin Truex Jr. won a stirring, laps-long duel for the lead with teammate Denny Hamlin in the delayed NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday night.

Rain forced the postponement of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway after just 42 laps Saturday night, setting up a doubleheader Sunday.

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Somewhere under the thick red haze floating over Bristol Motor Speedway, Joey Logano took the checkered flag for NASCAR's first Cup Series race at a dirt track in 50 years. The Logano victory closed a weekend of uncertainty and even some hysteria as NASCAR launched this drive through the dirt. “It’s only my fourth dirt race ever, so I had a lot of fun trying to figure it out," Logano said. It was impossible to handicap this first dirt race because the teams had no idea how to prepare and the drivers had wildly varying experience. "In dirt racing you don’t have a windshield in front of you, so you can pull a tearoff.

An official walks along pit road before a NASCAR Truck Series race on Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)BRISTOL, Tenn. – Martin Truex Jr. entered the Truck Series race for the first time in 15 years just to get extra laps on the dirt surface at Bristol Motor Speedway. NASCAR's first Cup Series race at a dirt track was delayed a day when torrential rain flooded Bristol's parking lots and campgrounds and turned Monday into a doubleheader. Truex, who ran one Truck Series race in both 2005 and 2006, had almost no dirt experience before Bristol. The tires were fading down to the cords while the weight of the cars seemed to carve deep divots into the dirt track. AdAs soon as Truex took the checkered flag, the Bristol crew went to work prepping the track for the Cup race.

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Joey Logano has won a few times at Phoenix Raceway and knows a good restart when he feels one. Truex blew past Logano on the final restart and pulled away for his first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season and 28th overall. Logano — who led 143 laps — won the second stage after leading the final 35 laps during a long stretch of green-flag racing. But he couldn't hold back Truex, who won his ninth race with JGR. Hamlin was fast early in the race, leading for 31 laps until the competition caution midway through the first stage.

LAS VEGAS – Kyle Larson wasn't sure he'd ever race again in NASCAR, and if he could, he didn't know who would even hire him. On Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Larson raced to his first NASCAR victory since he was reinstated from a nearly yearlong suspension. “Thanks Mr. H. for believing in me,” Larson radioed to boss Rick Hendrick after crossing the finish line. Larson is considered one of the top talents in NASCAR but won just six times in six seasons with Chip Ganassi Racing. “He got in a great car, he's a great driver and he's going to make things happen,” runner-up Brad Keselowski said.

William Byron was the third surprise winner through three races this season with his victory Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Byron controlled most of the final two stages at Homestead to win for the second time in 111 Cup starts. Byron entered the weekend as a 28-1 shot to win a race many expected would provide a return to normal for the racing series. The Roush Fenway Racing driver led five times for a total of 57 laps, but he started to fade "when as sunset neared. He ended up getting X-rays, which were negative, and was cleared to work the Cup Series event.

Christopher Bell celebrates at the finish line after winning the NASCAR Cup Series road course auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)HOMESTEAD, Fla. – NASCAR’s postseason landscape has been altered after just two Cup Series races. “The number of unique winners is really going to change how many cars get in on points, right? Although Bell drives for powerhouse Joe Gibbs Racing, he was a rookie for that top team and in his second full season in the Cup series. The Cup Series opened on a superspeedway, then raced on a road course, and now heads to an intermediate track. Whether that’s different markets, different racetracks, it has to be different from year to year.

Allmendinger will run his first Cup race since the 2018 season finale in Kaulig's first Cup race not at a superspeedway. The longshot Daytona 500 win earned McDowell his first playoff berth and FRM now is positioned to build a once unthinkable cushion. This road course race was added to NASCAR's schedule in December because COVID-19 restrictions would not allow a stop at Fontana, California. AdThe Daytona road course was wedged into the open slot, creating two weekends of very different racing that very much suits Furniture Row. Dillon missed the Cup race in August because he'd received a positive COVID-19 test.

The most celebrated day in motorsports has been whittled down to the third course, 600 miles around Charlotte Motor Speedway in NASCAR's longest race of the year. What began as the World 600 in 1959 became the nightcap to a spectacular day of automobile racing treasured annually by fans. It means NASCAR is alone in the spotlight Sunday night, just as NASCAR has been for the last week. Were right there and James is doing an awesome job.BUSCH VS. ELLIOTTChase Elliott flipped Busch the bird after Busch wrecked Elliott racing for the win Wednesday night. Busch went on to finish second in a 1-2 with Hamlin for Joe Gibbs Racing; Elliott was 38th.