AUTO RACING PACKAGE: Auto Racing Glance
All Times EDT
NASCAR
SPRINT CUP
CAMPINGWORLD.COM 500
Site: Talladega, Alabama.
Schedule: Friday, practice (NBC Sports Network, 2-3 p.m., 4:30-5:30 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying (NBC Sports Network, 4-6 p.m.); Sunday, race, 2:30 p.m. (NBC Sports Network, 2-6 p.m.).
Track: Talladega Superspeedway (oval, 2.66 miles).
Race distance: 500.08 miles, 188 laps.
Last year: Brad Keselowski raced to the last of his six 2014 victories.
Last week: Joey Logano won at Kansas Speedway for his second straight victory, spinning out Matt Kenseth to take the lead. Logano earned a spot in the third round of the Chase two weeks ago with his Charlotte win.
Fast facts: The Chase field will be cut from 12 to eight after the race, the second-round finale and sixth event in the 10-race playoffs. The championship field will be cut to four after the ninth race. Drivers get a spot in the next round with a victory. Points are reset after each round and the title will be decided by finishing order in the Nov. 22 finale at Homestead. ... Denny Hamlin leads the points race for the remaining third-round spots, five points ahead of Kurt Busch. Carl Edwards is six points behind Hamlin, followed by Kevin Harvick (-11), Jeff Gordon (-11), Keselowski (-11), Martin Truex Jr. (-12), Kyle Busch (-18), Ryan Newman (-20), Dale Earnhardt (-43) and Kenseth (-47). ... Gordon, retiring after the season, and Earnhardt lead active drivers with six Talladega victories. Earnhardt won in May at the track and took the restrictor-plate race in July at sister-track Daytona. Logano won the season-opening Daytona 500.
Next race: Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500, Nov. 1, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Virginia.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
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CAMPING WORLD TRUCK
FRED'S 250
Site: Talladega, Alabama.
Schedule: Friday, practice (Fox Sports 1, 3-3:55 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying (Fox Sports 1, 10:30 a.m.-noon), race, 1 p.m. (Fox Sports 1, 12:30-3:30 p.m.).
Track: Talladega Superspeedway (oval, 2.66 miles).
Race distance: 250.04 miles, 94 laps.
Last year: Timothy Peters won in a two-lap sprint to the finish.
Last race: John Wes Townley won at Las Vegas on Oct. 3 for his first career victory.
Fast facts: Erik Jones leads the standings, four points ahead of two-time defending series champion Matt Crafton and 12 in front of Tyler Reddick. Jones has two victories this year and also has won twice on the Xfinity Series. Reddick won the season-opening race at Daytona, Talladega's sister track.
Next race: Kroger 200, Oct. 31, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Virginia.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
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XFINITY
Next race: O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge, Nov. 7, Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas.
Last week: Kyle Busch won at Kansas Speedway for his fifth victory of the year and record-extending 75th overall in the series.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
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FORMULA ONE
U.S. GRAND PRIX
Site: Austin, Texas.
Schedule: Friday, practice (NBC Sports Network, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 3-4:30 p.m.); Saturday, practice, qualifying (NBC Sports Network, 12:30-4 p.m.); Sunday, race, 3 p.m. (NBC, 2:30-6 p.m.).
Track: Circuit of The Americas (road course, 3.427 miles).
Race distance: 191.94 miles, 56 laps.
Last week: Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton raced to the 10th of his 11 2014 victories en route to the season title. Teammate Nico Rosberg was second.
Last race: Hamilton won the Russian Grand Prix on Oct. 11 for his ninth victory in the first 15 races. He has 42 career victories.
Fast facts: Hamilton is in position to wrap up his third season title. With four races left, he has a 66-point lead over Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and a 73-point advantage over Rosberg. A race victory is worth 25 points. ... Hamilton won the inaugural event in 2012, driving for McLaren. ... The 20-turn track is the series' 10th U.S. venue.
Next race: Mexican Grand Prix, Nov. 1, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City.
Online: http://www.formula1.com
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NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING
Next event: NHRA Toyota Nationals, Oct. 29-Nov. 1, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas.
Last week: Pro Stock star Erica Enders broke the NHRA record for season victories by a female driver, winning the Texas NHRA FallNationals for her eighth win. Richie Crampton won in Top Fuel, Del Worsham in Funny Car, and Jerry Savoie in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Online: http://www.nhra.com
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OTHER RACES
WORLD OF OUTLAWS: Sprint Car: Saturday, Port Royal Speedway, Port Royal, Pennsylvania; Sunday, Weedsport Speedway, Weedsport, New York. Super DirtCar: Saturday, Weedsport Speedway, Weedsport, New York. Online: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com