Dale Earnhardt
AP Sportlight

By The Associated Press Feb. 17, 2022 11:14 AM EST
Feb. 18 1924 — Theresa Weld Blanchard wins her sixth and final U.S. figure skating championship. Sherwin Badger captures his fifth straight and final...

AP-Sportlight-Week Ahead

By The Associated Press Feb. 17, 2022 11:13 AM EST
Feb. 22 1919 — The first dog race track to use an imitation rabbit opens in Emeryville, Calif. 1936 — Figure skater Sonja Henie wins her...

AP-Sportlight-Week Ahead

By The Associated Press Feb. 17, 2022 11:05 AM EST
Feb. 18 1924 — Theresa Weld Blanchard wins her sixth and final U.S. figure skating championship. Sherwin Badger captures his fifth straight and final...

AP Sportlight

By The Associated Press Feb. 14, 2022 10:00 AM EST
Feb. 15 1932 — Eddie Eagen, as a member of the four-man U.S. bobsled team, wins a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. He...

Hwang Dae-heon of South Korea, reacts after winning his men's 1500-meters final during the short track speedskating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Column: No need for NASCAR, WWE with short track at Olympics

By Paul Newberry Feb. 11, 2022 03:13 AM EST

AP-Sportlight-Week Ahead

By The Associated Press Feb. 10, 2022 11:11 AM EST
Feb. 15 1932 — Eddie Eagen, as a member of the four-man U.S. bobsled team, wins a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. He...

AP-Sportlight-Week Ahead

By The Associated Press Feb. 10, 2022 11:08 AM EST
Feb. 11 1878 — The Boston Bicycle Club, the first bicycle club in the United States, is formed. 1949 — Willie Pep becomes the first boxer...

Fans look on from the stands as some are still wearing mask and others are not during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Dover International Speedway, Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Dover, Del. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Bowman parks 48 in familiar spot in victory lane at Dover

By Dan Gelston May. 16, 2021 05:53 PM EDT

Driver Denny Hamlin (11) leads Kyle Busch (18), Ryan Blaney (12), and others as they enter the back straight to start a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
COLUMN: Bristol avoided the mess most feared for a dirt race

By Jenna Fryer Mar. 30, 2021 07:05 PM EDT

Kevin Harvick makes a pit stop during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
NASCAR returns to its roots with 1st of 2 visits to Atlanta

By Paul Newberry Mar. 20, 2021 02:14 PM EDT

Race fans pass the time before a truck race Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. Daytona is used to shirtless fans partying in the infield. But what about maskless ones? Usually the biggest NASCAR party of the season, the sport will have to figure out how to police up to 30,000 fans who may have little interest in sticking to the pandemic guidelines. How many fans will actually come remains to be seen? (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Party in a pandemic: NASCAR fans power through at Daytona

By Dan Gelston Feb. 13, 2021 02:48 AM EST

Bubba Wallace removes his helmet in his garage after a NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race practice session at Daytona International Speedway, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. Wallace turned the fastest time for the practice session. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Denny Hamlin seeks historic 3rd straight Daytona 500 victory

By Jenna Fryer Feb. 12, 2021 05:26 PM EST

Austin Dillon (3) takes the checkered flag to win the second NASCAR Daytona 500 duel qualifying auto race Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Drivers competing in the 2021 Daytona 500

By The Associated Press Feb. 12, 2021 01:38 PM EST

FILE - In this Feb. 18, 2006, file photo, Dale Earnhardt Jr., puts on his helmet and protective HANS device during preparations the day before the Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. NASCAR mandated the use of head-and-neck restraints in late 2001. Drivers had resisted using the U-shaped neck restraint made of carbon fiber because they found it cumbersome and restrictive. They became required equipment after 25-year-old Blaise Alexander was killed in a crash at Charlotte Motor Speedway some eight months after Earnhardt's death.(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)
Lasting legacy: Earnhardt's death saved lives, forced change

By Jenna Fryer, Dan Gelston And Mark Long Feb. 11, 2021 04:06 PM EST

FILE - Singer-songwriter Luke Combs speaks in the press room after winning awards for male vocalist of the year and song of the year at the 53rd annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena, in this Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, file photo. NASCAR will attempt some normalcy at the season-opening Daytona 500 with a live pre-race concert featuring country music star Luke Combs. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
NASCAR to hold pre-race Daytona 500 concert with Luke Combs

By Jenna Fryer Jan. 19, 2021 10:24 AM EST

Chase Elliott stands on his race car to acknowledge the fans after winning the season championship and the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Column: NASCAR closes stabilized, and energized by Elliott

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 09, 2020 01:45 PM EST

FILE - In this Feb. 15, 2019, file photo, Kyle Larson gets into his car during Daytona 500 auto race practice at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Reinstated last week by NASCAR, Larson on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020, signed a multi-year contract with Hendrick Motorsports to drive the No. 5 Chevrolet next season. Hendrick has sold no sponsorship as of yet for Larson and only needed the blessing of Chevrolet, one of the partners that originally dropped Larson for using the n-word, to finalize the deal. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)
Rick Hendrick eyeing balanced, stronger 2021 NASCAR season

By Jenna Fryer Oct. 29, 2020 03:02 PM EDT

FILE - Crew members are visible under a COVID-19 alert sign as they push the car of Christopher Bell through the garage area before a scheduled NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Pocono Raceway, Saturday, June 27, 2020, in Long Pond, Pa. NASCAR will not grant COVID-19 relief during the playoffs which means a positive coronavirus test will end a drivers' championship bid. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
NASCAR drivers cautious of COVID-19 as playoffs begin

By Jenna Fryer Sep. 03, 2020 03:55 PM EDT

FILE - In this June 4, 2017, file photo, Jimmie Johnson, left, poses with the trophy in Victory Lane after he won a NASCAR Cup series auto race at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. Jimmie Johnson has a track-record 11 wins at Dover International Speedway. He’ll have to win No. 12 to guarantee a playoff spot and he has two shots this weekend when the NASCAR Cup series races on Saturday and Sunday. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)
Johnson makes last-gasp playoff push in final year at Dover

By Dan Gelston Aug. 21, 2020 04:17 PM EDT

FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2020 file photo Jimmie Johnson climbs intp his car before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. NASCAR seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson will test an Indy car next week on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He’s long said he is open to racing in the series but did not want to compete on ovals out of safety concerns. On Friday, July 3, 2020, he indicated recent safety improvements have softened his stance and the Indianapolis 500 is not entirely out of the picture.(AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
Column: Jimmie Johnson finds voice during last NASCAR season

By Jenna Fryer Jul. 07, 2020 01:27 PM EDT