Times wires
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Sprint Cup
What: Kobalt Tools 400
When/where: Today, practice (Speed, 3 p.m.), qualifying (Speed, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, practice (Speed, 6 p.m.); Sunday, race (Ch. 13, 3 p.m.); Las Vegas
Fast facts: Jeff Gordon hopes his good fortune continues after he ended a 66-race winless streak last week, bumping Kyle Busch out of the way at Phoenix. … Jimmie Johnson has a record four victories in Las Vegas. … Denny Hamlin expects his left knee to be "aching for a while" since he never wants to slow down. "It still hasn't quit (aching)," Hamlin said Wednesday. "My problem is I never let myself heal all the way and, of course, I continue to push the limits as far as I can." Hamlin had surgery 11 months ago to repair the torn ACL in his knee, which he injured playing basketball before the 2010 season. Yet, it's still bothering him. That was evident during Wednesday's media day at Texas Motor Speedway, where he won both NASCAR Sprint Cup races last year.
Standings: 1. Kyle Busch, 80; 2. Kurt Busch, 77; 3. Tony Stewart, and AJ Allmendinger, 69; 5. Gordon and Mark Martin, 65; 7. Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman and Juan Montoya, 64; 10. David Gilliland and Paul Menard, 63; 12. Carl Edwards and Johnson, 59
Nationwide
What: Sam's Town 300
When/where: Today, practice (Speed, noon); Saturday, qualifying, race (Ch. 28, 3 p.m.); Las Vegas
Fast facts: Kyle Busch won at Phoenix last week, the first in a national NASCAR race to win wire-to-wire in nearly eight years. He has 44 victories in 204 career Nationwide starts. … Mark Martin, the winner of a record 48 Nationwide races, is racing for Turner Motorsports. His last two series victories came in Las Vegas in 2005 and 2008.
Standings: 1. Reed Sorenson, 78; 2. Ricky Stenhouse, 73; 3. Jason Leffler, 71; 4. Danica Patrick and Joe Nemechek, 58
Trucks
Next: Too Tough to Tame 200, March 12, Darlington (S.C.) Raceway
Standings: 1. Matt Crafton, 71; 2. Clay Rogers, 70; 3. Cole Whitt, 68; 4. Johnny Sauter, 67; 5. Timothy Peters, 66
NHRA
Next: Gatornationals, March 10-13, Gainesville Raceway
Standings: Top Fuel — 1. Morgan Lucas, 114; 2. Shawn Langdon, 94. Funny Car — 1. Robert Hight, 118; 2. Matt Hagan, 93. Pro Stock — 1. Jason Line, 112; 2. Greg Stanfield, 95