Auto Racing Glance

[August 30, 2018]  MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES: BOJANGLES SOUTHERN 500 (367 laps, 501.3 miles around a 1.336-mile egg-shaped oval), Darlington Raceway; Darlington, S.C.

TV: Sunday, 6 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 6:20 p.m. ET) - NBCSN (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: It's off to the "Track Too Tough To Tame" for the 25th of 36 races on the season after the final off week. ... Darlington Raceway is famous for its "stripes," when cars hit the wall and leave streaks along it, for its unique egg-like shape and its hard racing that often leaves drivers fuming. ... One of the oldest tracks on the circuit, Darlington hosted its first cup race in 1950 and this will be the 115th at the track. Two races a season were held from 1960-2005, with one traditionally on Labor Day weekend. ... Denny Hamlin won the race last season. ... There are two races left before the playoff field is set, and so far, 12 of the 16 spots are spoken for. ... Kurt Busch won the previous race at Bristol, cementing a spot. ... With only two potential new winners on the season before the playoffs begin, at least two spots will be earned on points, and with the domination of the "Big Three," Kevin Harvick picking up seven victories, Kyle Busch (six) and Martin Truex Jr. (four), all four remaining spots may be won on points. ... *Kyle Busch leads the points standings with 1,003, followed by *Harvick (960), *Truex (849), *Kurt Busch (796), *Clint Bowyer (776), *Joey Logano (768), Ryan Blaney (733), Brad Keselowski (730), Kyle Larson (729) and Hamlin (707) rounding out the top 10. ... *Chase Elliott is 11th (697), *Erik Jones is in 13th (635) and *Austin Dillon is in 19th (475), all inside the playoff cutoff. ... The four drivers currently winless but in the playoffs on points are Blaney, Keselowski, Larson and Hamlin. Aric Almirola (12th, 658 points) is the first driver on the outside looking in. He is 49 points behind Hamlin.

(All stats and standings per NASCAR.com)

*Denotes race winner and playoff berth

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES: SPORT CLIPS HELP A HERO VFW 200 (147 laps, 200.8 miles around a 1.336-mile egg-shaped oval), Darlington Raceway; Darlington, S.C.

TV: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 3:50 p.m. ET) - NBC (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: The 24th of 33 races on the season, the series leaves Road America - where Justin Allgaier won his fourth race of the season - for Darlington, which drives a bit like a road course with its four unique turns. ... This will be the 58th series race at the track, with Cup regular Denny Hamlin winning last year. There are three races left for the Xfinity full-timers in the regular season before the playoffs begin at Richmond on Sept. 21. ... *Allgaier leads the points with 845, followed by *Christopher Bell (840), Elliott Sadler (833), Cole Custer (832), Daniel Hemric (812), Brandon Jones (662), *Tyler Reddick (646), Ryan Truex (638), Matt Tifft (634) and Austin Cindric (548) rounding out the top 10. The playoffs will start with 12 drivers, with Ryan Reed (535) and Ross Chastain (511) holding spots 11 and 12, respectively. Michael Annett (462) is currently the first driver out.

(All stats and standings per NASCAR.com)

*Denotes race winner and playoff berth

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

THIS WEEK: The first race in the playoffs didn't disappoint when Justin Haley won in the last turn at Canadian Motorsports Park from third place as Noah Gragson got under teammate and race leader Todd Gilliland and they both crashed out, finishing ninth and 11th, respectively. Was Gragson at fault for trying a pass almost certainly doomed to fail, or Gilliland for leaving the door open just enough for Gragson to think it was worth a shot? ... Whatever the ultimate fallout, the Trucks take the next two weekends off after 17 of 23 races on the season and two races to go in the Round of 8. ... Seven drivers are vying to be in the Round of 6 with Haley already punching his ticket with the win, with fearsome Talladega serving as the cutoff on Oct. 13. ... The next race is at Las Vegas on Sept. 14. ... Johnny Sauter leads the Truck standings (2,081 points), followed by Brett Moffitt (2,075), Gragson (2,070), *Haley (2,065), Matt Crafton (2,047), Stewart Friesen (2,047), Ben Rhodes (2,046) and Grant Enfinger (2,035).

*Victory and advancement to the next round.

(All stats and standings per NASCAR.com)

VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES: GRAND PRIX OF PORTLAND (103 laps, 202.6 miles around a 1.967-mile 12-turn permanent road course), Portland International Raceway; Portland, Ore.

TV: Sunday, 2:30 p.m. ET (approx. green flag 3:05 p.m. ET) - NBCSN (Radio: Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network, Sirius 214, XM 209, IndyCar.com, indycarradio.com and on the INDYCAR Mobile app).

THIS WEEK: American open-wheel cars return to Portland after a 10-year layoff with the first race at the track under IndyCar sanction. The track was a fixture of the defunct Champ Car World Series from 1984 to 2007. ... Sebastian Bourdais won the race in 2007 and is of course entered in Sunday's race. ... This will be the 25th indy-style race at the track. ... This is the penultimate race of the season with a tightening championship battle shaping up after Will Power won last week at Gateway Motorsports Park. ... The season ends on the Sonoma road course on Sept. 16. ... Scott Dixon's championship lead is down to 26 points as the New Zealander is on top of the standings (568), followed by Alexander Rossi (542), Australia's Power (500), Josef Newgarden (490), and Ryan Hunter-Reay (421).

FORMULA ONE: ITALIAN GRAND PRIX (53 laps, 190.8 miles around a 3.6-mile 11-turn permanent road course), Autodromo Nazionale Monza; Monza, Italy.

TV: Sunday, 9 a.m. ET (Green flag approx. 9:10 a.m. ET) - ESPN2 (Radio: SiriusXM Radio Channel 132).

THIS WEEK: With Sebastian Vettel winning Sunday at Spa, the championship battle between him and Lewis Hamilton tightened heading into Sunday's race at Monza. ... The Italian Grand Prix is the 14th of 21 races this season and the last in Europe proper, with the closest remaining race in Sochi, Russia, on Sept. 30. ... Monza is a long flowing race course with hills and four long turns broken up by seven sharp ones. Grip is low. ... This will be the 88th Italian Grand Prix at the track. ... Hamilton won this race last year. ... Great Britain's Hamilton leads the standings in his Mercedes with 231 points, followed by Vettel, Ferrari (214), Finland's Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari (146), Finland's Valterri Bottas, Mercedes (144) and Belgium's Max Verstappen, Red Bull (120).

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION: CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE U.S. NATIONALS, Wednesday-Monday, at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis; Indianapolis, Ind.

TV: Eliminations, Monday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. ET (live) FS1; 1-4 p.m. ET (live) Fox

THIS WEEK: It's time for the "Big Go," the U.S. Nationals over Labor Day weekend in Indianapolis. Indy is the last chance for drivers and teams with playoff aspirations to get in or to really ready their machines for the drive to the championship. The finals are held on Monday. ... Winners in Minnesota were Billy Torrence in Top Fuel, Jack Beckman in Funny Car, Deric Kramer in Pro Stock and Eddie Krawiec in Pro Stock Motorcycle. All four classes will race in Indy. ... *Steve Torrence leads the Top Fuel standings (1,332 points), followed by *Tony Schumacher (1,145), *Clay Millican (1,144), *Leah Pritchett (1,118), *Doug Kalitta (1,027), *Antron Brown (1,026), Terry McMillen (791), Brittany Force (787), Scott Palmer (701) and Mike Salinas (694) rounding out the top 10. ... *Courtney Force leads Funny Car (1,372), followed by *Ron Capps (1,177), *Robert Hight (1,154), *Beckman (1,110), *Matt Hagan (1,102), * Tommy Johnson Jr. (987), *J.R. Todd (987), John Force (855), Shawn Langdon (791) and Tim Wilkerson (747). ... *Greg Anderson leads Pro Stock (1,262) followed by *Tanner Gray (1,242), *Erica Enders (1,146), *Vincent Nobile (1,084), *Jeg Coughlin Jr. (1,055), *Kramer (1,045),*Jason Line (986), *Chris McGaha (983),*Drew Skillman (959) and Bo Butner (930). ... *Andrew Hines leads Pro Stock Motorcycle (784), followed by *Krawiec (773), *Hector Arana Jr. (646), *LE Tonglet (641), *Jerry Savoie (588), *Matt Smith (540), Scotty Pollacheck (480), Angie Smith (409), Angelle Sampey (372) and Hector Arana Sr. (353). ... The playoffs start with 10 drivers in each class.

*Denotes clinched playoff berth

--Field Level Media

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