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Auto Racing Glance

[September 26, 2018] MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES: BANK OF AMERICA ROVAL 400 (109 laps, 248.54 miles (399.99 kilometers) around a 2.28-mile, 17-turn infield road course), Charlotte Motor Speedway; Concord, N.C.

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

THIS WEEK: It's the biggest unknown in a long time in NASCAR as the Cup Series races on the road course (and parts of the D-shaped oval, thus a "roval") at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the first time. There have been tests, and they have been crash-filled. ... This is also the final of three races of the Round of 16, the first round of the playoffs, and four of the 16 drivers in the field will be eliminated from title contention at the conclusion Sunday. ... Kyle Busch won last week at Richmond and joins Las Vegas winner Brad Keselowski safely in the Round of 12. Defending series champion Martin Truex Jr. joins them based on points, already having enough to guarantee a spot, leaving 13 drivers fighting for the final nine spots. ... A win automatically propels the victor into the next round of the playoffs. ... This is the 29th race of 36 on the season. ... This will be the 120th race at Charlotte, a track opened in 1960. ... Busch earned one of his seven victories so far this season at Charlotte in May, but that was on the oval, not the roval. ... The four drivers currently behind the playoff cut line are in varying states of despair, with Clint Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson needing good days and a little help while Erik Jones and Denny Hamlin likely need to win Sunday. Truex leads in points (2,141, third in the standings), followed by *Busch (2,125, first), Kevin Harvick (2,113, fourth), *Keselowski (2,111, second), Joey Logano (2,081), Aric Almirola (2,079), Kyle Larson (2,073), Kurt Busch (2,071), Chase Elliott (2,066), Austin Dillon (2,066), Alex Bowman (2,061), Ryan Blaney (2,060), Bowyer (2,056), Johnson (2,054), Jones (2,039) and Hamlin (2,031).

(All stats and standings per NASCAR.com)

*Victory and advancement to the next round.

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES: DRIVE FOR THE CURE 200 (55 laps, 125.4 miles (201.8 kilometers) around a 2.28-mile, 17-turn infield road course), Charlotte Motor Speedway; Concord, N.C.

TV: Saturday, 3 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 3:16 p.m. ET) -- NBCSN (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: It's not just the top Cup series taking a crack at the Charlotte "roval" this weekend -- the Xfinity set gives a preview a day earlier. ... Richmond was the first race of the series playoffs and the first of the three-race Round of 12. It was won by Christopher Bell, so 11 other playoff drivers are vying to get a win to guarantee advancement into the Round of 8, which begins Oct. 20 at Kansas after the first round wraps up next week at Dover. ... This is the 28th of 33 races on the season and the 74th all-time at Charlotte. ... Cup regular Alex Bowman won this race last season. *Bell leads the standings (2,090), followed by Daniel Hemric (2,062), Justin Allgaier (2,056), Ross Chastain (2,053), Elliott Sadler (2,051), Matt Tifft (2,047), Tyler Reddick (2,046), Brandon Jones (2,035), Cole Custer (2,035), Ryan Truex (2,033), Austin Cindric (2,028) and Ryan Reed (2,027).

(All stats and standings per NASCAR.com)

*Victory and advancement to the next round.

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

THIS WEEK: It's the second of three weeks off for the Trucks after 18 of 23 races, with Grant Enfinger winning two weeks ago at Las Vegas. He joins Justin Haley, a winner last month 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.

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(All stats and standings per NASCAR.com)

VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES

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

FORMULA ONE: RUSSIAN GRAND PRIX (52 laps, 188.968 miles around a 3.634-mile, 18-turn temporary street course), Sochi Autodrom; Sochi, Russia.

TV: Sunday, 7 a.m. ET (Green flag approx. 7:10 a.m. ET) -- ESPN2 (Radio: SiriusXM Radio Channel 132).

THIS WEEK: The series is in Sochi, Russia, for the final race in or near Europe before heading to Japan next week. ... This will be the fifth Russian Grand Prix in the modern era, all being held at the Sochi track since 2014, but it's the seventh Russian Grand Prix after two held in St, Petersburg, Russia, in 1913-14. ... This is the 16th of 21 races on the season. ... Valtteri Bottas won this race last year. ... Lewis Hamilton won at Singapore as title rival Sebastian Vettel finished third. ... Both four-time champions, Hamilton and his Mercedes team are looking good, winning seven of 15 races with just six to go. He has only three finishes outside the top three so far in 2018. ... For his part, Vettel and his Ferrari team have won five races, but he's finished off the podium six times. ... Great Britain's Hamilton leads the standings in his Mercedes (281 points), followed by Vettel, Ferrari (241), Finland's Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari (174), Finland's Bottas, Mercedes (171) and Belgium's Max Verstappen, Red Bull (148).

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

THIS WEEK: The hot rods take the week off before heading to just outside Dallas to continue The Countdown to the Championship, the 21st of 24 events on the season. ... Winners last week 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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