F1 starts this weekend!

AP FILE PHOTO

Lewis Hamilton is seen during free practice last year leading up to the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix. This year's edition goes Sunday.

wheels.ca staff

FORMULA ONE

Grand Prix of Bahrain

Site: Sakhir, Bahrain.

Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 6-7:30 a.m.); Saturday, practice and qualifying (TSN, 5:55-7:30 a.m.); Sunday, race (TSN, 7:55-10 a.m.).

Track: Bahrain International (road course, 3.914 miles).

Race distance: 308.405 kilometres, 49 laps.

Last year: Jenson Button raced to his third victory in the first four events of the season, beating Sebastian Vettel by 7.1 seconds. Button went on to win six of the first seven races and took the season title for Brawn GP.

Fast facts: Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher is returning to racing after a three-year retirement. The 41-year-old German star, the winner of a record 91 races, is driving for Ross Brawn-led Mercedes GP. Schumacher won the first F1 race at the track in 2004. ... Lotus is returning to F1 after a 16-year absence, backed by the Malaysian government and a consortium of businessmen. Lotus won 79 races and seven constructors’ titles between 1958 and 1994. Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen will race for the team. ... Button is driving for McLaren.

Next race: Australian Grand Grix, March 28, Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia.

On the Net: www.formula1.com

IZOD INDYCAR SERIES

Sao Paulo Indy 300

Site: Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Schedule: Sunday, race (TSN2, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.).

Track: Streets of Sao Paulo (street course, 2.6 miles).

Race distance: 195 miles, 75 laps.

Fast facts: Danica Patrick is back in her No. 7 Andretti Autosport ride after racing in three NASCAR Nationwide races and an ARCA event. ... Brazilian drivers Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Vitor Meira, Mario Romancini, Raphael Matos, Bia Figueiredo and Ana Beatriz are set to compete in the season-opening race, the country’s first Indy-style event since CART ran in Rio de Janeiro from 1996-2000. ... The circuit features a nearly mile-long straightaway and runs through the Anhembi Sambadrome, a stadium-like venue that is the site of Carnival parades. ... Dario Franchitti is the defending series champion. He won five times last year. ... Sao Paulo also will host the Formula One finale in November.

Next race: Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, March 28, Streets of St. Petersburg, Fla.

On the Net: http://www.indycar.comÊ l

NHRA FULL THROTTLE

NHRA Gatornationals

Site: Gainesville, Fla.

Schedule: Sunday, final eliminations, 6-9 p.m.

Track: Gainesville Raceway.

Last year: Bob Tasca raced to his first career Funny Car victory. Larry Dixon(Top Fuel), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana (Pro-Atock Motorcycle) also won.

Last event: Cory McClenathan (Top Fuel) and Jack Beckman (Funny Car) won the rain-delayed NHRA Arizona Nationals on Feb. 22, an event marred by the death of a fan struck by a tire.

Fast facts: Kurt Busch, coming off a NASCAR Sprint Cup victory Sunday at Atlanta, is making his NHRA debut in the Super Gas class. He’s driving his rebuilt ’70 Dodge Challenger, powered by a stroked 6.1-litre Hemi that produces 1,167 horsepower. ...

Next event: NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, March 25-28, zMAX Dragway, Concord, N.C.

On the Net: http://www.nhra.comÊ l

NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Last week: Kurt Busch won at Atlanta Motor Speedway, surviving two overtime restarts and 16 extra laps in the race highlighted by Carl Edwards’ retaliatory late-race bump that flipped Brad Keselowski’s car.

Next race: Food City 500, March 21, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.

On the Net: http://www.nascar.comÊ l

NATIONWIDE SERIES

Next race: Scotts Turf Builder 300, March 20, Bristol Motor Apeedway, Bristol, Tenn.

Last race: Kevin Harvick won at Las Vegas on Feb. 27, overcoming a pair of horrendous pit stops for his 35th Nationwide victory.

On the Net: http://www.nascar.comÊ l

CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS

Last week: Kevin Harvick won at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Sprint Cup driver has won three straight starts in the series and five of his last nine.

Next race: Kroger 250, March 27, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Va.

On the Net: http://www.nascar.com

OTHER RACES

WORLD OF OUTLAWS: Sprint Car, Texas Two Step, Friday, Lonestar Speedway, Kilgore, Texas, and Saturday, Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, Texas.

On the Net: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com

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