KYLE BUSCH WINS AT ATLANTA, RETURNS TO CHASE FIELD

A year after missing the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Kyle Busch is sailing into this year’s 10- race title fight as an emerging championship favorite. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver emphatically clinched a Chase berth Sunday with a victory in the Advocare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga. Fending off a late charge by runner- up Joey Logano, Busch held on for his 28th career victory in NASCAR’s premier series and second at the 1.54- mile oval where he last won five years ago. It also was the fourth win this season for Busch, ty-

ing him with Jimmie Johnson behind series leader Matt Kenseth for the second seed in the Chase ( when the standings are reset by three points per victory). Busch was followed to the finish by four drivers still trying to nail down Chase berths: Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman. — Nate Ryan uKevin Harvick raced to his first NASCAR Nationwide Series victory of the year, holding off Kyle Busch on the final lap at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday night. Sam Hornish Jr. was third, followed by Kasey Kahne, and rookie Kyle Larson.

uSimon Pagenaud emerged as the winner of a collision- marred Grand Prix of Baltimore on Sunday, charging to the lead after a series of mishaps involving several other contenders — including one involving rivals Scott Dixon and Will Power.

Josef Newgarden was second, the best finish of his career, and Sebastien Bourdais took third.