Auto Racing Glance

[September 30, 2020]  NASCAR CUP SERIES: YELLAWOOD 500 (188 laps, 500.08 miles around a 2.66-mile D-shaped oval), Talladega Superspeedway; Talladega, Ala.

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

THIS WEEK: Strap in, it's Talladega time again! The gargantuan superspeedway sees the highest speeds and biggest wrecks almost every year, and Sunday will likely be no different. ... This will be the 31st of 36 races on the season and serves as the middle race of the playoffs' second round of three, the Round of 12. ... Tapered spacers are used to reduce air intake into the engine and reduce power so the cars can safely navigate the high-banked track. ... This will be the 103rd race at Talladega, a track first opened in 1969. ... Ryan Blaney won this race last fall and he won here again in the spring, but he flamed out of the playoffs in the first round. ... Kurt Busch won last week at his home track of Las Vegas and is safely into the Round of 8. ... The 11 other drivers still alive in the playoffs are vying for spots here at Talladega and the Charlotte "roval" next weekend. A win automatically propels the victor into the next round of the playoffs, but among those who haven't won in the round, points are king. ... Kevin Harvick leads the points (3,104), followed by Denny Hamlin (3,101), Brad Keselowski (3,059), Martin Truex Jr. (3,058), Joey Logano (3,054), Chase Elliott (3,053), Alex Bowman (3,052), Kyle Busch (3,043), *Kurt Busch (3,041), Clint Bowyer (3,032), Aric Almirola (3,025) and Austin Dillon (3,020).

BEST BETS: Anybody can win at Talladega, but odds makers like the guy who has won the past two races here, Blaney, along with Chase Elliott and Joey Logano at 10/1. Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski are at 11/1. Austin Dillon is a solid flyer at 33/1 and Daniel Suarez has been solid on the superspeedways and is 100/1.

*Denotes race win and advancement into the next playoff round. Standings per NASCAR.com.

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES: AG-PRO 300 (113 laps, 300.58 miles around a 2.66-mile D-shaped oval), Talladega Superspeedway; Talladega, Ala.

TV: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 4:50 p.m. ET) -- NBCSN (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: The series has never raced twice at Talladega in a season, but this is no typical season. This will be the 30th series race at Talladega, with Justin Haley winning here in June. ... The 28th of 33 races on the season, and the middle race in its Round of 12, with the Charlotte "roval" up next week for drivers to make it into the Round of 8. ... Tyler Reddick won this race last season. ... Chase Briscoe won last week at Las Vegas. ... *Briscoe (2,110) leads the standings, followed by Austin Cindric (2,093), Noah Gragson (2,076), Justin Allgaier (2,068), Justin Haley (2,054), Brandon Jones (2,053), Ryan Seig (2,049), Harrison Burton (2,042), Ross Chastain (2,040), Michael Annett (2,032), Riley Herbst (2,028) and Brandon Brown (2,022) comprising the top 12.

*Denotes race win and advancement into the next playoff round. Standings per NASCAR.com.

NASCAR GANDER OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES: CHEVY SILVERADO 250 (94 laps, 250.04 miles around a 2.66-mile D-shaped oval), Talladega Superspeedway; Talladega, Ala.

TV: Saturday, 1 p.m. ET (Green flag approx. 1:20 p.m. ET) - FS1 (Radio: Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: The Trucks are gearing up for race 19 of 23 on the season and the third race of the playoffs, kicking off a NASCAR triple-header weekend in Talladega. ... There are 10 drivers in the playoffs, but only eight will advance after Talladega. ... Austin Hill won at Las Vegas last week and will be in the Round of 8 beginning at Kansas in two weeks. ... Spencer Boyd won this race last season. ... Sheldon Creed leads the Truck points (2,115), followed by Brett Moffitt (2,107), Zane Smith (2,102), Grant Enfinger (2,094), Tyler Ankrum (2,078), Matt Crafton (2,078), *Hill (2,076), Christian Eckes (2,069), Ben Rhodes (2,063) and Todd Gilliland (2,050).

*Denotes race win and advancement into the next playoff round. Standings per NASCAR.com.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES: INDYCAR HARVEST GRAND PRIX RACES 1 AND 2 (85 laps, 207.315 miles around a 2.439-mile 14-turn road course), Indianapolis Motor Speedway; Indianapolis, Ind.

TV: Friday, 3:30 p.m. ET and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. ET (Green flags approx. 3:40 p.m. ET and 2:40 p.m. ET, respectively) - USA on Saturday, NBC on Sunday (Radio: Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network, Sirius 214, XM 209, IndyCar.com, indycarradio.com and on the INDYCAR Mobile app).

THIS WEEK: The American open-wheel series is coming off a three-week layoff and is going to Indianapolis Motor Speedway's infield road course for a double-header, with the season finale up after that on the street course at St. Petersburg, Fla., on Oct. 25. ... Will Power broke a long losing streak with a win three weeks ago at Mid-Ohio, with Colton Herta winning the second race of the double-header weekend. ... Scott Dixon is ahead in the standings with 456 points, followed by Josef Newgarden (384), Pato O'Ward (338), Herta (327) and Power (306).

*Stats and standings per IndyCar.com.

FORMULA ONE

THIS WEEK: The series was in Sochi, Russia, where Valtteri Bottas won and teammate Lewis Hamilton was penalized twice, but the championship is still firmly in Hamilton's control 10 races in to a 16-race season. ... Next up is the German Grand Prix at the Hockenheimring on Oct. 11. ... Great Britain's Hamilton leads the standings with 205 points in his Mercedes, with Finland's Bottas, Mercedes, second (161), followed by Belgium's Max Verstappen, Red Bull (128), Great Britain's Lando Norris, McLaren (65) and Thai/British driver Alexander Albon, Red Bull (64).

*Standings per F1.com.

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION: MOPAR EXPRESS LANE NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS, Friday-Sunday, at World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill.

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

THIS WEEK: With the Gatornationals in the books, the series heads off to the St. Louis area with four events left on the 11-event schedule. ... Steve Torrence in Top Fuel, Ron Capps in Funny Car, Alex Laughlin in Pro Stock and Matt Smith in Pro Stock Motorcycle's won at the Gatornationals. ... Torrence leads the Top Fuel points with 548, followed by Doug Kalitta (526) and Leah Pruett (515). ... Jack Beckman leads Funny Car (569) with Matt Hagan (565) and Tommy Johnson Jr. (512) giving chase. ... Jason Line leads Pro Stock (515), followed by Erica Enders (513) and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (481). ... Matt Smith leads Pro Stock Motorcycle (348), followed by Scotty Pollacheck (327) and Andrew Hines (320).

*Standings per NHRA.com.

--By K. Lee Davis, Field Level Media

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