Richard Petty
NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Dale Earnhardt Jr., right, and Kyle Petty smile prior to the induction ceremony Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
Earnhardt brings Junior Nation into NASCAR Hall of Fame

By Steve Reed Jan. 21, 2022 08:19 PM EST

FILE - Aric Almirola celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the first of two qualifying NASCAR auto races for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. NASCAR veteran Almirola will retire from competition at the end of the 2022 season to spend more time with his young family. Almirola revealed his plans Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, to the employees at Stewart-Haas Racing at the same time Smithfield Foods announced its 11th season sponsoring the driver. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
NASCAR veteran Aric Almirola to retire at end of 2022 season

By Jenna Fryer Jan. 10, 2022 09:55 AM EST

Deke Houlgate, West Coast auto racing promoter, dies at 91

Dec. 30, 2021 06:08 PM EST
CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) — Deke Houlgate, a longtime West Coast sports publicist whose clients included such auto racing greats as Mario Andretti, Rick Mears, Richard...

The King to be face of new Petty GMS Motorsports team

Dec. 07, 2021 08:04 PM EST
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The GMS Racing majority purchase of Richard Petty Motorsports will be called Petty GMS Motorsports going into next season and NASCAR Hall of...

Series champions Ben Rhodes, third from left; Kyle Larson, center; and Daniel Hemric, third from right, join the hosts on stage at the end of the NASCAR Awards on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
NASCAR's love of Nashville creates energized celebration

By Jenna Fryer Dec. 04, 2021 10:36 AM EST

FILE - Team owner Rick Hendrick laughs on pit road during qualifying for the Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Fla., Feb. 10, 2019. The NASCAR championship will pit Rick Hendrick against Joe Gibbs as both team owners put a pair of drivers in the final four. (AP Photo/Terry Renna, File)
Rick Hendrick to collect Cup for 14th NASCAR championship

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 30, 2021 11:53 AM EST

Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson stands in the doorway of the team hauler at Road Atlanta Raceway in Braselton, Georgia, Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, talking with Chad Knaus, right, his former crew chief, and Gary Nelson, team manager of the IMSA sports car Action Express Racing team. Johnson and Knaus have long had an on-and-off relationship that ended in 2019 after 17 seasons together. The two have been reunited by work four times this season as Knaus has run a sports car team that Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports put together in partnership with Action Express for four IMSA endurance sports car races this year. Both say their relationship is currently in a good place. (AP Photo/Jenna Fryer)
On again, off again: Johnson & Knaus relationship now solid

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 15, 2021 02:13 AM EST

AP-Sportlight-Week Ahead

By The Associated Press Nov. 11, 2021 10:00 AM EST
Nov. 12 1892 — William “Pudge” Heffelfinger becomes the first pro football player by getting $500 to play for the Allegheny Athletic...

FILE - Martin Truex Jr. smiles in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, April 11, 2021. Rick Hendrick, the winningest team owner in NASCAR history, is sending Kyle Larson and reigning Cup champion Chase Elliott to Phoenix Raceway next Sunday in search of a 14th title for mighty Hendrick Motorsports. Joe Gibbs, a member of both the NASCAR and NFL Hall of Fames, will counter with Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)
NASCAR championship: Hendrick vs Gibbs, Chevrolet vs Toyota

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 01, 2021 01:51 AM EDT

FILE - In this Sept. 11, 2021, file photo, Martin Truex Jr., celebrates winning the NASCAR Cup series auto race in Richmond, Va. Truex is in third place in the NASCAR playoff standings heading into Sunday's race at Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)
Truex in tight NASCAR chase for start of round of 8 in Texas

By Stephen Hawkins Oct. 16, 2021 10:38 AM EDT

Actor and honorary starter Daniel Craig poses in Victory Lane prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte

Oct. 10, 2021 01:21 PM EDT

NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney (12) makes a pit stop during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)
Hamlin holds off Elliott, takes first NASCAR win in Vegas

By Greg Beacham Sep. 26, 2021 10:25 PM EDT

Ryan Blaney celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Blaney wins at Daytona, Reddick earns final playoff berth

By Mark Long Aug. 28, 2021 11:14 PM EDT

NASCAR President Steve Phelps, right, presents a trophy to Wendell Scott's son Frank Scott, right of trophy, and relatives along with guest driver Bubba Wallace, second from left, before the Cup Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. NASCAR presented Scott's family a custom trophy commemorating his historic 1963 victory. Scott was the only Black driver to win a race at NASCAR's top level. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Overdue overture: NASCAR gives Scott family 1963 race trophy

By Mark Long Aug. 28, 2021 07:34 PM EDT

FILE - In this Aug. 1, 1969, file photo, Wendell Scott sits in a race car, location not known. NASCAR will celebrate the legacy of NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Wendell Scott and present the Scott family a trophy commemorating the driver’s historic race victory at Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Fla. in 1963. A native of Danville, Va., Scott was the first African-American driver in NASCAR to win a race in the sport’s top series. (AP Photo/File)
NASCAR to present Wendell Scott's family with 1963 trophy

By Mark Long Aug. 27, 2021 02:22 PM EDT

William Byron (24) and Ryan Blaney (12) lead the field on a restart at the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021, in Brooklyn, Mich. Blaney won the event with Byron coming in second. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Blaney takes lead on final restart, holds on to win Michigan

By Michael Marot Aug. 22, 2021 06:38 PM EDT

FILE - In this May 14, 2021, file photo, Jimmie Johnson climbs out of his car following practice for the IndyCar auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. Johnson is hopeful of testing in August at Homestead-Miami Speedway as part of a path toward running in the Indianapolis 500 in 2022. The seven-time NASCAR champion jumped this season to IndyCar and has competed in seven races for team owner Chip Ganassi. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)
Indycar rookie Johnson aims for Indianapolis 500 run in 2022

By Dan Gelston Jul. 27, 2021 06:32 PM EDT

Bubba Wallace, right, smiles while watching New England Patriots wide receiver Gunner Olszewski catch a football thrown by a fan during a rain delay at the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Jordan's first year in NASCAR a missed layup with Wallace

By Dan Gelston Jul. 22, 2021 11:26 AM EDT

FILE - In this May 28, 2020, file photo, Matt DiBenedetto waits for the start of a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Matt DiBenedetto won a fan vote this season that earned him the final spot in NASCAR's All-Star race. As for the rest of his racing career? Well, wins haven't come at all. DiBenedetto became a fan favorite over his seven-year career, winning over fans as the underdog of underfunded teams. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)
DiBenedetto could be out of Cup options after losing ride

By Dan Gelston Jul. 17, 2021 04:35 PM EDT

AP-Sportlight-Week Ahead

By The Associated Press Jul. 15, 2021 12:40 PM EDT
July 16 1920 — Babe Ruth breaks his season record of 29 homers with his 30th, leading the New York Yankees past the St. Louis Browns, 5-2....