Mercedes gets top 2 spots on F-1 grid

BARCELONA, Spain — Mercedes will start the Spanish Grand Prix from the front row after Nico Rosberg had the fastest qualifying time ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton on Saturday.

While Hamilton had the fastest times in the first two qualifying sessions, Rosberg edged him to win the pole position in 1 minute, 20.718 seconds.

“The race is very long, and to win it’s not good enough to start from pole — you still have to have the fastest race car,” said Rosberg, who finished ninth in Bahrain after winning the pole. “I’m a little bit more confident for tomorrow, but the race is going to be a completely different thing.”

Three-time defending champion Sebastian Vettel will start from third spot for Red Bull ahead of Kimi Raikkonen’s Lotus in today’s race.

“I’m quite happy to be honest because yesterday and this morning I wasn’t really happy. We improved the car and things calmed down,” Vettel said.

NHRA

COMMERCE, Ga. — Antron Brown raced to the Top Fuel victory Saturday at the weather-delayed NHRA Southern Nationals at the Atlanta Dragway.

Brown covered the distance in 3.801 seconds at 321.25 mph, while Brandon Bernstein lost traction at the start and finished in 7.105 at 90.64 mph.

Johnny Gray (Funny Car) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) also were winners in the NHRAMello Yello Drag Racing Series event.

IndyCar

INDIANAPOLIS — Ed Carpenter jumped to the top of the speed chart late Saturday afternoon and finished with the fastest lap of the day during the Indianapolis 500’s first practice session.

Carpenter, the stepson of former Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO Tony George, finished the 2.5-mile oval going 220.970 mph.

Another American, Josef Newgarden, was secondfastest at 220.920 while rookie Carlos Munoz of Colombia was third at 220.720.

Five drivers topped the 220 mark in tough conditions.

It was unseasonably chilly, breezy and mostly overcast, slowing speeds that could reach 230 mph when qualifying begins next weekend.