Auto racing notebook: Rosberg wins European GP

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg led from start to finish and won Sunday’s European Grand Prix on the Baku, Azerbaijan, street circuit, extending his lead in the Formula One championship from nine points to 24.

Despite expectations of crashes and safety-car periods on the narrow circuit, there was little on-track action and the safety car remained in the pits throughout as Rosberg won by 16.6 seconds from Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.

Force India’s Sergio Perez passed Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen on the penultimate lap and took third.

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton made up several places early after starting tenth, but a problem with the Mercedes hybrid power system – and his team’s inability to tell him how to fix it due to new rules restricting instructions between the pit and driver – saw him finish a frustrated fifth.

After winning the first four races of the season, Rosberg had watched with alarm as Hamilton won the past two to cut his lead to single figures, but the win gives him some breathing room coming into the European heart of the season.

“Everything went to plan for me so it was really awesome,” Rosberg said. “The weekend went perfectly.”

Williams’ Valtteri Bottas was sixth, ahead of the Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, who struggled on the soft tires in the first half of the race, and were forced into making two pit stops while those ahead needed just one.

Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg and Williams’ Felipe Massa completed the top ten.

Porsche wins Le Mans in dramatic fashion as Toyota falters

With film star Brad Pitt giving the official race start at the 24 Hours Le Mans endurance race in France, it fittingly ended with a Hollywood finish as Porsche defended its title in dramatic fashion after Toyota relinquished the lead minutes from the end.

With Japanese driver Kazuki Nakajima behind the wheel of the No. 5 TS050 Hybrid, it seemed Toyota would clinch its first Le Mans victory only to lose power and halt on the pit straight with five minutes left – allowing Swiss driver Neel Jani to overtake in his Porsche No. 2.

Nakajima crossed the line second but his final lap of nearly 12 minutes was too slow to be classified, meaning that Toyota’s No. 6 car – driven by Frenchman Stephane Sarrazin – took second place.

Sam Hornish Jr. wins Xfinity race in Iowa

Sam Hornish Jr. led 183 of 250 laps in his first race of 2016 and cruised to victory in the NASCAR Xfinity race at the Iowa Speedway in Newton.

Hornish, driving the No. 18 car for Joe Gibbs Racing, picked up his first win in two years – which also came at Iowa’s 0.875-mile oval.

Hornish was briefly pushed by Ty Dillon and Brad Keselowski on a restart with 27 laps to go. But Hornish held on to the outside groove for his fourth career Xfinity series win.

Dillon was second, followed by Keselowski, Daniel Suarez and Alex Bowman.

Pole sitter Erik Jones had issues with the No. 20 car all afternoon. He finished 27th.

Tommy Johnson Jr. wins NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals

Tommy Johnson Jr. raced to his first Funny Car victory of the season and the 13th of his career in the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol, Tennessee, Dragway.

Johnson had a 4.038-second pass at 313.22 mph in a Dodge Charger R/T to beat teammate and two-time 2016 winner Matt Hagan in the final. Hagan had a 4.030 at 317.57.

Johnson, a two-time Bristol winner, is seventh in the season standings.

“We’re just slow starters, but we’re strong finishers,” Johnson said. “The guys kept working hard and have kept their heads down. We got hot in Epping with a runner-up finish and we are on a roll now and we’re looking good.”

Shawn Langdon won in Top Fuel, and points leader Jason Line topped the Pro Stock field.

Langdon won for the first time this season, racing to a 3.838 at 322.19 to edge teammate and eight-time season champion Tony Schumacher. Langdon, also the 2014 Bristol winner, has 12 career victories.

Line powered his Chevrolet Camaro to his sixth victory of the season and 43rd of his career, outlasting teammate Greg Anderson in the final round. Line sprinted to a 6.668 at 207.59 to better Anderson’s 6.694 at 207.62. Line also won at the track in 2006.