Pro schedules

NASCAR Monster Cup

What: Consumer’s Energy 400

When: Friday, qualifying, 2:05 p.m. (NBCSN). Sunday, race, 11:30 a.m. (NBCSN)

Where: Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Mich.

Defending champion: Kyle Larson NASCAR Xfinity

What: Rock N Roll Tequila 170

When: Saturday, qualifying, 8:30 a.m.; race, noon (NBCSN)

Where: Mid-ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio

Defending champion: Sam Hornish NASCAR Camping World Truck

What: Corrigan Oil 200

When: Saturday, qualifying, 6:30 a.m. (FS1); race, 10 a.m. (FS1)

Where: Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Mich.

Defending champion: Bubba Wallace

Awesome Bill’s ride

This week he probably is answering to “Chase Elliott’s dad” instead of the other way around. But when he drives in the Xfinity race at Road America on Aug. 25, NASCAR legend Bill Elliott will revert to being “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville” one last time.

The 62-year-old former Cup Series champion and two-time Daytona 500 winner insists it will be his last race in one of NASCAR’S top three series.

He’ll drive the No. 23 car normally assigned to Las Vegan Spencer Gallagher for the GMS Racing team headed by Gallagher’s father, Maury.

Regardless of how Awesome Bill takes the the left- and right-hand turns in rural Wisconsin, GMS is sure to benefit from a ton of pre- and postrace publicity.

Elliott’s last major race was the 2012 Daytona 500, in which he qualified fifth but was eliminated in a crash.

DENSO returns to LVMS

DENSO Products and Services, which is mostly known for spark plugs, will return as title sponsor of the NHRA Four-wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2019.

The nation’s top hot rodders will thank DENSO as well as their individual sponsors throughout the April 5-7 Four-wide weekend.

Happy 40th, Ku.

Kurt Busch, sometimes referred to as the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion but mostly referred to as Ku. Busch on the scrolling race ticker so as not to confuse him with younger brother Ky. Busch, turned 40 on Aug. 4.

Wife Ashley threw a birthday bash in which they dressed as characters from an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. The racer’s dinner jacket made him look the spitting image of Jay Gatsby or Pee-wee Herman, depending on whether you are a fan or not.

Contact Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal. com or 702-383-0352. Follow @ ronkantowski on Twitter.