USA TODAY International Edition
Racing series crown fast chargers around the world
Kyle Larson wins at Nashville, Alex Palou at Road America and Max Verstappen in France.
LEBANON, Tenn. – Kyle Larson, who was born eight years after the last NASCAR Cup Series race in the Nashville area in 1984, kept alive his sizzling hot streak Sunday by winning the inaugural Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway.
It was the third consecutive points series race victory and fourth overall, including last week’s All- Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway, for the 28- yearold driver from Elk Grove, California. It was Larson’s 10th career victory.
Ross Chastain was second, William Byron third, Aric Almirola, who was on the pole, fourth and Kevin Harvick fifth.
While Larson dominated, leading 264 of 300 laps, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Debris got stuck on his front grille on lap 246, which threatened his lead because his engine could have overheated. Larson caught up to J. J. Yeley, who was a lap down, and drafted off him, which blew the debris off.
NTT IndyCar: One of the best races of the series season looked like it was going to finally take Team Penske out of the winless column; but no, not in 2021, where every race has offered some form of drama and unpredictability.
Leading from the pole and dominating the day with 32 laps in control at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, wasn’t enough for Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Penske Chevy – not with a late caution for Ed Jones’ spin and stall due to broken suspension – which sent the race into a two- lap sprint to the finish.
With his gearbox acting up on the uphill blast for the restart, Newgarden was powerless to defend against Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou in the No. 10 Honda who rocketed by into Turn 1 and motored away to a 1.9- second victory over Colton Herta in the No. 26 Andretti Autosport Honda and 2.9s over Penske’s Will Power in the No. 12 Chevy.
“Yeah man, I don’t know what to say,” Palou offered in response to Newgarden’s misfortune that saw the Penske driver fall from first to P21 at the finish. “Super happy and super proud of the Chip Ganassi team. I can’t believe it.”
It marked Palou’s second win of the year, vaulted the Spaniard back into the championship lead, and gave sponsor NTT Data its second consecutive victory at Road America after ex- CGR driver Felix Rosenqvist got his first IndyCar win last year in the same No. 10 Honda.
– Marshall Pruett, RACER Formula 1: Max Verstappen overcame Lewis Hamilton to take victory in the French Grand Prix in Le Castellet with a late charge from fourth to extend his championship lead.
The Dutchman passed Hamilton for the win on the penultimate lap, the fifth change of the lead, after an inspired gamble on a second tire change gave the Red Bull Racing driver almost 20 seconds to make up on the Briton’s Mercedes with 20 laps to run.
The recovery was made all the sweeter after Verstappen seemingly threw victory away on the first lap when he dropped from the pole lead to second by running deep out of the first turn.
Verstappen’s lead over Hamilton is now 12 points.