STEPHEN HAWKINS
Scott Dixon earns the checkered flag as he crosses the finish line to win an IndyCar auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, June 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
NASCAR Cup race will run at Texas with fans in the stands

By Stephen Hawkins Jun. 19, 2020 06:11 PM EDT
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Texas Motor Speedway plans to open its massive

In this photo provided by Chris Owens/INDYCAR Series, Scott Dixon, left, jumps off his car toward team owner Chip Ganassi as the two celebrate Dixon's IndyCar auto race win at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, June 6, 2020. (Chris Owens/INDYCAR Series via AP)
IndyCar gets through well-screened, delayed opener in Texas

By Stephen Hawkins Jun. 07, 2020 05:02 PM EDT
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Through all of the uncertainty and unknowns after more

Scott Dixon earns the checkered flag as he crosses the finish line to win an IndyCar auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, June 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Dixon wins again at Texas in IndyCar's delayed season opener

By Stephen Hawkins Jun. 06, 2020 02:39 PM EDT
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — IndyCar packed every bit of its delayed season-opening

FILE - In this June 8, 2019, file photo, Josef Newgarden does a burnout after winning the IndyCar auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. IndyCar opens its pandemic-delayed season with an all-in-one-day show Saturday on the fast high-banked 1 ½-mile oval at Texas Motor Speedway, more than eight months after the 2019 finale. (AP Photo/Larry Papke, File)
Back on track: IndyCar delayed debut all-in-one Texas affair

By Stephen Hawkins Jun. 05, 2020 04:01 PM EDT
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Things are starting to feel a little more normal for

FILE - In this June 8, 2019, file photo, Josef Newgarden celebrates winning an IndyCar auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. IndyCar is getting ready for an all-in-one-day season opener on the fast track in Texas, more than 2 ½ months after drivers were set to roll on the streets of St. Pete. The pandemic-delayed season is now set to open Saturday, June 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Randy Holt, File)
IndyCar restart at Texas before another month to race again

By Stephen Hawkins Jun. 02, 2020 07:52 PM EDT
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Scott Dixon, Alexander Rossi and the rest of the

FILE - In this May 2, 2020, file photo, jockey Joel Rosario and Nadal cross the wire to win the second division of the Arkansas Derby horse race at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark. Nadal, who now won't have a shot after an ankle injury in training last week, could have been racing to become trainer Bob Baffert's third Triple Crown winner in six seasons, if not for the coronavirus pandemic. The Belmont Stakes usually wraps up a five-week span that includes the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. All have been pushed back, though the Belmont Stakes will now go first on June 20. (Richard Rasmussen/The Sentinel-Record via AP, File)
What Would Have Been: Triple Crown finale and French finals

By Stephen Hawkins Jun. 01, 2020 02:04 AM EDT
The final leg of horse racing's Triple Crown would have been set and the French

FILE - This May 26, 2019, file photo shows Simon Pagenaud, of France, celebrating after winning the Indianapolis 500 IndyCar auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in Indianapolis. The Indy 500 has been rescheduled for Aug. 23, 2020, and won't be run on Memorial Day weekend as scheduled for the first time since its return in 1946. Pagenaud passed Alexander Rossi on the penultimate lap to win last May. That gave Roger Penske his 18th win at Indy on the 50th anniversary of his arrival at the Brickyard and before he became the series and track owner. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
What Would Have Been: Indianapolis 500, MLB scandal series

By Stephen Hawkins May. 18, 2020 01:37 AM EDT
The Brickyard and major league ballparks will be quiet during the Memorial Day

FILE - In this May 19, 2019, file photo, Rafael Nadal, of Spain, celebrates after his victory over Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, at the end of their final match at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome. The Italian Open would have been the last significant clay-court tuneup ahead of the French Open, which has been postponed until September due to the coronavirus outbreak. Nadal won his ninth trophy in Italy a year ago, before going on to claim his record-extending 12th championship in Paris. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
What Would Have Been: Another PGA major, Triple Crown race

By Stephen Hawkins May. 11, 2020 02:12 AM EDT
While NASCAR will resume its season with live racing and the world's No. 1

FILE - In this June 8, 2019, file photo, Josef Newgarden celebrates winning the IndyCar auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. IndyCar has gotten the green flag to finally start its season in Texas. The race will be run June 6 without spectators at Texas Motor Speedway. (AP Photo/Randy Holt, File)
Green flag: IndyCar to open its delayed season in Texas

By Stephen Hawkins May. 07, 2020 02:10 PM EDT
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — IndyCar has gotten the green flag to finally start its

FILE - In this Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019, file photo, Boston Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts makes a leaping catch on a ball hit by New York Yankees' DJ LeMahieu during the eighth inning of a baseball game in New York. With the sports calendar still mostly on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, The Associated Press takes a look at some of the live sporting events that would have taken place the week of May 4-10, 2020, including the season's first meeting between the Red Sox and Yankees, in The Bronx. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)
What Would Have Been: Red Sox-Yankees, NHL conference finals

By Stephen Hawkins May. 04, 2020 02:03 AM EDT
With the sports calendar still mostly on hold because of the coronavirus

FILE - In this June 10, 2019, file photo, drivers race at the NASCAR cup series auto race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich. IndyCar will race Saturday, April 11, 2020, at Michigan International Speedway, one of the most beloved tracks that long ago fell off the open-wheel racing schedule. The race will be aired on NBC Sports with Dale Earnhardt Jr., just announced as a NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee and a driving force in the success of the iRacing phenomenon, making his IndyCar virtual debut. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)
Texas, Florida eager for NASCAR to rev engines again

By Stephen Hawkins Apr. 20, 2020 06:19 PM EDT
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — The race is on among states willing to be the first to

FILE - In this April 28, 2019, file photo, Kyle Larson (42) flips as he makes contact with Jeffrey Earnhardt (81) on the back stretch during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala. The Associated Press looks at some of the events that would have been live the week of April 20-26: A big one at Talladega Superspeedway. Chase Elliott won last April ahead of a race-ending crash that flipped Kyle Larson a half-dozen times. Larson was fired last week by Chip Ganassi after using a racial slur during a live-streamed virtual race. (AP Photo/Greg McWilliams, File)
What Would Have Been: MLB's Fiers in Houston, NBA playoffs

By Stephen Hawkins Apr. 20, 2020 09:54 AM EDT
While watching more replays of classic games with the national sports calendar

Kevin Harvick (4) leads the field for the start of a NASCAR auto race at Texas Motor Speedway, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Larry Papke)
Harvick has Cup title shot after 3rd straight Texas fall win

By Stephen Hawkins Nov. 03, 2019 07:22 PM EST
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Kevin Harvick and the Stewart-Haas Racing team had

Rookie NASCAR Cup driver Matt Tifft says he is focused on trying to determine what caused a seizure at Martinsville Speedway last week before a NASCAR auto race at Texas Motor Speedway, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Larry Papke)
Cup rookie Tifft focused on what caused seizure at track

By Stephen Hawkins Nov. 03, 2019 12:27 PM EST
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Matt Tifft is focused on trying to determine what

Noah Gragson (9) wrecks coming out of Turn 4 and onto the front stretch during the NASCAR Xfinity Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Larry Papke)
Bell leads half of Texas race for win and Xfinity title shot

By Stephen Hawkins Nov. 02, 2019 11:45 PM EDT
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Christopher Bell keeps leading laps, winning stages

Kevin Harvick heads down the front stretch during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. Harvick earned the pole for Sunday's race. (AP Photo/Larry Papke)
Harvick on pole at Texas while other Cup contenders in clump

By Stephen Hawkins Nov. 02, 2019 08:10 PM EDT
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Kevin Harvick will start from the pole at Texas Motor

Kurt Busch responds to questions about his new multi-year contract with Chip Ganassi Racing during a NASCAR news conference at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
Kurt Busch, sponsor staying with Ganassi on multiyear deal

By Stephen Hawkins Nov. 02, 2019 05:39 PM EDT
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Kurt Busch will go into his 21st NASCAR Cup season

Joey Logano heads down the front stretch during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Forth Worth, Texas, Friday, Nov. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Larry Papke)
Logano in another rift as he eyes title shot at Texas

By Stephen Hawkins Nov. 02, 2019 04:35 PM EDT
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Joey Logano has again arrived at Texas in the middle

Denny Hamlin drives during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan. Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Hamlin won the race. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Hamlin racing for NASCAR title with torn labrum in shoulder

By Stephen Hawkins Nov. 01, 2019 02:35 PM EDT
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Denny Hamlin can put off until after the season the

FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2018, file photo, Josef Newgarden waits by his pit box before a practice session for an IndyCar series auto race in Long Pond, Pa. Newgarden wouldn’t change the career path he has had through eight IndyCar seasons, even though the American driver wanted more success earlier. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
Newgarden leading on different path in IndyCar title chase

By Stephen Hawkins Jun. 21, 2019 12:41 PM EDT
Josef Newgarden is already taking a different path in trying to win another IndyCar