NASCAR Cup Series

After races at a superspeedway in Daytona and a flat track in Phoenix, the Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series head to Sin City this weekend to take on the 1.5 mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the first intermediate track both series will visit this year.

Las Vegas, the home of the Busch brothers, is next, but as we near race time for the Kobalt Tools 400, the hot topic is April's NRA 500.

In the Valley of the Sun, surprisingly dotted by a few sprinkles at race start, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the 9th Annual Subway Fresh Fit 500 from Phoenix International Raceway.

Los Angeles-based rockers RATT will get race day started in classic rock-and-roll style at Auto Club Speedway on Sunday, March 24 when they perform a pre-race concert beginning at 10am on the FanZone main stage.

Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage announced Monday, March 4, 2013, that the National Rifle Association would be sponsoring the April 13th event at Texas Motor Speedway, dubbed the NRA 500.

Trevor Bayne and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane crew are hoping that Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be the place where they put their Daytona bad luck behind them.

TRAVIS PASTRANA - Q: Tell us a little bit about this year, the Nationwide Series and the full-time ride. A: Just so excited this year. Last year was cool, kind of got my feet wet a little bit. The year before I had done some K&N stuff, but had that big ankle injury."

RICKY STENHOUSE JR - Q: How has your decision to go back to the Nationwide Series for another year helped you? A: I think it was huge. I definitely respect James (Buescher) for doing the same thing."

Young fans have the chance to spend some time with five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson when he makes a stop in the Bristol Motor Speedway Kids Zone Sunday, March 17 prior to the Food City 500.

Camry driver Denny Hamlin (third) was the first Toyota driver to the finish line in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR). Hamlin dove to the apron on the final lap in an attempt to take second, but was edged out at the checkered flag by Jimmie Johnson for the position. Clint Bowyer (sixth) and Matt Kenseth (seventh) earned their first top-10 results of 2013 at the one-mile track.