This week in motor racing

1_NASCAR’s Nextel Cup series returns from a two-week break with the Samsung 500 at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

Drivers will be back in their conventional cars after running two races in NASCAR’s new Car of Tomorrow. However, they will return to the new car April 21 for a night race at Phoenix International Raceway.

2_Speaking of returns, Mark Martin plans to race at Texas after taking off two races for the first time in his 25-year career.

Martin was leading the Cup points standings for Ginn Racing when he left but has no regrets, saying he spent time with his son, grandson and friends.

“I was doing exactly what I wanted to do,” he said.

3_English rookie Lewis Hamilton hopes to make Formula One history at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday by becoming the first F1 driver to start his career with three consecutive top-three finishes.

Hamilton, the series’ first black driver, finished third in the season opener in Australia and was second last week in Malaysia for the McLaren-Mercedes team.

4_Drag racing driver-owner John Force said his Yorba Linda-based team would compete this weekend in Las Vegas after making safety changes to its funny cars after teammate Eric Medlen’s death.

Medlen died March 23 of head injuries sustained five days earlier in a crash during practice in Gainesville, Fla.

5_In local racing Saturday night, Irwindale Speedway will have a five-race program including late model stock cars, and the USAC/CRA sprint-car series returns to Perris Auto Speedway in Riverside County.

-- JIM PELTZ