Auto racing notes: Paul Menard wins at Road America

Paul Menard has cherished wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Milwaukee Mile in his home state of Wisconsin. He deeply desired a significant victory at Road America, the track where he spent many weekends as a child.

Menard got his wish Saturday, taking advantage of a lengthy late-race caution and then holding off Ryan Blaney to win the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the rural road course in Elkhart Lake.

“This is a track that I’ve spent a lot of time at as a kid riding around on ATVs, finding these little trails,” Menard said. “Indy, Milwaukee and Road America are the three tracks that are really close to me and now I’ve been able to win at all three. I’m a pretty lucky guy.”

Brian Scott was third. Series points leaders Chris Buescher finished ninth. Buescher holds a 16-point lead over Chase Elliott and a 19-point margin on Ty Dillon in the season standings.

A moment of silence was held for Justin Wilson prior to the start of the race. Wilson died Monday, a day after he was stuck in the head by debris in the IndyCar race at Pocono Raceway. Many drivers at Road America placed decals on their cars in memory of Wilson.

IndyCar

Will Power isn’t stepping down as IndyCar champion without a fight.

Power won the pole for today’s title-deciding race at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California, by circling the circuit in 1 minute, 16.25 seconds. The Australian heads into the season finale one of six drivers mathematically eligible to win the title.

But Power is a distant fourth in the standings and trails Team Penske teammate Juan Pablo Montoya by 61 points.

Montoya will start fifth.

Truck Series

Alex Tagliani finished the first qualifying session at 110.539 mph to claim the pole in the Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario.

Erik Jones (110.492) won the second session and will start second. Matt Crafton, Tyler Reddick and Cole Custer will round out the top five.