Auto Racing Glance

[October 14, 2020]  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, 2:30 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 2:46 p.m. ET) -- NBC (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: With the Round of 12 coming to a close last week on the Charlotte roval, eight drivers remain in playoff contention as the series heads to Kansas Speedway for the 33rd of 36 races on the season and the 30th at the track overall. ... Falling by the wayside after Charlotte were preseason favorite Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Ryan Blaney and William Byron. ... Kansas is one of the so-called cookie-cutter tracks, 1.5-mile D-shaped ovals, but long shadows during the fall race and cooler temperatures have always made it a unique challenge. ... Denny Hamlin won the postponed race run here in July, and also won last season's fall race. ... Chase Elliott won at Charlotte, defending his win from 2019. ... Four drivers will advance to the championship out of the Round of 8, which means at least one driver will advance on points after things are settled at Kansas, Texas Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway over these next three weeks. ... Kevin Harvick leads the standings (4,067 points), followed by Hamlin (4,054), Brad Keselowski (4,035), Elliott (4,027), Joey Logano (4,022), Martin Truex Jr. (4,017), Alex Bowman (4,009) and Kurt Busch (4,006).

BEST BETS: Denny Hamlin is the leader at 4/1, and why not, since he has won the past two races at Kansas. Kevin Harvick is at 9/2 and Chase Elliott at 11/2. Don't expect a non-playoff driver to win, but Christopher Bell and Matt Kenseth are juicy targets at 100/1.

*Stats and standings per NASCAR.com.

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, 7 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 7:16 p.m. ET) -- NBCSN (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: No more off weeks for the Xfinity set, either, as the series begins its Round of 8 at Kansas. This will be the 30th of 33 races on the season, and the 21st series race at the track. ... Brandon Jones won here in July and also last fall. ... Harrison Burton, Brandon Brown, Michael Annett and Riley Herbst failed to advance out of Charlotte, where AJ Allmendinger -- who is not in the playoffs -- won again to follow up his 2019 victory. ... Chase Briscoe (3,060) leads the points, followed by Austin Cindric (3,050), Justin Allgaier (3,033), Noah Gragson (3,025), Justin Haley (3,023), Jones (3,020), Ross Chastain (3,010) and Ryan Sieg (3,002).

*Stats and standings per NASCAR.com.

NASCAR GANDER OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES: CLEAN HARBORS 200 (134 laps, 201 miles around a 1.5-mile D-shaped oval), Kansas Speedway; Kansas City, Kan.

TV: Saturday, 4 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 4:16 p.m. ET) -- FOX (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: After a week off, the Trucks are back for the four-race Sprint to the finish with 19 of 23 races in the books. ... This will be the 22nd series race at the track, but the first season the trucks have raced here twice, with Matt Crafton taking home the victory in July. ... Eight drivers advanced in the playoffs at Talladega, and four drivers will advance to the championship in Phoenix over the next three races at Kansas, Texas and Martinsville. ... Austin Hill leads the Truck points (3,028), followed by Sheldon Creed (3,028), Zane Smith (3,022), Grant Enfinger (3,019), Brett Moffitt (3,016), Ben Rhodes (3,014), Crafton (3,009) and Tyler Ankrum (3,003).

*Stats and standings per NASCAR.com.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES

THIS WEEK: The American open-wheel series continues its final break of the season before the championship race at St. Petersburg, Fla., on Oct. 25. ... Team Penske made it a sweep on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course two weekends ago, with Josef Newgarden and Will Power winning. ... Scott Dixon leads the standings with 502 points, followed by Newgarden (470), Colton Herta (401), Power (388) and Pato O'Ward (376).

*Stats and standings per IndyCar.com.

FORMULA ONE

THIS WEEK: The series takes a week off before heading to Portugal, and Lewis Hamilton got closer to winning his record-tying seventh world championship with a convincing victory in the Eifel Grand Prix at Nurburgring last week in Germany. ... It was the 92nd win in his illustrious career, tying him with Michael Schumacher, the only driver to win seven world titles. ... Great Britain's Hamilton leads the standings with 230 points in his Mercedes, with Finland's Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes, second (161), followed by Belgium's Max Verstappen, Red Bull (147), Australia's Daniel Ricciardo, Renault (78) and Mexico's Sergio Perez, Racing Point (68) rounding out the top five.

*Stats and standings per F1.com.

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

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

THIS WEEK: It's off to Texas for the first of two events in the Lone Star State, this weekend near Dallas before heading out to the Houston area on Oct. 23-25. ... The Pro Stock divisions will settle their ladders in Ennis after the weather postponed those two weeks ago near St. Louis. ... The series finishes up at Las Vegas on Oct. 30-Nov. 1. ... Steve Torrence leads the Top Fuel points (642), followed by Doug Kalitta (640) and Leah Pruett (562). ... Matt Hagan leads Funny Car (659) with Jack Beckman (643) and Tommy Johnson Jr. (625) giving chase. ... Jason Line leads Pro Stock (565), followed by Erica Enders (563) and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (531). ... Matt Smith leads Pro Stock Motorcycle (418), followed by Scotty Pollacheck (397) and Andrew Hines (390).

*Stats and standings per NHRA.com.

--By K. Lee Davis, Field Level Media

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