Formula 1 in the spotlight with Belgian GP as NASCAR and IndyCar start Olympic break

All Times Eastern

NASCAR CUP SERIES

NASCAR begins a two-week Olympic break, a welcome respite for drivers in the middle of long, hot, challenging season. The series resumes at Richmond on Aug. 11.

Last race: Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson held off Ryan Blaney and Tyler Reddick in overtime to collect the Indianapolis victory he tried to get at the Indy 500 in May. Larson’s try at the motorsports double two months ago ended as rain delayed the IndyCar event. Larson flew to Charlotte and the Coca-Cola 600, where rain also delayed that NASCAR Cup Series race. Larson never got on the track as rain and the late hour ended any attempt at finishing the race.

Fast facts: 2021 Cup Series champion Larson leads in the points and with four wins after his Indianapolis victory last week. ... There are four races left in NASCAR’s regular season with Michigan, Daytona and Darlington coming after the run at Richmond. ... 12 drivers have won races this season, locking themselves into the 16-team playoffs that start Sept. 8 in Atlanta. ... Past champion Martin Truex Jr. sits seventh overall in the standings, the most points of any winless driver. ... Daniel Suarez and Austin Cindric are outside the top 16, but set for the playoffs after victories earlier this season. Suarez won at Atlanta back in February and Cindric won at World Wide Technology Raceway outside of St. Louis in June.

Next race: Aug. 11, Richmond, Virginia.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

The Xfinity Series takes a longer break than the Cup Series with about a month off before racing at Michigan in mid-August.

Last race: Riley Herbst used a daring, last-lap pass to move past Aric Almirola and win at the Brickyard in Indianapolis last week. Herbst tapped Almirola’s car with his front bumper in the final turn, moved to the inside for the lead and held onto the sliding car for the win. Herbst’s Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Cole Custer was second with Almirola settling for third.

Fast facts: It was the second straight win for Stewart-Haas Racing drivers after Custer’s victory at Pocono on July 13. ... It was a big week for Custer, who announced his plans to return to the Cup Series with the Haas Factory team. Custer was the 2020 Cup Series rookie of the year. ... Custer, last year’s Xfinity champion, continues to lead the series with a 55-point edge of Justin Allgaier. ... There are six more races left in the Xfinity regular season. After Michigan, comes Daytona, Darlington, Atlanta, Watkins Glen and Bristol. The 12-driver playoff starts at Kansas on Sept. 28.

Next race: Aug. 17, Brooklyn, Michigan.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR TRUCK SERIES

The Truck Series is also off until Richmond, returning to the track on Aug. 10.

Last race: Ty Majeski won for the second straight season at Indianapolis Raceway Park a week ago. Majeski overcame a restart violation on Lap 50 that sent him to the rear of the field, but he fought back for his first victory of the season and fourth of his career. Corey Heim finished second with Grant Enfinger third and Christian Eckes fourth.

Fast Facts: Eckes continues to lead the playoff standings with a 50-point edge over Heim and 135-point edge over Majeski. ... Richmond is the final race of the regular season. ... Five drivers (Eckes, Heim, Majeski, Nick Sanchez and Rajah Caruth) have won races to make the 10-team playoff field. The driver in 10th is Tanner Gray, who has a five-point lead over 11th-place Daniel Dye.

Next race: Aug. 10, Richmond, Virginia.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

FORMULA ONE

Belgian Grand Prix.

Site: Wallonia, Belgium.

Schedule: Friday practices, 7:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.; Saturday practice, 6:30 a.m., qualifying 10 a.m.; Sunday race, 9 a.m. (ESPN).

Track: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Race distance: 44 laps, 308.052 kilometers (191.414 miles).

Last year: Max Verstappen overcame a penalty that dropped him back five spots to win the Belgian GP, moving past Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who had begun the race from the pole. It was Verstappen’s eighth straight win — he eventually won 10 in a row — as he won his third F1 title. Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez finished second.

Last race: Oscar Piastri won his first Formula 1 race after completing a McLaren 1-2 with Lando Norris at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The 23-year-old Australian driver started second behind pole-sitter Norris and beat him to the first turn and took the lead. Norris got ahead after a pit-stop strategy that favored him, but he then finally complied with a request by his team to give the lead back to his teammate. Lewis Hamilton finished third for his 200th career podium.

Fast facts: What’s wrong with Max? Points leader Max Verstappen has gone three straight races without a victory. The last time that happened was in 2021 when Hamilton won three in a row in November and December before Verstappen closed with a win in Abu Dahbi. ... Verstappen’s drought has not dented his championship chances as he heads into Belgium with a 76-point lead over McLaren driver Lando Norris. Leclerc sits in third, 97 points behind Verstappen. ... Verstappen has won 51 of the past 79 F1 races.

Next race: Aug. 25, Zandvoort, Netherlands.

Online: http://www.formula1.com

INDYCAR

IndyCar is also off for the Olympics, returning in mid-August.

Last race: Colton Herta won the Honda Indy Toronto for his first victory in more than two years, starting from the pole and maintaining control throughout. The 24-year-old American completed the first weekend sweep in IndyCar history, posting the fastest times in both practices, qualifying and the warmup Sunday before winning the race for his eighth career victory.

Fast facts: Toronto was the first street event for the hybrid powertrains introduced two weeks ago on the road course at Mid-Ohio. ... With five races left in the season, Alex Palou has a 49-point lead over Will Power. Scott Dixon is in third, four points behind Power. ... The series takes a break for the Paris Olympics before returning to World Wide Technology Raceway outside of St. Louis.

Next race: Aug. 16, Madison, Illinois.

Online: http://www.indycar.com

NHRA DRAG RACING

Sonoma Nationals.

Site: Sonoma, California.

Last event: Steve Torrance won in Top Fuel and Austin Prock won in Funny Car at Kent, Washington, on July 21.

Fast facts: Prock had John Force Racing back in winning form last week at the Northwest Nationals. It was Prock’s fourth victory of the season. ... Brittany Force raced in Top Fuel for her father’s team, returning to the track after being with her family at John Force’s side after his horrific accident in Virginia in June. Force left a Richmond hospital earlier this month to begin neurological rehab. ... Doug Kalitta has a 120-point lead over Shawn Langdon in the Top Fuel race while Prock leads the Funny Car standings by 256 points over Bob Tasca III.

Next event: Aug. 15-18, Brainerd, Minnesota.

Online: http://www.nhra.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS

Last events: David Gravel and Rico Abreu won weekend events at Rossburg, Ohio. Abreu outdueled Gravel at Eldora Speedway on Friday night while Gravel answered back to win the featured Kings Royal race a night later. Gravel’s win gave him 99 World of Outlaws victories.

Fast facts: Gravel’s next win would make him the eighth World of Outlaws driver to reach triple-digit victories. ... The series races at York, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday night. There’s also a race Sunday in Weedsport, New York. ... Gravel leads the sprint car standings by 66 points over Donny Schatz. Carson Macedo is third, 98 points behind Gravel.

Next events: Friday and Saturday at Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing