Hamlin bests Elliott to earn first Vegas win
LAS VEGAS — Denny Hamlin earned his first career victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday night, holding off Chase Elliott and kicking off the second round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with his second win in September.
Hamlin, who punched his ticket to the third round, got his first victory of the season in the playoff opener at Darlington three weeks ago in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. A breakthrough victory in Vegas proves Hamlin has emerged as a serious contender for his first Cup Series championship after a 17-year career filled with near-misses. Kyle Busch finished third on his hometown track, followed by Martin Truex Jr. and Ryan Blaney as the 12 remaining playoff drivers began the second round and the final seven races of the season. Hamlin, Busch and Truex put Joe Gibbs Racing in three of the top four spots.
Points leader Kyle Larson finished 10th on the track where he won in March.
Spain’s Palou wins first IndyCar title
Smooth and steady, same as he’s been all season, Alex Palou cruised to his first IndyCar championship with an easy Sunday drive at the Grand Prix of Long Beach.
The 24-year-old became the first Spaniard to win the IndyCar championship and pulled it off in just his second season in the United States with a fourth-place finish on the temporary downtown street course that rolls along the Long Beach, Calif., waterfront.
Colton Herta won the race — Long Beach is considered his home track — for his second consecutive win and third of the season.
Palou won the season opener, finished second in the Indy 500 and led the standings 12 of the 16 weeks.
Hamilton claims 100th F1 victory
Lewis Hamilton became the first Formula One driver to win 100 races with victory in the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi, Russia, to retake the championship lead from Max Verstappen.
Hamilton turned Verstappen’s five-point championship lead into a two-point lead of his own after the Dutch driver finished second after a dramatic drive from last on the grid. Carlos Sainz led the race early on and finished third for Ferrari.