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Auto Racing Glance

[November 07, 2019] MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES: BLUEGREEN VACATIONS 500 (312 laps, 312 miles (500 kilometers) around a 1-mile tri-oval), ISM Raceway; Avondale, Arizona.

TV: Sunday, 2:30 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 2:45 p.m. ET) -- NBC (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: Kevin Harvick won the race at Texas and the guaranteed spot in the Championship Round next weekend at Homestead-Miami. ... Martin Truex Jr. punched his ticket to the championship race with a victory at Martinsville, so he and Harvick are the only drivers safely through as the series heads to Phoenix. ... This is the 35th of 36 races on the season, and is the 47th series race at ISM Raceway. ... Kyle Busch won this race last fall and then again this spring. ... The bottom four in the playoffs need to win or get some help to make the finale. ... *Truex leads the standings (4,133 points), followed by *Harvick (4,113), Busch (4,113), Joey Logano (4,111), Denny Hamlin (4,091), Ryan Blaney (4,088), Kyle Larson (4,088) and Chase Elliott (4,033) comprising the eight drivers still alive in the playoffs.

BEST BETS: Kyle Busch is a big favorite at 3/1, with Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick at 5/1. Chase Elliott is 8/1, Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson at 12/1. Joey Logano is a steal at 25/1. Go ahead and take a flyer on Jimmie Johnson at 60/1.

*Denotes race win and berth into the championship race. Stats and standings per NASCAR.com.

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES: DESERT DIAMOND WEST VALLEY CASINO 200 (200 laps, 200 miles around a 1-mile tri-oval), ISM Raceway; Avondale, Arizona.

TV: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 3:45 p.m. ET) -- NBCSN (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: The series gears up for the final race in its Round of 8 at Phoenix after another win from Christopher Bell at Texas. ... Phoenix is a challenge any time and the Xfinity cars usually put on a good show here. ... This is the 32nd of 33 races on the season and the 36th series race at ISM Raceway. ... Full-time Cup driver Kyle Busch won here in the spring and Bell won the fall race last year and is the only playoff driver to win so far in the Round of 8 and thus guarantee a berth for the championship at Homestead. ... *Bell leads the standings (3,166), followed by Cole Custer (3,135), Tyler Reddick (3,119), Justin Allgaier (3,101), Chase Briscoe (3,083), Michael Annett (3,073), Austin Cindric (3,070) and Noah Gragson (3,054).

*Denotes race win and berth into the championship race. Stats and standings per NASCAR.com.

NASCAR GANDER OUTDOOR TRUCK SERIES: LUCAS OIL 150 (150 laps, 150 miles around a 1-mile tri-oval), ISM Raceway; Avondale, Arizona.

TV: Friday, 8:30 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 8:45 p.m. ET) -- FS1 (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: All four spots in the Homestead finale next week are up for grabs this weekend at Phoenix as no playoff driver has won the previous two races at Talladega and Martinsville in the Round of 6. ... Brett Moffitt won this race last season as the Trucks visit ISM Raceway just once a year. ... This is the 22nd of 23 races on the season and will be the 29th the series has run at Phoenix. ... Moffitt leads the standings (3,107 points), followed by Stewart Friesen (3,097), Ross Chastain (3,082), Austin Hill (3,071), Matt Crafton (3,062) and Tyler Ankrum (3,056).

Stats and standings per NASCAR.com.

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NTT INDYCAR SERIES

THIS WEEK: The 2020 season kicks off March 15 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in Fla., for the first of 17 races. ... Of note, Roger Penske, a billionaire and long-time championship race team owner across the sport, bought Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IndyCar Series this week.

FORMULA ONE

THIS WEEK: Lewis Hamilton won his sixth world championship Sunday, finishing second in the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. ... Hamilton now trails Michael Schumacher by one championship, and will be the odds-on favorite to win a seventh when the 2020 season opens. ... The series takes a week off before wrapping up the season in Abu Dhabi, but the only positions among the top five still to be contested are spots 3-5, but it is very likely Charles Leclerc keeps third. ... Great Britain's Hamilton is the champion with 381 points in his Mercedes, with Finland's Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes, second (314), followed by Monaco's Leclerc, Ferrari (249), Belgium's Max Verstappen, Red Bull (235), and Germany's Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari (230).

Standings per F1.com

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

THIS WEEK: After a thriller in Las Vegas, the penultimate event of the season, the hot rods take a week off before the NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif. ... Winners at Las Vegas were Brittany Force in in Top Fuel, Matt Hagan in Funny Car, Erica Enders in Pro Stock and Matt Smith in Pro Stock Motorcycle. ... All four pro categories are up for grabs at Pomona. ... Steve Torrence leads the Top Fuel standings (2,488 points), followed by Force (2,472), Doug Kalitta (2,433), Billy Torrence (2,402), Leah Pritchett (2,353), Austin Prock (2,330), Mike Salinas (2,322), Antron Brown (2,279), Richie Crampton (2,261) and Clay Millican (2,241). ... Robert Hight leads Funny Car (2,494), followed by Jack Beckman (2,448), Hagan (2,438), John Force (2,422), Bob Tasca III (2,390), Ron Capps (2,334), J.R. Todd (2,312), Tommy Johnson Jr. (2,306), Shawn Langdon (2,274) and Tim Wilkerson (2,223). ... Enders leads Pro Stock (2,517), followed by Jeg Coughlin Jr. (2,425), Bo Butner (2,404), Jason Line (2,401), Matt Hartford (2,399), Anderson (2,360), Deric Kramer (2,359), Alex Laughlin (2,291), Chris McGaha (2,250) and Val Smeland (2,155). ... Andrew Hines lead Pro Stock Motorcycle (2,540), followed by Jerry Savoie (2,425), Eddie Krawiec (2,424), Smith (2,423), Karen Stoffer (2,416), Hector Arana Jr. (2,306), Angelle Sampey (2,302), Angie Smith (2,233), Ryan Oehler (2,191) and Hector Arana (2,160).

Standings per NHRA.com.

--By K. Lee Davis, Field Level Media

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