Nelson Piquet

Brazilian Formula One auto racer Nelson Piquet was hospitalized in Viareggio, Italy, after he fell and fractured a rib aboard his yacht.

Kevin Harvick won Saturday night's race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway by plowing through traffic on a two-lap sprint to the finish. Juan Pablo Montoya was trying to hold off Harvick for his first win since 2010 when the caution came out with four laps remaining. It sent the race into two laps of overtime, and most of the field gave up track position to pit for tires. Montoya came off pit road in sixth and Harvick was seventh for the restart. But Harvick rocketed through the field to snatch away the win. Clint Bowyer was second, Joey Logano third, and Montoya settled for fourth.

Three-time world driving champion Nelson Piquet of Brazil said he has agreed to make a try for the Indianapolis 500 and will not race on the Formula One circuit this year. Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi won the 1989 Indy 500.

The post-race fight Friday night between NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers Nelson Piquet Jr. and Brian Scott spilled over into the motor home parking area of Richmond International Raceway afterward and led to the arrests of two Richard Childress Racing crew members. Police said that Michael Searce was arrested on two charges of misdemeanor assault and Thomas Costello was arrested on one count of misdemeanor assault. Both are crew members for Scott. Each was released early Saturday morning.

Race driver Nelson Piquet left an Indianapolis hospital Monday, saying he is retiring after a crash during practice for the Indianapolis 500 left him with multiple broken bones in his lower legs and feet. "Racing is over for me," the 39-year-old former Formula One champion from Brazil told the Indianapolis Star. "I had a very wonderful career. Now I just want to be able to enjoy life . . . and walk again."

Nelson Piquet, Brazil's two-time world champion, won the Brazilian Grand Prix at Rio de Janeiro Sunday in the first race for this year's international Formula One championship. Piquet, 33, had an average speed of 115 m.p.h. over the twisting Jacarepagua circuit in a British Williams with a Honda engine that proved powerful and durable against 24 other entries.

The U.S. Auto Club's Rookie Orientation Program is billed as optional, but there's really no choice. A first-year driver who passes up this weekend's testing might just as well watch the Indianapolis 500 at home on television next month. That's as close to the starting lineup as he'll likely get.

Andy Roddick's confidence was boosted by winning the Eastbourne Championships on the eve of Wimbledon when he beat defending champion Andreas Seppi of Italy, 6-3, 6-2, in the final in England. Tamira Paszek of Austria fought off five match points to defeat fifth-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, in the women's final. Roddick entered the event as a wild card after losing his opening match at Queen's Club last week, a defeat that stretched his losing streak to six matches dating to mid-March.

Andy Roddick's confidence was boosted by winning the Eastbourne Championships on the eve of Wimbledon when he beat defending champion Andreas Seppi of Italy, 6-3, 6-2, in the final in England. Tamira Paszek of Austria fought off five match points to defeat fifth-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, in the women's final. Roddick entered the event as a wild card after losing his opening match at Queen's Club last week, a defeat that stretched his losing streak to six matches dating to mid-March.

This year's first serious brush with the wall at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway occurred Monday when former Formula One champion Nelson Piquet spun and backed his Lola-Menard into the concrete barrier. The Brazilian veteran, still limping from a crash last year that shattered his feet, was not injured, but the car suffered moderate damage. Piquet was running at 217.213 m.p.h.

Race driver Nelson Piquet left an Indianapolis hospital Monday, saying he is retiring after a crash during practice for the Indianapolis 500 left him with multiple broken bones in his lower legs and feet. "Racing is over for me," the 39-year-old former Formula One champion from Brazil told the Indianapolis Star. "I had a very wonderful career. Now I just want to be able to enjoy life . . . and walk again."

Tom Sneva once came in from a few practice laps at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and was met by a knot of reporters. "How did you find the track today, Tom?" one asked. "I drove out 16th Street and there it was," the 1983 Indy 500 winner replied. "No problem at all." Sneva's flippant answer would have been appropriate Friday as drivers searched for more horsepower, more stability and more speed on the eve of pole qualifying for the 76th Indianapolis 500.

As the speeds go up, so does the severity of the crashes. Less than 24 hours after Rick Mears, the defending Indianapolis 500 champion, destroyed last year's winning car in a terrifying crash, former Formula One champion Nelson Piquet smashed head-on Thursday into the concrete barrier that surrounds the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Piquet suffered multiple fractures of both lower legs and feet as well as a concussion.

The U.S. Auto Club's Rookie Orientation Program is billed as optional, but there's really no choice. A first-year driver who passes up this weekend's testing might just as well watch the Indianapolis 500 at home on television next month. That's as close to the starting lineup as he'll likely get.

As the speeds go up, so does the severity of the crashes. Less than 24 hours after Rick Mears, the defending Indianapolis 500 champion, destroyed last year's winning car in a terrifying crash, former Formula One champion Nelson Piquet smashed head-on Thursday into the concrete barrier that surrounds the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Piquet suffered multiple fractures of both lower legs and feet as well as a concussion.

Nelson Piquet of Brazil, a three-time Formula One champion, agreed to drive a 1992 Lola-Buick for Team Menard in the Indianapolis 500 on May 24.

Three-time world driving champion Nelson Piquet of Brazil said he has agreed to make a try for the Indianapolis 500 and will not race on the Formula One circuit this year. Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi won the 1989 Indy 500.