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Auto Racing Glance

[September 15, 2016] The Sports Xchange

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 400 (267 laps, 400.5 miles), Chicagoland Speedway; Joliet, Ill.

TV: Sunday, Sept. 18, 2:30 p.m. ET -- NBCSN (Radio: Motor Racing Network/SiriusXM Channel 90).

THEN AND NOW: This will be the 16th Sprint Cup race held at Chicagoland Speedway. It also will kick off the start of the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship playoffs. Brad Keselowski (who has won this race twice in the last four years) and Kyle Busch are the top seeds, while Denny Hamlin, who won this race last year, is the No. 3 seed. Hamlin comes into this race having won last Saturday in the final Chase qualifying race at Richmond. ... Tony Stewart is the winningest driver at Chicagoland with three wins (2004, 2007, 2011). Due to retire at season's end, Stewart will be making his last appearance at Chicagoland in Sunday's race. ... Keselowski (2012, 2014) and Kevin Harvick (2001, 2002) are the only other multi-race winners at Chicagoland. ... A total of 13 different drivers have won at least one race thus far in the first 22 races this season: Brad Keselowski (4 wins), Kyle Busch (4), Carl Edwards (2), Jimmie Johnson (2), Matt Kenseth (2), Denny Hamlin (2), Kevin Harvick (2) and one win each by Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Tony Stewart, Chris Buescher and Kyle Larson. ... The point standings have been re-set for the start of the Chase. Here are the rankings and points for each driver: First place (tie) -- Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski (2,012 points each), Third place -- Denny Hamlin (2,009 points), Fourth place (tie) -- Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson (2,006 points each), Ninth place (tie) -- Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Chris Buescher (2,003 points each), Fourteenth place -- Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon, Jamie McMurray (2,000 points each).

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES: DRIVE FOR SAFETY 300 (200 laps, 300 miles), Chicagoland Speedway; Joliet, Ill.

TV: Saturday, Sept. 17, 3 p.m. ET -- NBC (Radio: Motor Racing Network/SiriusXM Channel 90).

THEN AND NOW: Saturday will mark the 21st time the Xfinity Series has raced at Chicagoland. From 2011 through 2015, the series raced twice a year there. That was scaled back to just one race in 2016, which will be held Saturday. Defending winner of this race is Kyle Busch, who has won four Xfinity races at Chicagoland. Erik Jones won the 2015 spring race there. ... Kyle Busch won last Friday's race at Richmond, his sixth career Xfinity victory there. ... Winners of the first 25 Xfinity Series races this season have been Chase Elliott (Daytona), Kyle Busch (Atlanta, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Texas, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Indianapolis and Richmond), Austin Dillon (Fontana, Bristol), Erik Jones (Bristol, Dover and Iowa), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Richmond), Elliott Sadler (Talladega, Darlington), Denny Hamlin (Charlotte), Kyle Larson (Pocono), Daniel Suarez (Michigan), Sam Hornish Jr. (Iowa), Aric Almirola (Daytona), Joey Logano (Watkins Glen), Justin Marks (Mid-Ohio) and Michael McDowell (Road America). ... Elliott Sadler (852 points) remains No. 1 in the Xfinity Series points standings. Daniel Suarez (794) is second, followed by Justin Allgaier (786), Ty Dillon (777), Brendan Gaughan (755), Erik Jones (753), Brennan Poole (736), Brandon Jones (702), Darrell Wallace Jr. (659) and Ryan Reed (626).

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES: AMERICAN ETHANOL E15 225 (150 laps, 225 miles), Chicagoland Speedway; Joliet, Ill.

TV: Friday, Sept. 16, 8:30 p.m. ET -- Fox Sports 1 (Radio: Motor Racing Network/SiriusXM Channel 90).

THEN AND NOW: This will be the eighth Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway. John Hunter Nemechek is the defending winner. ... Kyle Busch has won four of the seven Truck races at Chicagoland. ... Matt Tifft, who has been sidelined after brain surgery in early July, will return to racing for Red Horse Racing in Friday's race. ... Nemechek won the most recent Truck Series race nearly three weeks ago at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park outside Toronto in a wild finish. Nemechek forced leader Cole Custer off the track and into the grass and continued on for his second win of the season. Custer was incensed at the move and tackled Nemechek, who was waiting for the checkered flag at the finish line. Custer led 39 laps and finished second despite being forced off-track. ... There have been eight winners thus far this season: Johnny Sauter (Daytona), John Hunter Nemechek (Atlanta, Canada), Kyle Busch (Martinsville), William Byron (Kansas, Michigan, Iowa, Kentucky and Pocono), Matt Crafton (Dover, Charlotte), Christopher Bell (Gateway), Kyle Larson (Eldora), Ben Kennedy (Bristol) and Brett Moffitt (Michigan). ... William Byron remains in the Truck Series points lead (402 points), followed by Daniel Hemric (374), Johnny Sauter (356), Matt Crafton (352), Timothy Peters (350), Ben Kennedy (334), Christopher Bell (333), John Hunter Nemechek (324), Cole Custer (318) and Cameron Hayley (312).

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VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES: GOPRO GRAND PRIX OF SONOMA (85 laps, 195.8 miles), Sonoma Raceway; Sonoma, Calif.

TV: Sunday, Sept. 18, 6:30 p.m. ET -- NBCSN (Radio: IndyCar Radio Network).

THEN AND NOW: This is the 12th IndyCar race at the well-known road course north of San Francisco and the 16th race of this season. ... This will also be the championship-deciding 2016 season finale. Only two drivers remain eligible to win the championship -- points leader Simon Pagenaud and Will Power, both Team Penske teammates. Pagenaud comes into the race with a 43-points lead over Power. ... A unique aspect of this race is that points will be doubled for all drivers. ... Scott Dixon is the defending winner of this race (which also led to Dixon winning the championship). In addition, this will be the 11th consecutive season finale that the IndyCar championship will be decided in the final race. ... This season's race winners thus far are: Juan Pablo Montoya (St. Petersburg), Scott Dixon (Phoenix, Watkins Glen), Simon Pagenaud (Long Beach, Birmingham, Grand Prix of Indianapolis and Mid-Ohio), Alexander Rossi (Indianapolis 500), Sebastien Bourdais (Belle Isle 1), Will Power (Belle Isle 2, Road America, Toronto, Pocono), Josef Newgarden (Iowa) and Graham Rahal (Texas).

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION, MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES: CAROLINA NHRA NATIONALS, zMAX Dragway, Concord, N.C. (suburban Charlotte).

TV: Sunday, Sept. 18, 2:30 p.m. -- 5:30 p.m. ET (Fox Sports 1).

THEN AND NOW: After another outstanding Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals two weeks ago at Indianapolis -- the biggest race of the NHRA season -- the encore begins this weekend with the start of the six-race Countdown to the Championship. The first race, at the so-called Bellagio of drag racing, zMAX Dragway, promises to set the tone for the playoffs. ... Going back to Indy for a few moments, Tony Schumacher won the Traxxas Shootout for Top Fuel racers, while Courtney Force won the Traxxas Shootout for Funny Cars. Both drivers earned $100,000 for their respective victories. ... Schumacher also won the U.S. Nationals' Top Fuel class for a record 10th time in 21 years. Other winners of the sport's most prestigious race were Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Chris McGaha (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle). ... With the points standings being reset for the Countdown, here are the 10 drivers/riders in each of the four professional classes that will square off in the playoffs: TOP FUEL: 1. Antron Brown 2,110; 2. Doug Kalitta 2,080; 3. Steve Torrence 2,070; 4.Tony Schumacher 2,060; 5. Brittany Force 2,050; 6. J.R. Todd 2,040, 7. Shawn Langdon 2,030; 8. Clay Millican 2,020; 9. Richie Crampton 2,010; 10. Leah Pritchett 2,000. FUNNY CAR: 1. Ron Capps 2,110; 2. Del Worsham 2,080; 3. Matt Hagan 2,070; 4. Courtney Force 2,060; 5. Jack Beckman 2,050; 6. Robert Hight 2,040; 7. Tommy Johnson Jr. 2,030; 8. John Force 2,020; 9.Tim Wilkerson 2,010; 10. Alexis DeJoria 2,000. PRO STOCK: 1. Jason Line 2,110; 2. Greg Anderson 2,080; 3. Bo Butner 2,070; 4. Allen Johnson 2,060; 5. Vincent Nobile 2,050; 6. Drew Skillman 2,040; 7. Chris McGaha 2,030; 8. Shane Gray 2,020; 9. Erica Enders 2,010; 10. Jeg Coughlin 2,000. PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: 1. Andrew Hines 2,110 points; 2. Eddie Krawiec 2,080; 3. Angelle Sampey 2,070; 4. Jerry Savoie 2,060; 5. LE Tonglet 2,050; 6. Chip Ellis 2,040; 7. Hector Arana Jr. 2,030; 8. Hector Arana 2,020; 9. Matt Smith 2,010; Cory Reed 2,000.

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