LDN - Sports

Auto Racing Glance

[November 29, 2016] The Sports Xchange

FORMULA ONE: ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX (55 laps on a 5.554 kilometer road course), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

TV: Sunday, Nov. 27, 8 a.m. ET - NBC.

THEN AND NOW: This is the final race of all major motorsport series for 2016. ... Nico Rosberg comes into Sunday's race with a 12-point lead over Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton. They are the only two drivers remaining in contention for the F1 championship. ... Hamilton has won the last two F1 championships (as well as in 2008), while Rosberg has finished second to Hamilton in 2014 and 2015. Not only does Rosberg hold a slight edge over his teammate in the standings, he's also won the last three races this season. ... Rosberg also won last year's race at Abu Dhabi. The German driver is the odds-on favorite to win the F1 championship for the first time in his career. ... Also, this will be the last race with Force India for Nico Hulkenberg. He moves to race for Team Renault in 2017.

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES: Season has concluded.

2016 SEASON WRAPUP:

Here is how the 16 Chase drivers ultimately finished: Champion Jimmie Johnson, second through fourth were Championship 4 finalists Joey Logano, 2015 champ Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards. Fifth through 10th were Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, 2014 champion Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson and rookie of the year Chase Elliott. Eleventh through 16th were Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray, Austin Dillon, retiring three-time champ Tony Stewart and Chris Buescher. ... By winning both the race and the championship Sunday, Johnson tied NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for most championships by a driver (seven apiece). ... Greg Biffle announced Monday that he is leaving Roush Fenway Racing after 15 seasons. Biffle said he has talked to several teams about racing in 2017, but has no definite plans set yet. He turns 47 in December. ... The 10 race winners in this year's Chase were Martin Truex Jr. (Chicagoland and Dover), Kevin Harvick (New Hampshire and Kansas), Jimmie Johnson (Charlotte, Martinsville and Homestead-Miami), Joey Logano (Talladega and Phoenix) and Carl Edwards (Texas). ... A total of 13 different drivers won at least one of this season's 36 races: Jimmie Johnson (5), Brad Keselowski (4 wins), Kyle Busch (4), Martin Truex Jr. (4), Kevin Harvick (4), Denny Hamlin (3), Carl Edwards (3), Joey Logano (3) Matt Kenseth (2), and one win each by Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, Chris Buescher and Kyle Larson.

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES: Season has concluded.

2016 SEASON WRAPUP:

This year's champion is Daniel Suarez, the first international-born driver to win a major NASCAR series championship. Suarez, 24, is from Mexico and just completed his second season in the Xfinity Series, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. Suarez is also the first winner of the inaugural Xfinity Series Chase for the Championship elimination format that was implemented this season. ... Elliott Sadler finished second, followed by JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier and JGR driver Erik Jones, who won the 2015 Camping World Truck Series championship but fell short of winning two different titles in a row. ... The rest of the 12 drivers who were in the Chase were, from fifth to 12th, Ty Dillon, Ryan Reed, Blake Koch, Brennan Poole, Ryan Sieg, Brandon Jones, Darrell Wallace Jr. and Brendan Gaughan. ... Winners in the Chase thus far have been Elliott Sadler (Kentucky), Daniel Suarez (Dover and Homestead-Miami), Joey Logano (Charlotte), Kyle Busch (Kansas and Phoenix) and Kyle Larson (Texas). ... Winners of the 33 Xfinity Series races this season have been Chase Elliott (Daytona), Kyle Busch (Atlanta, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Texas, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Indianapolis, Richmond, Kansas and Phoenix), Austin Dillon (Fontana, Bristol), Erik Jones (Bristol, Dover, Iowa and Chicago), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Richmond), Elliott Sadler (Talladega, Darlington and Kentucky), Denny Hamlin (Charlotte), Kyle Larson (Pocono and Texas), Daniel Suarez (Michigan, Dover and Michigan), Sam Hornish Jr. (Iowa), Aric Almirola (Daytona), Joey Logano (Watkins Glen and Charlotte), Justin Marks (Mid-Ohio) and Michael McDowell (Road America).

[to top of second column]

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES: Series has concluded.

2016 SEASON WRAPUP:

Johnny Sauter captured his first career Truck Series championship last Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Two-time series champ Matt Crafton finished second, followed by Christopher Bell and Timothy Peters. The other four drivers who made the inaugural Truck Series Chase but finished fifth through eighth were William Byron, Daniel Hemric, Ben Kennedy and John Hunter Nemechek. ... The winners of the seven Chase races were William Byron (New Hampshire), Tyler Reddick (Las Vegas), Grant Enfinger (Talladega), Johnny Sauter (Martinsville and Texas), Daniel Suarez and Sauter. ... There have been 12 winners thus far this season: Johnny Sauter (Daytona, Martinsville, Texas and Homestead-Miami), John Hunter Nemechek (Atlanta, Canada), Kyle Busch (Martinsville, Chicagoland), William Byron (Kansas, Michigan, Iowa, Kentucky, Pocono and New Hampshire), Matt Crafton (Dover, Charlotte), Christopher Bell (Gateway), Kyle Larson (Eldora), Ben Kennedy (Bristol), Brett Moffitt (Michigan), Tyler Reddick (Las Vegas), Grant Enfinger (Talladega) and Daniel Suarez (Phoenix).

VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES: 2016 season has concluded.

2016 SEASON WRAPUP:

Simon Pagenaud won the championship in dominating style, with the remaining nine drivers being Will Power, Helio Castroneves, Josef Newgarden, Graham Rahal, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Juan Pablo Montoya and Charlie Kimball (tied for eighth) and Carlos Munoz. ... The 2017 season begins March 12 with the Firestone Grand Prix in St. Petersburg, Fla.

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION, MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES: Season has concluded.

2016 SEASON WRAPUP:

The 2016 champions in the four major professional classes are Antron Brown (second consecutive Top Fuel title and third in last five seasons), Ron Capps (first career Funny Car title after 20 years of competition), Jason Line (third career Pro Stock crown) and Jerry Savoie (first career Pro Stock Motorcycle championship). ... Here is the top-10 final standings in each of the four major pro classes: TOP FUEL: 1. Antron Brown; 2. Doug Kalitta; 3. Steve Torrence; 4. J.R. Todd; 5. Shawn Langdon; 6. Brittany Force; 7. Leah Pritchett; 8. Tony Schumacher; 9. Richie Crampton; 10. Clay Millican. FUNNY CAR: 1. Ron Capps; 2. Tommy Johnson Jr.; 3. Matt Hagan; 4. John Force; 5. Jack Beckman; 6. Courtney Force; 7. Del Worsham; 8. Robert Hight; 9. Tim Wilkerson; 10. Alexis DeJoria. PRO STOCK: 1. Jason Line; 2. Greg Anderson; 3. Shane Gray; 4. Bo Butner; 5. Vincent Nobile; 6. Drew Skillman; 7. Chris McGaha; 8. Allen Johnson; 9. Erica Enders; 10. Jeg Coughlin. PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: 1. Jerry Savoie; 2. Eddie Krawiec; 3. Andrew Hines; 4. Angelle Sampey; 5. Chip Ellis; 6. Matt Smith; 7. LE Tonglet IV; 8. Hector Arana Jr.; 9. Cory Reed; 10. Hector Arana. ... The 2017 NHRA season begins Feb. 9-12 in the Circle K Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, California. ... 2015 Funny Car champ Del Worsham announced Tuesday that he will be leaving Kalitta Motorsports and return to his family team for 2017. There is no word yet on Worsham's replacement. Primary sponsor DHL has said it will remain with Kalitta Motorsports for 2017.

-----------------------------------------------

Back to top