Crown Jewel Races Arrive
NASCAR CUP SERIES
Coca-Cola 600
Site: Charlotte, North Carolina.
Schedule: Friday, practice, 7 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 11 a.m.; Sunday, race, 6 p.m. (FOX)
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Race distance: 400 laps, 600 miles.
Last year: Brad Keselowski won after starting ninth.
Last race: Chase Elliott won the rain-shortened series debut at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas.
Fast facts: Elliott's victory was the 12th of his career and sixth on a road course. He has also won five of the last six road course races. ... The victory was the 268th for Hendrick Motorsports, tying the team with Petty Enterprises for the most in Cup Series history. ... Denny Hamlin continues to lead the points standings by 98 over William Byron. Hamlin is the only driver in the top seven not to have won a race this season. ... Elliott became the 11th different winner in 14 races this season.
Next race: June 6, Sonoma, California.
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES
Alsco Uniforms 300
Site: Charlotte, North Carolina.
Schedule: Friday, practice, 4:35 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 11 a.m., race, 1 p.m. (FS1)
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Race distance: 200 laps, 300 miles.
Last year: Kyle Busch won after starting 18th.
Last race: Busch won in the series' debut on the Circuit of the Americas course in Texas.
Fast facts: Defending series champion Austin Cindric's points lead over Harrison Burton is 77 with A.J. Allmendinger 81 behind and Daniel Hemric 88 back. Justin Allgaier, who has two wins in 11 starts, is fifth, 112 points back. ... Hemric has not won, but is the only driver to have finished on the lead lap in all 11 races.
Next race: June 5, Lexington, Ohio.
NASCAR TRUCK SERIES
North Carolina Education Lottery 200
Site: Charlotte, North Carolina.
Schedule: Friday, practice, 11:35 a.m., qualifying, 5:35 p.m., race, 8:30 p.m. (FS1)
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Race distance: 134 laps, 200 miles.
Last year: Chase Elliott won after starting 26th.
Last race: Todd Gilliland dominated to win at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas.
Fast facts: Gilliland's victory was the first for Ford in nine races and came after Chevrolet posted its first victory in the eighth race. ... John Hunter Nemechek remains the points leader by 31 over Ben Rhodes. Sheldon Creed is 69 back, Austin Hill is 93 behind and Gilliland is 108 back. ... Hill is the only driver in the top five without a victory. ... Series regulars have won six of the nine races this season.
Next race: June 12, Fort Worth, Texas.
FORMULA ONE
Last race: Max Verstappen posted a dominating victory at the Monaco Grand Prix and moved past seven-time series champion Lewis Hamilton and into the lead of the driver standings.
Next race: June 6, Baku, Azerbaijan.
INDYCAR
Indianapolis 500
Site: Indianapolis, Indiana.
Schedule: Friday, practice, 11 a.m.; Sunday, race, 12:20 p.m. (NBC)
Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Race distance: 200 laps, 500 miles.
Last year: Takuma Sato won in a race run in late August.
Last race: Rinus VeeKay became the third first-time winner in five races this season, winning on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Fast facts: Scott Dixon won the pole position, turning four laps around the speedway with an average speed of 231.685 mph. He edged Colton Herta by 0.03 seconds, or roughly six feet over the 10-mile qualifying run. ... Dixon is a six-time series champion, but is seeking just his second victory in the marquee race. ... Sato's victory last year was his second in the 500. ... Dixon leads Alex Palou by 13 points in the season standings. Josef Newgarden is 28 points back, Pato O'Ward is 30 behind and Graham Rahal is 39 back.
Next race: June 12-13, Detroit.
NHRA DRAG RACING
Last event: Tony Schumacher won in Top Fuel and Tommy Johnson Jr. won in Funny Car in Texas.
Next event: June 13, Epping, New Hampshire.
WORLD OF OUTLAWS
Next events: May 28, Terre Haute, Indiana, and May 31, Lawrenceburg, Indiana.
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