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Auto Racing Glance

[November 17, 2016] The Sports Xchange

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES: FORD ECOBOOST 400 (267 laps, 400.5 miles), Homestead-Miami Speedway; Homestead, Fla.

TV: Sunday, Nov. 20, 2:30 p.m. ET - NBC (Radio: Motor Racing Network/SiriusXM Channel 90).

THEN AND NOW: This will be the 18th Sprint Cup race held at the 1.5-mile oval just south of Miami. It will also be the season-ending and championship-deciding race for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. ... The four drivers that will battle it out for the title are Carl Edwards and Joey Logano, both seeking their first career Cup crowns, defending series champion Kyle Busch and six-time champ Jimmie Johnson. If Johnson wins Sunday, he would tie NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for most championships by a driver (seven apiece). ... The eventual champions in each of the first two years of the new elimination format also won the season finale at Homestead: Kevin Harvick in 2014 and Kyle Busch last season. ... Speaking of Harvick, his bid to be the only driver to make it to the final race for the third straight year of the new Chase elimination format fell short last Sunday at Phoenix. The highest he can finish this season would be fifth. ... The first nine race winners thus far in the Chase have been Martin Truex Jr. (Chicagoland and Dover), Kevin Harvick (New Hampshire and Kansas), Jimmie Johnson (Charlotte and Martinsville), Joey Logano (Talladega and Phoenix) and Carl Edwards (Texas). ... A total of 13 different drivers have won at least one race thus far in the first 35 races this season: Brad Keselowski (4 wins), Kyle Busch (4), Martin Truex Jr. (4), Kevin Harvick (4), Jimmie Johnson (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: FORD ECOBOOST 300 (200 laps, 300 miles), Homestead-Miami Speedway; Homestead, Fla.

TV: Saturday, Nov. 19, 3 p.m. ET - NBCSN (Radio: Motor Racing Network/SiriusXM Channel 90).

THEN AND NOW: This will be the 22nd Xfinity Series race at Homestead. Kyle Larson is the defending winner of this race. ... Saturday's race will be for the inaugural Xfinity Chase for the Championship. The four finalists are JR Motorsports drivers Elliott Sadler and Justin Allgaier vs. Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez. ... Erik Jones is seeking his second consecutive NASCAR championship, having won the Camping World Truck Series title last season. ... Winners in the Chase thus far have been Elliott Sadler (Kentucky), Daniel Suarez (Dover), Joey Logano (Charlotte), Kyle Busch (Kansas and Phoenix) and Kyle Larson (Texas). ... Winners of the first 32 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 and Dover), Sam Hornish Jr. (Iowa), Aric Almirola (Daytona), Joey Logano (Watkins Glen and Charlotte), Justin Marks (Mid-Ohio) and Michael McDowell (Road America).

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES: FORD ECOBOOST 200 (134 laps, 201 miles), Homestead-Miami Speedway; Homestead, Fla.

TV: Friday, Nov. 18, 8 p.m. ET - Fox Sports 1 (Radio: Motor Racing Network/SiriusXM Channel 90).

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THEN AND NOW: This will be the 21st Truck Series race at Homestead-Miami. ... Matt Crafton won this race last year. ... This will be the championship-deciding race in the inaugural Camping World Truck Series Chase for the championship. The four drivers that will battle it out for the title are Johnny Sauter, Timothy Peters, two-time champion Matt Crafton and Christopher Bell. ... Interestingly enough, Sauter has three wins, Crafton has two, Bell has one - but Peters has not won a race this season, making it to the final round solely on points and consistency. ... The winners of the first six Chase races have been William Byron (New Hampshire), Tyler Reddick (Las Vegas), Grant Enfinger (Talladega), Johnny Sauter (Martinsville and Texas) and Daniel Suarez (first career Truck win last week at Phoenix). ... There have been 12 winners thus far this season: Johnny Sauter (Daytona, Martinsville and Texas), 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). ... Arguably the biggest upset of the inaugural Truck Chase was the elimination of William Byron last week at Phoenix. Byron had been the hottest driver all season, including winning a series-high six races. But his truck had mechanical issues late at Phoenix, ending his hopes to cap off a great season with the championship.

VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES: 2016 season has concluded.

THEN AND NOW: There has been a major shakeup in the 2017 driver lineup of A.J. Foyt Racing. Takuma Sato and Jack Hawksworth, who drove for AJFR in 2016, will be replaced next season by Carlos Munoz and Conor Daly. Ironically, Sato will take over Munoz's old spot at Andretti Autosport, while Hawksworth will drive for the 3GT Racing team in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Series. ... The 2017 season begins March 12with the Firestone Grand Prix in St. Petersburg, Fla.

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION, MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES: 2016 season has concluded.

THEN AND NOW: 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). ... Brown clinched his title in the second-to-last race at Las Vegas, while Capps, Line and Savoie all won their titles this past weekend in the season-ending Auto Club Finals. ... Alexis DeJoria, who was injured in a crash at Las Vegas, missed the season finale due. She was replaced in the Tequila Patron Toyota Camry Funny Car by veteran driver Jeff Arend. ... Here are 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, Calif.

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