would have won if not for its pit-stop farce. Daniel Ricci

SPARTA, Ky. -- Kentucky Speedway President Mark Simendinger hopes the tracks new pavement smooths the transition to another race with a new NASCAR downforce package.Resurfacing the 1.5 mile tri-oval was nearly done when the sanctioning body announced new rules in May to reduce downforce and side force and create more side-by-side racing. It follows last years changes here that helped produce one of the seasons most competitive races, won by Kyle Busch on his way to his first Sprint Cup championship.That was pretty impressive considering drivers had to sort things out during the race after rain washed out practice. The weather for last months two-day test was more cooperative, and the challenge in Saturday nights 400-mile headliner is finding the right formula on a reconfigured track with fewer bumps in the road.You wont leave with a headache, and thats the best part about it, points leader and 2014 Cup champion Kevin Harvick quipped during last months test.Banking in turns 1 and 2 was increased from 14 degrees to 17 degrees with track width on that end reduced by 18 feet. Turns 3 and 4 remain at 14 degrees, which Simendinger hopes will create a unique look during the tripleheader weekend that includes a 225-mile Camping World Truck Series race and Friday nights Xfinity Series 300-miler.Simendinger also notes that Kentuckys famous bumps arent totally gone, just smoother with new asphalt and drainage improvements. Figure in NASCAR rule changes to the rear spoiler, rear deck fin and front splitter, and the track president wouldnt be shocked by anything on Saturday night.Its going to be interesting, Simendinger said. Weve really been on this track, putting rubber down as much as we can to widen out the race groove. If we dont do that, theyre going to be more inclined just to follow a single groove until they can get it widened out. If were able to get it to where theyll be racing side by side, then we go to the Xfinity race and all those laps will be very, very helpful so that by the time we get to the Sprint Cup race, (drivers) should have a high degree of confidence.Few drivers enter more confident than Busch and Brad Keselowski. Each has won twice in five starts here and combined to lead 362 laps while winning the past two races.Keselowski is buoyed by last weekends victory at Daytona that has him 14 points behind Harvick in second place. Busch is 73 points back in sixth after running second at Daytona and is tied with Keselowski with a series-best three wins.Keselowski lamented Kentuckys reduction of the teeth-rattling bumps in the frontstretch but welcomed the differences between ends. The start of Thursdays first Cup practice suggested there will be growing pains, as the right rear of his No. 2 Ford got sideways and kissed the outside wall entering Turn 3 but escaped major damage.Whenever there are those discrepancies, I think thats when you see mistakes and when you see strengths and weaknesses that vary from car to car and driver to driver, the 2012 champion said before practice. I think thats a really good thing for our sport, so Im interested to see how thats going to play out this weekend.Busch was planning another three-race weekend at Kentucky that figures to provide plenty of time to get used to the changes. The tracks most successful driver speaks volumes about his adaptability on the old surface, and hes eager to see if he can be as good with the improvements.Hopefully I hope I can figure it out again and be a little bit better than some of these other guys, Busch said last month. Overall, it still has some character to it with some bumps down the front straightway. ... They did a decent job. Michael Strahan Giants Jersey .S District Court against Major League Baseball, the Office of the Commissioner and his own union, the MLBPA. Dalvin Tomlinson Jersey . 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SINGAPORE -- For every grand prix this season, the only question before the race has been which of the two Mercedes drivers would win.At this weekends Singapore GP, there is a refreshing prospect of a genuine challenge in the night race to the Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg duopoly.Having won all but one race this season -- the Spanish GP where the two rivals collided on the first lap -- Mercedes will start favorites again this weekend, but not by much.The tight, twisty and bumpy nature of the Marina Bay street circuit largely cancels out Mercedes speed advantage over chief rivals Red Bull and Ferrari, and recent history indicates those F1 rivals should thrive this weekend.On the similar Monaco circuit earlier this year, Red Bull had Mercedes measure and probably would have won if not for its pit-stop farce. Daniel Ricciardo came in for fresh tires before the pit crew was in position, so he had to drive back out and come in again next time around.And last years Singapore race proved a difficult one for Mercedes in qualifying on the third row of the grid and unable to mount any challenge. Ferraris Sebastian Vettel took a comfortable victory.Ricciardo was bullish about Red Bulls prospects this weekend, given the strong parallels with Monaco.We look at it as a good chance to get the victory Ive been after this season, Ricciardo said Thursday. Im not going to put too much pressure on myself or them (the team) for this weekend but deep down, we want to win. We are a group of winners, so if there is pressure on us to get it done this weekend, we will thrive on that.His young teammate Max Verstappen, who took the only non-Mercedes victory this year in Spain, was cautiously optimistic, saaying Fridays practice sessions will shed more light on whether Mercedes is vulnerable.ddddddddddddWe know we have a very good chance to score some good points here, Verstappen said. Its difficult for me to say now that we will be the No. 1 team this weekend, because we havent had a chance to race here yet.For Ferrari, this race represents the best victory chance of the season. Fail to win here, and the Italian team will be staring at the very real prospect of another winless season to match 2014.Im full of optimism, it should be a good place for us, said Vettel, who has been the most successful driver in Singapore, winning half of the previous eight editions. This track was very good for us last year and we have improved the car since then, so it could be a reasonable track for us again.Mercedes had an off year last year but you cant guarantee that will happen again.Mercedes has closely investigated what went wrong here, and it would be a surprise if it was as far off the pace in 2016 as it was in 2015.Last year we were blown away by the fact that we someho