Martin Truex Jr. (19) leads the pack through a turn during a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race Sunday, June 23, 2019, in Sonoma, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Martin Truex Jr. (19) leads the pack through a turn during a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race Sunday, June 23, 2019, in Sonoma, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

SONOMA, Calif. — Martin Truex Jr. won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway for the second straight year on Sunday, comfortably holding off teammate Kyle Busch for his fourth victory of the season.

Truex won for the fourth time in the last eight points-paying races, earning his 23rd career victory and extending his team’s impressive season. The late-blooming 38-year-old is a three-time Sonoma champion.

The Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota teammates finished 1-2 for the seventh time in their careers. “What a season we’ve turned this into,” Truex said. “This group, they’re unbelievable. Hopefully we can keep this going.”

Ryan Blaney was third, with Matt DiBenedetto finishing a career-best fourth. Denny Hamlin was fifth.

Truex and Busch were the class of the final stage in a caution-free race on the hilly road course. The drivers had little trouble navigating “The Carousel,” the extra turns inserted into the NASCAR layout for the first time since 1997.

Truex got the lead early in the third stage, and Busch didn’t follow Truex into the pits for the final stop. When Busch finally pitted, Truex reclaimed the lead with 23 laps to go.

INDYCARRossi takes Road America

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. — Alexander Rossi took the lead in the first turn of the first lap, and then drove away from the rest of the field to win Sunday’s IndyCar race at Road America.

Rossi led 54 of 55 laps, only relinquishing the lead when he made pit stops, and finished more than 28 seconds ahead of Will Power. Josef Newgarden finished third, followed by Graham Rahal and Scott Dixon.

FORMULA ONEHamilton wins easily

LE CASTELLET, France — Lewis Hamilton comfortably won the French Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday to clinch a sixth victory this season and extend his championship lead over Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas to 36 points.

Hamilton has hit a purple patch as he chases a sixth Formula One world title. This was his fourth consecutive win and 79th overall — only 12 behind Formula One record-holder Michael Schumacher’s tally of 91.

Bottas, who made a poor start from second on the grid, finished in second place. He was a massive 18 seconds behind Hamilton, who on Saturday took a record-extending 86th pole .

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc placed third, almost catching Bottas on the last lap.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen placed fourth ahead of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who took a point for the fastest lap.

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