All Times EST
NASCAR
SPRINT CUP
KOBALT TOOLS 500
Site: Avondale, Ariz.
Schedule: Friday, practice (ESPN2, 1:30-2:55 p.m., 5:30-7:30 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying (Speed, 1:30-3 p.m.); Sunday, race, 3 p.m. (ESPN, 2-6:30 p.m.).
Track: Phoenix International Raceway (oval, 1.0 miles).
Race distance: 312 miles, 312 laps.
Last year: Carl Edwards ended a 70-race victory drought, completing a Cup-Nationwide weekend sweep.
Last week: Tony Stewart raced to his second consecutive victory and fourth in eight Chase events, holding off points leader Edwards at Texas.
Fast facts: Edwards has a three-point lead over Stewart with two races left. They each have 313 points in the Chase and Edwards has three bonus points for winning a race in the regular season. Kevin Harvick is third, 33 points back, followed by Matt Kenseth (-38), Brad Keselowski (-49), five-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson (-55), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (-79) and February Phoenix winner Jeff Gordon (-81). … The track has been repaved and reconfigured since the February race. The new configuration features variable banking, a longer dogleg and an improved pit road.
Next race: Ford 400, Nov. 20, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Fla.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
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NATIONWIDE
WYPALL 200
Site: Avondale, Ariz.
Schedule: Friday, practice; Saturday, qualifying (Speed, noon-1:30 p.m.), race, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN2, 3-6 p.m.).
Track: Phoenix International Raceway (oval, 1.0 miles).
Race distance: 200 miles, 200 laps.
Last year: Carl Edwards won the November race for the third straight year, leading 153 of 200 laps.
Last week: Trevor Bayne raced to his first Nationwide victory, passing Roush Fenway teammate Carl Edwards following a restart with seven laps left in Texas.
Fast facts: Roush Fenway’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr. leads the season standings, 17 points ahead of Elliott Sadler with two races left. … In the owners’ standings, Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 18 has a two-point lead over Roush Fenway’s No. 60. Kyle Busch has driven the No. 18 in 21 of the 32 races, winning eight times. Edwards has made 31 starts in the No. 60, also winning eight times. Joey Logano will drive the No. 18 this week. Busch won the February race at the track.
Next race: Ford 300, Nov. 19, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Fla.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
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CAMPING WORLD TRUCK
Next race: Ford 200, Nov. 18, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Fla.
Last week: Kevin Harvick won at Texas in a race marred by Kyle Busch’s intentional wreck of Ron Hornaday Jr. under caution. Harvick wrapped up the season owners’ title for his No. 2 truck. Busch was parked for the rest of the race and also forced to sit out the Nationwide and Cup events.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
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NHRA FULL THROTTLE
AUTO CLUB NHRA FINALS
Site: Pomona, Calif.
Schedule: Thursday, qualifying; Friday, qualifying; Saturday, qualifying (ESPN2, Sunday, 12:15-2 a.m.); Sunday, final eliminations (ESPN2, 7-10 p.m.).
Track: Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
Last year: John Force won his NHRA-record 15th Funny Car championship, beating Jeff Arend in the season-ending event. Larry Dixon won his third Top Fuel championship, Greg Anderson took the Pro Stock title, and LE Tonglet won the Pro Stock Motorcycle crown. Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Shane Gray (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) raced to event victories.
Last event: Jason Line wrapped up his second Pro Stock championship by reaching the semifinals at Las Vegas on Oct. 30. Del Worsham (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won their respective events.
Fast facts: Matt Hagan has a one-point lead over Jack Beckman in the Funny Car standings. Cruz Pedregon is third, 26 points back, followed by Mike Neff (-34), Robert Hight (-71) and Capps (-72). In Top Fuel, Spencer Massey has a two-point lead over Worsham. Brown is third, 14 points back. Dixon is fourth, 44 points behind. Krawiec leads the Motorcycle standings, 69 points ahead of Hector Arana Jr. A racer can earn a maximum of 150 points at an event. … In February at Pomona in the season-opening Winternationals, Morgan Lucas beat former high school classmate Shawn Langdon in the Top Fuel final. Hight (Funny Car) and Line (Pro Stock) also won.
Online: http://www.nhra.com
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FORMULA ONE
ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
Site: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 8-9:30 a.m.), Saturday, practice, qualifying (Speed, 8-9:30 a.m.); Sunday, race, 8 a.m. (Speed, 7:30-10 a.m.; 4-6:30 p.m.).
Track: Yas Marina Circuit (road course, 3.45 miles).
Race distance: 189.8 miles, 55 laps.
Last year: Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel became the youngest champion in Formula One at 22, winning the season-ending race. Vettel overcame a 15-point deficit to edge Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso by four points. Alonso finished seventh.
Last race: Vettel won the inaugural Indian Grand Prix on Oct. 30 for his 11th victory of the year, two short of Michael Schumacher’s 2004 record with two races left. Vettel has already won his second straight season championship.
Fast facts: Vettel has 21 victories in 79 career starts. The German star also won the inaugural race at the track in 2009. … Red Bull also has wrapped up its second straight constructors’ championship.
Next race: Brazilian Grand Prix, Nov. 27, Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, Sao Paulo.
Online: http://www.formula1.com
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OTHER RACE
U.S. AUTO RACING CLUB: Sprint Car, Saturday, Giant Speedway, Hanford, Calif. Online: http://www.usacracing.com
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