Larson notches Bristol victory
BRISTOL, Tenn. — Kyle Larson denied Kevin Harvick his first win of the season with a masterful pass at Bristol Motor Speedway that was overshadowed Saturday night by a post-race skirmish between Harvick and reigning Cup champion Chase Elliott.
Tempers were so hot that Harvick, his losing streak now at exactly one year, declared “I’m ready to rip somebody’s head off ” to a crowd undecided if Harvick or Elliott should be booed or cheered.
Elliott led a race-high 175 laps but Harvick passed him with 33 laps to go in an aggressive sequence in which their cars touched.
Herta secures Laguna Seca pole
Colton Herta won the pole at Laguna Seca for the second-consecutive race and will try Sunday to tie his father as a two-time winner at the rolling California
road course.
Herta won from the pole in 2019 when Laguna Seca returned to the IndyCar schedule. The race was canceled during the pandemic last year but returned this weekend as the penultimate race in the IndyCar championship.
Colton Herta turned a lap at 1 minutes, 10.7994 seconds to win his third pole of the season, seventh of his career.
Forces complete NHRA sweep
John Force topped Funny Car qualifying for the 163rd time in his career Saturday in the DeWalt NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway at Concord, N.C.
The 72-year-old Force’s run of 3.860 seconds at 332.18 mph in his Chevrolet Camaro on Friday held up, for his third No. 1 qualifier of the season. His daughter Brittany joined him at the top in Top Fuel, marking the fifth time they have swept the No. 1 spots.