Auto Racing Glance

[October 03, 2018]  MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES: GANDER OUTDOORS 400 (400 laps, 400 miles around a 1-mile D-shaped oval), Dover International Speedway; Dover, Del.

TV: Sunday, 2 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 2:16 p.m. ET) -- NBCSN (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: After almost the complete unknown that was the Charlotte "Roval" last week, it's back to familiar territory for the series, but with four fewer drivers vying for the title now. ... Ryan Blaney got his first win of the season at Charlotte and advanced to the Round of 12 with it, but Erik Jones, Austin Dillon, Denny Hamlin and seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson were eliminated, so they're only racing for pride the rest of the way. ... This will be the 98th race at Dover since the first one in 1969. The concrete track -- aka "The Monster Mile" -- is hard on drivers and cars that make a mistake and those around them, often collecting them in huge pileups at the bottom of the steeply banked track. ... This is the 30th of 36 races on the season. ... Kyle Busch won this race last year, with Kevin Harvick winning in the spring. ... This is the first of three races in the Round of 12, with the series heading to Talladega next week and Kansas the following one, where four more drivers will be eliminated from playoff contention. ... The top four drivers in the current standings have a significant edge in bonus point accrues all season, but the only sure way to advance to the Round of 8 is a win in the next three races. ... Busch leads the points (3,055), followed by Harvick (3,055), Martin Truex Jr. (3,038), Brad Keselowski (3,025), Clint Bowyer (3,015), Joey Logano (3,014), Kurt Busch (3,014), Blaney (3,013), Chase Elliott (3,008), Kyle Larson (3,006), Aric Almirola (3,001) and Alex Bowman (3,000).

(All stats and standings per NASCAR.com)

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES: BAR HARBOR 200 (200 laps, 200 miles around a 1-mile D-shaped oval), Dover International Speedway; Dover, Del.

TV: Saturday, 3 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 3:15 p.m. ET) -- NBCSN (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: It's the final race of the first round of the playoffs, and Dover is not an easy trip for the series, making inexperienced drivers look just that at times. ... This will be the 70th race at Dover, with Ryan Blaney winning it last year and Justin Allgaier earlier in 2018. ... After Dover, the series resets for its Round of 8, starting in two weeks at Kansas. ... This is the 29th of 33 races on the season. ... Chase Briscoe got his first career win at Charlotte, but he is not in the playoffs. ... *Christopher Bell leads the standings (2,132), followed by Daniel Hemric (2,099), Tyler Reddick (2,090), Cole Custer (2,083), Matt Tifft (2,082), Elliott Sadler (2,080), Justin Allgaier (2,080), Ross Chastain (2,078), Austin Cindric (2,069), Ryan Truex (2,054), Ryan Reed (2,053) and Brandon Jones (2,050).

(All stats and standings per NASCAR.com)

*Victory and advancement to the next round.

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

THIS WEEK: It's the last of three weeks off for the Trucks after 18 of 23 races, with Grant Enfinger winning the previous race at Las Vegas. He joins Justin Haley, a winner in August in Canada, with a guaranteed spot in the Round of 6 at Martinsville on Oct. 27. ... Next up for the six drivers sweating it out is Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 13. ... Johnny Sauter leads the Truck points (2,124 points, third in the standings), followed by Noah Gragson (2,107, fourth), Brett Moffitt (2,102, fifth), *Haley (2,101, first), Matt Crafton (2,091, sixth), *Enfinger (2,089, second), Ben Rhodes (2,084) and Stewart Friesen (2,081).

*Victory and advancement to the next round.

(All stats and standings per NASCAR.com)

VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES

THIS WEEK: The 2019 season starts March 10 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

FORMULA ONE: JAPANESE GRAND PRIX (53 laps, 191.277 miles around a 3.609-mile 18-turn permanent road course), Suzuka Circuit; Suzuka, Japan.

TV: Sunday, 1 a.m. ET (Green flag approx. 1:10 a.m. ET) -- ESPN2 (Radio: SiriusXM Radio Channel 132).

THIS WEEK: One of the highlights of the racing calendar, Suzuka is fast and technical and also has a Figure 8 layout with the track snaking under itself between Turns 9 and 10, leading to a unique view at the top level of motorsport. ... Three turns which stand out come in a row over the last half of a lap, with "Spoon," "130R" and "Casio Triangle" often figuring in who wins and who does not. ... Originally built as a test track for Honda Motor Co. in 1962, it hosted its first F1 race in 1987. ... This will be the 30th GP at the track. ... Suzuka is the 17th of 21 races on the season and the last one until the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 21. ... Championship leader Lewis Hamilton won last week in Russia, but not without controversy as teammate Valtteri Bottas allowed him to pass -- it's called team orders -- to get the win. ... Great Britain's Hamilton leads the standings in his Mercedes (306 points); followed by Germany's Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari (256); Finland's Bottas, Mercedes (189); Finland's Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari (186); and Belgium's Max Verstappen, Red Bull (158).

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION: AAA TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS, Friday-Sunday, at Texas Motorplex; Ennis, Texas.

TV: Eliminations, Sunday, 2-5 p.m. ET FS1

THIS WEEK: The series will be just outside Dallas to continue The Countdown to the Championship, the 21st of 24 events on the season. ... Winners two weeks ago at St. Louis were Steve Torrence in Top Fuel, Robert Hight in Funny Car, Tanner Gray in Pro Stock and Matt Smith in Pro Stock Motorcycle. The PSM class will race at each event the rest of the season. ... Torrence leads the Top Fuel standings (2,346 points), followed by Clay Millican (2,276), Tony Schumacher (2,225), Leah Pritchett (2,192), Antron Brown (2,169), Doug Kalitta (2,135), Mike Salinas (2,119), Terry McMillen (2,093), Brittany Force (2,085) and Scott Palmer (2,085). ... Hight leads Funny Car (2,270), followed by J.R. Todd (2,240), Courtney Force (2,200), Tim Wilkerson (2,196), Ron Capps (2,182), Tommy Johnson Jr. (2,166), Matt Hagan (2,144), John Force (2,116) Jack Beckman (2,113) and Shawn Langdon (2,086). ... Gray leads Pro Stock (2,296), followed by Vincent Nobile (2,244), Drew Skillman (2,222), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (2,215), Greg Anderson (2,206), Erica Enders (2,192), Jason Line (2,133), Bo Butner (2,120), Deric Kramer (2,104) and Chris McGaha (2,064). ... Smith leads Pro Stock Motorcycle (2,263), followed by LE Tonglet (2,242), Eddie Krawiec (2,222), Hector Arana Jr. (2,214), Andrew Hines (2,201), Jerry Savoie (2,154), Angie Smith (2,115), Steve Johnson (2,108), Scotty Pollacheck (2,094) and Angelle Sampey (2,085).

--Field Level Media

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