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[September 03, 2020] NASCAR CUP SERIES: COOK OUT SOUTHERN 500 (367 laps, 501.3 miles around a 1.336-mile egg-shaped oval), Darlington Raceway; Darlington, S.C.

TV: Sunday, 6 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 6:20 p.m. ET) -- NBC (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: It's off to the "Track Too Tough To Tame" for the 27th of 36 races on the season and the first race of NASCAR's 10-race Cup playoffs. The Round of 16. ... Darlington Raceway is famous for its "stripes," when cars hit the wall and leave streaks along it, for its unique egg-like shape and its hard racing that often leaves drivers frustrated. ... This is also a "throwback weekend" when many of the cars will sport paint schemes reminiscent of ones in the past. ... One of the oldest tracks on the circuit, Darlington hosted its first cup race in 1950 and this will be the 119th at the track. Two races a season were held earlier this season, with Kevin Harvick winning on May 17 and Denny Hamlin on May 20. Erik Jones won here last September. ... William Byron won last week at Daytona, and with his first career victory, a spot in the playoffs. ... 16 drivers are in the playoffs, and while Jimmie Johnson has 10 more races left in his career, he won't be adding an eighth Cup championship to his resume, narrowly missing making the playoffs field. ... Drivers have the next three races (Darlington, Richmond and Bristol) to make the Round of 12, and it's win and advance or be inside the top 12 in points of the winless drivers. ... Drivers were re-ranked and points reset after Daytona with Harvick in the lead with 2,057. Hamlin is second (2,047), followed by Brad Keselowski (2,029), Joey Logano (2,022), Chase Elliott (2,020), Martin Truex Jr. (2,014), Ryan Blaney (2,013), Alex Bowman (2,009), Byron (2,007), Austin Dillon (2,005 ), Cole Custer (2,005), Aric Almirola (2,005), Clint Bowyer (2,004), Kyle Busch (2,003), Kurt Busch (2,001) and Matt DiBenedetto (2,000).

BEST BETS: Kevin Harvick is the 13/4 favorite, with Denny Hamlin right behind at 7/2. Martin Truex Jr. at 8/1 and Brad Keselowski at 9/1 are next in line. You can take a flyer, but flyers don't win in NASCAR's playoffs and drivers outside the playoffs rarely win to boot, so a better play would be a driver such as Ryan Blaney at 20/1 or William Byron at 33/1.

Standings per NASCAR.com.

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES: SPORT CLIPS HELP A HERO 200 (147 laps, 200.8 miles around a 1.336-mile egg-shaped oval), Darlington Raceway; Darlington, S.C.

TV: Saturday, 12:30 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 12:50 p.m. ET) -- NBC (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: The 23rd of 33 races on the season, the series leaves Daytona -- where Justin Haley won his second race of the season -- for Darlington, which drives a bit like a road course with its four unique turns. ... This will be the 61st series race at the track, with Chase Briscoe winning here in May and Cole Custer last August. There are four races left for the Xfinity full-timers in the regular season before the playoffs begin at Las Vegas on Sept. 26 with 12 drivers in the postseason. After Darlington is a doubleheader at Richmond next weekend, then Bristol on Sept. 18. ... 12 drivers qualify for the Xfinity playoffs, and if you win you're in. No driver outside the top 12 has won yet this season. ... *Austin Cindric (968) leads the standings, followed by *Chase Briscoe (910), Ross Chastain (860), *Noah Gragson (842), *Haley (757), *Harrison Burton (752), *Justin Allgaier (750), Michael Annett (663), *Brandon Jones (652), Riley Herbst (582), Ryan Seig (526) and Brandon Brown (472) composing the top 12.

*Denotes race winner and playoff berth. Standings per NASCAR.com.

NASCAR GANDER MOUNTAIN TRUCK SERIES: SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATION LOTTERY 200 (147 laps, 200.8 miles around a 1.336-mile egg-shaped oval), Darlington Raceway; Darlington, S.C.

TV: Sunday, 2 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 2:20 p.m. ET) -- FS1 (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

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THIS WEEK: The Trucks are back at Darlington for the first time since 2011 and just the third time since 2004 and seventh time overall. ... No active Trucks driver has won at Darlington, and in fact, there are no full-time active drivers at NASCAR's top three levels to have won a Truck race at Darlington. ... This is the 15th of 23 races on the season. ... Sheldon Creed earned his third victory this year last week at Daytona. ... There are two races left -- Darlington and Richmond -- before the series starts its Round of 10 playoff run at Bristol on Sept. 17. ... *Austin Hill leads the Truck points (549), followed by *Zane Smith (521), Brett Moffitt (516), Ben Rhodes (483), *Creed (475), Christian Eckes (471), *Matt Crafton (449), *Grant Enfinger (422), Tyler Ankrum (413) and Todd Gilliland (411) rounding out the top 10. Derek Kraus (398) is trying to chase down Gilliland or Ankrum for the final spot in the playoffs.

*Denotes race winner and playoff berth. Standings per NASCAR.com.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES

THIS WEEK: The series is taking a long layoff coming off a doubleheader at Worldwide Technology Raceway in Illinois, with Scott Dixon winning Saturday and Josef Newgarden on Sunday. ... Next up will be a doubleheader at Indianapolis Motor Speedway's infield road course on Oct. 2-3, with the season finale on the street course at St. Petersburg, Fla., on Oct. 25. ... Simon Pagenaud won the lone road-course race at Indy last season, held in its traditional place before the Indy 500. ... Dixon is well ahead in the standings, with 416 points, followed by Newgarden (320), Pato O'Ward (297), Takuma Sato (274) and Colton Herta (250).

*Stats and standings per IndyCar.com.

FORMULA ONE: ITALIAN GRAND PRIX (53 laps, 190.8 miles around a 3.6-mile 11-turn permanent road course), Autodromo Nazionale Monza; Monza, Italy.

TV: Sunday, 9 a.m. ET (Green flag approx. 9:10 a.m. ET) -- ESPN2 (Radio: SiriusXM Radio Channel 132).

THIS WEEK: The Italian Grand Prix is the eighth of 14 races this season and the first of two straight at Monza. ... The track is a long flowing race course with hills and four long turns broken up by seven sharp ones. Grip is low. ... This will be the 90th Italian Grand Prix at the track. ... Charles Leclerc won this race last year. ... Lewis Hamilton won the Grand Prix of Belgium last week at Spa and is starting to run away with the title after five wins in seven races. ... Great Britain's Hamilton (157) leads the points in his Mercedes, with Belgian Max Verstappen (110) second in his Red Bull. Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas of Finland is third (107), Thai/British driver Alexander Albon in his Red Bull is up to fourth (48) with Monaco's Leclerc in his Ferrari and Britain's Lando Norris in his McLaren-Renault tied for fifth (45).

*Stats and standings per F1.com.

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION: DENSO SPARK PLUGS U.S. NATIONALS, Thursday-Sunday, at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis; Indianapolis, Ind.

TV: Eliminations, Sunday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. ET (live) FS1; 1-4 p.m. ET (live) Fox

THIS WEEK: The series is back in action after a month off. ... Five events have been run this season, with nine still on the schedule ... Doug Kalitta leads the Top Fuel points with 436, followed by Steve Torrence (353) and Leah Pruett (347). ... Tommy Johnson Jr. leads Funny Car (416) with Jack Beckman (403) and Matt Hagan (388) giving chase. ... Jeg Coughlin Jr. leads Pro Stock (414) with Jason Line (370) and Erica Enders (337) behind him. ... Ryan Oehler leads Pro Stock Motorcycle (172), followed by Sampey (168) and Matt Smith (165).

Standings per NHRA.com.

--Field Level Media

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