Auto Racing Glance

Sep 20, 2017 - 6:43 PM MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES: ISM CONNECT 300 (300 laps, 317.4 miles around a 1.058-mile flat oval), New Hampshire Motor Speedway; Loudon, N.H.

TV: Sunday, 2 p.m. ET -- NBCSN (Radio: Performance Racing Network /SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: This will be the 46th NASCAR Cup race at NHMS, which has been hosting NASCAR since 1993. ... There will be some sadness this weekend as Sunday's race will mark the end of an era that has seen NHMS host two Cup races per season since 1997. Starting next year, NHMS will have only one race per season, with its former second race date being moved to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. ... This is the second race of the 10-race NASCAR Cup playoffs, with 16 drivers battling it out for the 2017 championship. ... Kevin Harvick is the defending winner of this race, while Denny Hamlin won at NHMS on July 16. ... No. 1 seed Martin Truex Jr. won the playoff opener Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway and gained an automatic advancement berth to the second round of the playoffs. ... Here's the Cup point standings after Chicagoland: Truex (2,102 points), Kyle Larson (2,075), Harvick (2,067), Brad Keselowski (2,061), Kyle Busch (2,061), Hamlin (2,058), Jimmie Johnson (2,046), Chase Elliott (2,044), Matt Kenseth (2,039), Ryan Blaney (2,034), Jamie McMurray (2,031), Austin Dillon (2,026), Kurt Busch (2,026), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2,022), Kasey Kahne (2,021) and Ryan Newman (2,019).



NASCAR XFINITY SERIES: VISITMYRTLEBEACH.COM 300 (200 laps, 300 miles around a 1.5-mile oval), Kentucky Speedway; Sparta, Ky.

TV: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET -- NBCSN (Radio: Performance Racing Network/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: This will be the 23rd Xfinity race at Kentucky. Elliott Sadler is the defending winner of last year's race, while Kyle Busch won there in early July. ... No NASCAR Cup drivers will compete in this race. ... Justin Allgaier won last weekend's race at Chicagoland Speedway. ... ... This race begins the start of the 7-race Xfinity Series playoffs. William Byron is the No. 1 seed (2,025 points), followed by Allgaier (2,023), Sadler (2,020), Daniel Hemric (2,009), Brennan Poole (2,006), Ryan Reed (2,005), Jeremy Clements (2,005), Cole Custer (2,005), Blake Koch (2,005), Matt Tifft (2,004), Brendan Gaughan (2,003) and Michael Annett (2,001).



NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES: UNOH 175 (175 laps, 185.15 miles around a 1.058-mile flat oval), New Hampshire Motor Speedway; Loudon, NH.

TV: Saturday, 1 p.m. ET -- FoxSports1 (Radio: Motor Racing Network /SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: This will be the 20th Truck Series race at NHMS. William Byron won last year's race there. ... Johnny Sauter won last weekend's race at Chicagoland Speedway. ... This will be the opening race of the Truck Series' seven-race playoffs. ... Christopher Bell is the No. 1 seed for the playoffs (2,040 points), followed by Sauter (2,025), John Hunter Nemechek (2,014), Matt Crafton (2,014), Chase Briscoe (2,009), Austin Cindric (2,007), Ben Rhodes (2,007) and Kaz Grala (2,005).



VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES: The 2017 season has concluded. ... Josef Newgarden won his first IndyCar championship this past Sunday in Sonoma, Calif. It was also the 15th IndyCar championship for Team Penske. ... Simon Pagenaud won the season finale at Sonoma. ... Winners of all 17 races have been Sebastien Bourdais (St. Petersburg), James Hinchcliffe (Long Beach), Newgarden (Alabama, Toronto, Mid-Ohio, Gateway) Pagenaud (Phoenix, Sonoma), Will Power (IndyCar Grand Prix), Takuma Sato (Indy 500), Graham Rahal (both Belle Isle races), Power (Texas, Pocono), Scott Dixon (Road America), Helio Castroneves (Iowa) and Alexander Rossi (Watkins Glen). ... Here's the final standings for the 2017 season: Newgarden (642), Pagenaud (629), Dixon (621), Castroneves (598), Power (562), Rahal (522), Rossi (494), Sato (441), Hunter-Reay (421) and Tony Kanaan (403).



NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION, MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES: DODGE NHRA NATIONALS, Thursday-Sunday, Maple Grove Raceway, Mohnton, Pa.

TV: Sunday, Sept. 24, 2 p.m. -- 5 p.m. ET -- FoxSports1.

THIS WEEK: The six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs moves into its second round this weekend. ... The winners in the playoff-opening race this past weekend in suburban Charlotte were Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Tanner Gray (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle). ... Here are the updated point standings after Charlotte: Top Fuel -- Kalitta (2,173 points), Steve Torrence (2,159), Antron Brown (2,135), Brittany Force (2,117), Tony Schumacher (2,115), Clay Millican (2,110), Leah Pritchett (2,108), Terry McMillan (2,051), Scott Palmer (2,042) and Shawn Langdon (2,036); Funny Car -- Robert Hight (2,197 points), Ron Capps (2,153), Courtney Force (2,141), Tommy Johnson Jr. (2,107), J.R. Todd (2,102), Matt Hagan (2,102), Jack Beckman (2,095), John Force (2,085), Tim Wilkerson (2,046) and Cruz Pedregon (2,033); Pro Stock -- Tanner Gray (2,206 points), Bo Butner (2,181), Greg Anderson (2,171), Jason Line (2,132), Drew Skillman (2,113), Erica Enders (2,092), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (2,084), Vincent Nobile (2,052), Allen Johnson (2,042) and Chris McGaha (2,034); Pro Stock Motorcycle -- Eddie Krawiec (2,202 points), L.E. Tonglet (2,154), Hector Arana Jr. (2,150), Andrew Hines (2,144), Jerry Savoie (2,141), Matt Smith (2,105), Scotty Pollacheck (2,085), Joey Gladstone (2,052), Karen Stoffer (2,042) and Angie Smith (2,033).