NASCAR

Grosjean wants to run NASCAR road course race: Romain Grosjean says that contesting a one-off road course event in NASCAR is still on his radar - but that he would want to do a proper test first. The Frenchman sat in a NASCAR machine at Gene Haas's factory last year after signing for the American's F1 team and said at the time that he would not be against trying one out on a track. And although he has ruled out doing an oval race, he says competing in a road course event is something that he is still up for. When asked whether he still had an interest in contesting a NASCAR race, Grosjean told Motorsport.com: "Yes! But I'd do it on a road course. Not on an oval, never. I'd be scared, and it's too much of a specialty. I'm open to doing some testing [of a Sprint Cup car] on a road course to see how it runs before making my decision. This car is vastly different from an F1 car."(Motorsport)(3-28-2016)

  • Earnhardt Jr. to donate brain for concussion research:Following in the footsteps of many NFL players and extreme sports athletes, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Saturday [via Twitter] he plans to donate his brain for concussion research. It's a major announcement, because Earnhardt is NASCAR's most popular driver - and has been the past 13 years. Earnhardt, 41, like many veteran NASCAR drivers, is no stranger to hard crashes and head injuries similar to what football players endured before being diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) post-mortem.(Sporting News), Earnhardt missed two races in October 2012, at Charlotte and Kansas after being diagnosed with a concussion following the Oct. 7, 2012 race at Talladega.(3-27-2016)

NEXT RACE: This Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, TV on FS1 on Sunday at 10 a.m. PT

NHRA

Top Fuel Racer Larry Dixon Shares Throat Cancer Survival Story: http://iuhealth.org/blog/detail/cancer-never-entered-my-mind-drag-racer-larry-dixon-shares-his-story/#.VvMnZtIrK_7

NEXT RACE: This weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, LIVE coverage Sunday on FS1 2-5 p.m. PT

INDYCAR

Power glad to be back behind the wheel: Will Power, the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series champion, was laid back and happy after returning to the cockpit for the first time since setting the track record and winning the pole for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 12.  

Power sat out the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series season opener March 13 due to effects from an inner-ear infection that prompted concussion-like symptoms including nausea, headaches and neck stiffness. It was only after a thorough battery of tests the day after the race that Power was determined not to have sustained a concussion. INDYCAR Medical cleared the 35-year-old Australian to resume driving and, following a week to recover under prescribed medication, Power was on track at Barber. Getting back in the car was "no problem," he reported, after running through a planned test program set up by team engineer David Faustino.

Hildebrand joins Ed Carpenter Racing for month of May: After teaming up for impressive performances at Indianapolis Motor Speedway the last two years, JR Hildebrand, Ed Carpenter Racing and Preferred Freezer Services are renewing their partnership for another month of May.

Hildebrand will drive the Preferred Freezer Services Chevrolet for ECR in both the Angie's List Grand Prix of Indianapolis on May 14 and the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil on May 29. Hildebrand, 28, will be making his sixth Indianapolis 500 start and his second in the Angie's List Grand Prix of Indianapolis. He was named the 2011 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year after finishing second to Dan Wheldon and won the 2009 Indy Lights championship. He finished eighth in the 2015 Indianapolis 500, best of the three ECR drivers.

NEXT RACE: This Saturday in Phoenix, TV on NBCSN at 5:30 p.m. PT

 

At Sonoma Raceway