LDN - Sports

Auto Racing Glance

[October 17, 2018] MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES: HOLLYWOOD CASINO 400 (267 laps, 400.5 miles around a 1.5-mile D-shaped oval), Kansas Speedway; Kansas City, Kan.

TV: Sunday, 2 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 2:36 p.m. ET) -- NBC (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: As the days grow shorter, so do the opportunities to make the Round of 8 for the 12 drivers still in title contention. The final race of the three-race Round of 12 is this weekend at Kansas, and it will see four drivers fail in their quest to advance. ... Aric Almirola -- who scraped into the playoffs -- brought home the victory and set the pursuit of the title on its ear. He will automatically advance to the next round along with Dover winner Chase Elliott, who also started the playoffs at the back end. ... That leaves former champion Brad Keselowski and defending champion Martin Truex Jr. on the bubble and those behind them looking for a win. ... This is the 32nd of 36 races on the season and will be the 26th at Kansas since the first in 2001. ... Kevin Harvick won here earlier this season, but Truex won both times last season. ... The Round of 8 starts next week at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia. ... Wins put a driver atop the standings, but the points are more important at this stage, because as many as six and as few as five drivers will advance to the next round based on points. ... Harvick leads the points (3,128, third in the standings), followed by Kyle Busch (3,111, fourth), Joey Logano (3,104, fifth), Kurt Busch (3,095, sixth), *Almirola (3,087, first), Clint Bowyer (3,086, seventh), *Elliott (3,066, second), Martin Truex Jr. (3,083, eighth), Keselowski (3,065, ninth), Ryan Blaney (3,061, 10th), Kyle Larson (3,057, 11th) and Alex Bowman (3,015, 12th).

(All stats and standings per NASCAR.com)

*Victory and advancement to the next round.

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES: KANSAS LOTTERY 300 (200 laps, 300 miles around a 1.5-mile D-shaped oval), Kansas Speedway; Kansas City, Kan.

TV: Saturday, 2:30 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 2:46 p.m. ET) -- NBCSN (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: The series is back in action to open its Round of 8 but will take another and final week off following the race at Kansas. ... This is the 30th of 33 races on the season and the 18th at Kansas since the first in 2001. ... Christopher Bell won this race last season. ... Bell leads the points and standings after the reset for the Round of 8 (3,044), followed by Justin Allgaier (3,039), Daniel Hemric (3,013), Cole Custer (3,011), Elliott Sadler (3,011), Tyler Reddick (3,010), Matt Tifft (3,003) and Austin Cindric (3,001).

(All stats and standings per NASCAR.com)

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

THIS WEEK: The Trucks take their final week off before the four-race sprint to the finish after Timothy Peters won at Talladega last week. ... But Peters isn't a playoff driver, so the field was narrowed from eight to six based on previous winners and points. ... Only four drivers will make the final at Homestead, with Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix standing in their way. ... Johnny Sauter leads the Truck points and standings (3,042 points), followed by Brett Moffitt (3,027), Noah Gragson (3,025), Grant Enfinger (3,018), Justin Haley (3,014) and Matt Crafton (3,003).

(All stats and standings per NASCAR.com)

[to top of second column]

VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES

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

FORMULA ONE: UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX (59 laps, 200.6 miles around a 3.40-mile 20-turn permanent road course), Circuit of the Americas; Austin, Texas.

TV: Sunday, 2 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 2:10 p.m. ET) -- ABC (Radio: SiriusXM Radio Channel 132).

THIS WEEK: Circuit of the Americas has proven to be a popular stop on the F1 stage, and the seventh running will likely be no different. ... This is Lewis Hamilton's track, as he has won five of the six races held here, with his nearest rival, Sebastian Vettel, winning once. ... This will be the 18th of 21 races on the season. Hamilton can secure the championship in Austin if he outpoints Vettel by at least eight points, as easy as winning and seeing Vettel finish third or lower. ... Great Britain's Hamilton leads the standings in his Mercedes (331 points), followed by Germany's Vettel, Ferrari (264), Finland's Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes (207), Finland's Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari (196) and Belgium's Max Verstappen, Red Bull (173).

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

THIS WEEK: The drag racers are off a week before heading to Las Vegas and with the 22nd of 24 events on the season in the books after Charlotte proved to winnow the field in all four pro classes. ... Winners at Charlotte were Steve Torrence in Top Fuel, Ron Capps in Funny Car, Jason Line in Pro Stock and Matt Smith in Pro Stock Motorcycle. ... Torrence leads the Top Fuel standings (2,592 points), followed by Clay Millican (2,423), Tony Schumacher (2,382), Leah Pritchett (2,297), Antron Brown (2,253), Brittany Force (2,243), Mike Salinas (2,228), Doug Kalitta (2,225), Terry McMillen (2,221) and Scott Palmer (2,149). ... Robert Hight leads Funny Car (2,445), followed by J.R. Todd (2,434), Ron Capps (2,336), Tim Wilkerson (2,334), Tommy Johnson Jr. (2,296), Courtney Force (2,264), John Force (2,241), Matt Hagan (2,229), Jack Beckman (2,204) and Shawn Langdon (2,152). ... Tanner Gray leads Pro Stock (2,509), followed by Jeg Coughlin Jr. (2,379), Vincent Nobile (2,373), Drew Skillman (2,356), Erica Enders (2,338), Greg Anderson (2,299), Jason Line (2,291), Bo Butner (2,186), Deric Kramer (2,168) and Chris McGaha (2,096). ... Smith leads Pro Stock Motorcycle (2,426), followed by LE Tonglet (2,385), Eddie Krawiec (2,370), Jerry Savoie (2,326), Andrew Hines (2,291), Hector Arana Jr. (2,288), Angie Smith (2,221), Angelle Sampey (2,216), Steve Johnson (2,209) and Scotty Pollacheck (2,177).

--Field Level Media

Back to top