NASCAR CUP SERIES: BANK OF AMERICA ROVAL 400 (109 laps, 248.54 miles (399.99 kilometers) around a 2.4-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: Bubba Wallace got an emotional win in the rain-shortened race at Talladega on Monday — just the second for a Black driver in series history — but that did little to straighten out the playoff picture. … The win was Wallace’s first in the series and the first for 23XI Racing, the team started by friends Michael Jordan (yes, that Michael Jordan) and Cup racer Denny Hamlin. “I know a lot of history was made today, I believe, which is really cool.” Wallace said “But it’s about my guys, about our team, what we’ve done. Appreciate Michael Jordan, appreciate Denny for believing in me, giving me an opportunity.” … With one race to go before the 12 drivers still alive in the playoffs get cut down to eight after Sunday’s race at the Charlotte Roval, the pressure is on. … The track takes a circuitous line through the Charlotte infield on the road course and uses part of the D-shaped oval to make it a “roval.” … This is the 32nd of 36 races on the season, and the fourth ever on the Roval. The series heads to Texas next week. … Chase Elliott won this race the past two seasons. … A win at Charlotte gets a driver already in the playoffs into the next round. … *Hamlin leads the points with 3,116, followed by Kyle Larson (3,097), Joey Logano (3,096), Brad Keselowski (3,095), Martin Truex Jr. (3,095), Ryan Blaney (3,090), Elliott (3,084), Kyle Busch (3,084), Kevin Harvick (3,075), Christopher Bell (3,056), William Byron (3,040) and Alex Bowman (3,032).
BEST BETS: Elliott won the past two races on the Roval, and he’s the heavy favorite to do it again at 11/5. Larson is also popular at 9/2. Truex is at 7/1 and Kyle Busch wraps up the group at 10/1 or better, coming in at 10/1. 2018 winner Blaney is a bargain at 22/1. Daniel Suarez at 100/1 is worth a flyer.
*Denotes race win and place in the next round of the playoffs. Standings per NASCAR.com.
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES: DRIVE FOR THE CURE 250 (67 laps, 160.8 miles (258.78 kilometers) around a 2.4-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) — NBC (Radio: Performance Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).
THIS WEEK: Brandon Brown spoiled the show for the playoff drivers at Talladega, but it was a great day for he and his team to earn the first career win for Brandonbilt Motorsports. … With the playoff drivers 0-for-2 in the Round of 12, three drivers will qualify for the Round of 8 next week based on points, not a race win. … Any current playoff driver with a win at Texas next week makes the next round. … This will be the 29th of 33 races on the season and the fourth held at the Charlotte Roval, the first coming in 2018. … A.J. Allmendinger won this race the past two seasons. … Austin Cindric leads the points (2,131), followed by Justin Allgaier (2,109), Daniel Hemric (2,095), Allmendinger (2,087), Justin Haley (2,078), Brandon Jones (2,075), Noah Gragson (2,072), Harrison Burton (2,062), Jeb Burton (2,054), Myatt Snider (2,038), Riley Herbst (2,030) and Jeremy Clements (2,014) making the 12 drivers in the playoffs.
*Standings per NASCAR.com.
NASCAR GANDER OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES
THIS WEEK: Drivers still in the playoffs get one more chance to make the Championship Race, but not until Oct. 30 at Martinsville. … Tate Fogleman led one lap at Talladega on Saturday, but it was the right one, and he won his first series race. … That means the eight drivers still alive in the playoffs head to Martinsville 0-for-2 in the Round of 8, so three drivers will qualify for the title race based on points, not a race win. … Any current playoff driver with a win at Martinsville makes the Championship 4. … John Hunter Nemechek (3,105) leads the standings, followed by Ben Rhodes (3,104 points), Matt Crafton (3,079), Sheldon Creed (3,074), Stewart Friesen (3,069), Chandler Smith (3,040), Carson Hocevar (3,037) and Zane Smith (3,034).
*Standings per NASCAR.com.
NTT DATA INDYCAR SERIES
THIS WEEK: The season ended two weeks ago at Long Beach, Calif., and Spain’s Alex Palou was crowned champion. … The series returns on Feb. 27, 2022 at St. Petersburg, Fla., to kick off a 17-event season.
FORMULA ONE: TURKISH GRAND PRIX (59 laps, 192.250 miles around a 3.317-mile, 14-turn permanent road course), Istanbul Park Circuit; Istanbul, Turkey.
TV: Sunday, 8 a.m. ET (Green flag approx. 8:10 a.m. ET) — ESPN2 (Radio: SiriusXM Radio Channel 132).
THIS WEEK: Lewis Hamilton dominated in Sochi, Russia, two weeks ago, beating Max Verstappen by 52.271 seconds in the 15th event of the season. … The Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul is up this weekend, leaving seven events to decide the championship between the rivals. … The Istanbul Park Circuit is a Hermann Tilke design, and considered to be one of his best. Turn 8 in particular is a challenging, fast, bumpy, downhill left-hand traverse that is one of the most challenging in the sport. … This will be the ninth Turkish Grand Prix, with races held from 2005-11, and then again last year and this year. Hamilton won here last year, earning his seventh world title with the win. … Great Britain’s Hamilton (246.5) is in the series lead for Mercedes, with Belgium’s Verstappen second (244.5 points) for Red Bull. Finland’s Valtteri Bottas (151) in a Mercedes is third, followed by Britain’s Lando Norris (139) in a McLaren with Mexico’s Sergio Perez (120) in a Red Bull rounding out the top five.
*Standings per F1.com.
NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION: TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS, Friday-Sunday, at Texas Motorplex; Ennis, Texas.
TV: Eliminations, Sunday, 4:30-7:30 p.m. ET FS1
THIS WEEK: Three rounds of the playoffs are in the books and four remain, with the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex outside Dallas on tap. … Winners at Madison, Ill., two weeks ago were Steve Torrence in Top Fuel, Matt Hagan in Funny Car and Erica Enders in Pro Stock. Pro Stock Motorcycle had the weekend off. … Torrence leads Top Fuel (2,373 points), followed by Brittany Force (2,337) and Billy Torrence (2,247). … Hagan took over the Funny Car lead (2,354), followed by Ron Capps (2,295) and John Force (2,282). … Greg Anderson (2,394) leads Pro Stock, followed by Enders (2,377) and Kyle Koretsky (2,297). … Steve Johnson (2,272) leads Pro Stock Motorcycle, followed by Angelle Sampey (2,255) and Matt Smith (2,242).
*Standings per NHRA.com.
–By K. Lee Davis, Field Level Media
