Rain forces NASCAR to delay racing for day
NASCAR’s hyped return to dirt is instead a muddy mess on hold at least until Monday.
Torrential rains flooded campgrounds and parking lots surrounding Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and created a rut for NASCAR far deeper than anything the Cup Series drivers encountered on the track.
NASCAR canceled all Sunday activity because even if Bristol’s converted dirt track eventually could be readied for night racing, the entire facility was a swampy mess. Grandstand seats that had been covered in dust were caked in mud, and pit road and the apron around the 0.533mile bullring held several inches of standing water.
After 21⁄2 inches of rain fell across “Thunder Valley,” NASCAR made an atypical decision to call an early washout. The first Cup Series race on dirt since 1970 was rescheduled for Monday.
“People need to understand this is not how dirt racing is, and I think they need to try and appreciate how hard this is to pull off. I don’t think it is a black eye on Bristol or dirt for Cup,” NASCAR driver Kyle Larson said. “A lot of work went into making it happen here and I still think it can be a great event.”
World champion Lewis Hamilton just managed to hold off Max Verstappen to win the seasonopening Bahrain Grand Prix in Sakhir and clinch the 96th Formula One win of his career.
The race was effectively decided when Verstappen overtook Hamilton on Lap 53 of 56 but went too wide on a turn and off track limits. Verstappen was told by his team to give Hamilton the position back, as he risked a time penalty.
Tennis: Topseeded Daniil Medvedev overcame leg cramps to beat Alexei Popyrin 76 (3), 67 (7), 64 in the third round at the Miami Open.
Also advancing was No. 18 seed John Isner, the only former Miami champion in the men’s field.
On the women’s side, No. 2 seed Naomi Osaka advanced with a walkover, but No. 4 Sofia Kenin lost to No. 27 Ons Jabeur 64, 46, 64.
College baseball: Tim Tawa had two home runs and six RBIs as host Stanford (143) prevailed 118 over Fresno State (710) . ... Utah (513, 24 Pac12) scored five runs in the fifth inning and four in the seventh in an 114 win over Cal (148, 21) in Salt Lake City. Dylan Beavers hit his eighth home run for the Bears, who won the first two games of the series . ... JC Santini homered and St. Mary’s (1211, 24) won 32 at Pepperdine (1111, 42) . ... Jason Dicochea hit a tworun homer for Santa Clara (914, 24 WCC) in a 42 victory at Portland (1111, 42).