All Times EDT
NASCAR
SPRINT CUP
GOOD SAM ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 500
Site: Talladega, Ala.
Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 2:30-5 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying (Speed, noon-3 p.m.); Sunday, race, 2 p.m. (ESPN, 1-5:30 p.m.)
Track: Talladega Superspeedway (oval, 2.66 miles).
Race distance: 500 miles, 188 laps.
Last year: Clint Bowyer won the race for the second straight year to give Richard Childress Racing its 100th Cup victory. Bowyer now drives for Michael Waltrip Racing.
Last week: Brad Keselowski raced to his second victory in the first three Chase events, winning at Dover to take the points lead. The Penske Racing driver has five victories this season, matching Denny Hamlin for the series lead.
Fast facts: Keselowski, the May winner at the track, has a five-point lead over five-time champion Jimmie Johnson with seven races left. Hamlin is third, 16 points behind Keselowski, followed by Bowyer (-25), Tony Stewart (-32), Kasey Kahne (-32), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (-39), Martin Truex Jr. (-42), Kevin Harvick (-46), Jeff Gordon (-48), Greg Biffle (-51) and Matt Kenseth (-72). ... Earnhardt has five Talladega victories, winning a record four straight from 2001-03. ... In restrictor-plate races this year at Daytona, Kenseth won the season-opening Daytona 500 and Stewart won the July event. ... Michael Waltrip is driving his own No. 55 Toyota.
Next race: Bank of America 500, Oct. 13, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
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CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS
FRED'S 250
Site: Talladega, Ala.
Schedule: Friday, practice, qualifying (Speed, 5-7 p.m.); Saturday, race, 4 p.m. (Speed, 3:30-6:30 p.m.).
Track: Talladega Superspeedway (oval, 2.66 miles).
Race distance: 250.04 miles, 94 laps.
Last year: Mike Wallace won for the first time in the series since 2000.
Last week: Nelson Piquet Jr. raced to his second victory of the year, passing Matt Crafton on the final lap at Las Vegas. The Brazilian also won at Road America in June. His father won three Formula One championships.
Fast facts: Ty Dillon leads the season standings with five races left, one point ahead of James Buescher. Timothy Peters is third, 24 points behind Dillon. Buescher leads the series with four victories. ... Two-time NASCAR Mexico Series champion
German Quiroga is driving Kyle Busch Motorsports' No. 51 Toyota.
Next race: Kroger 20, Oct. 27, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Va.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
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NATIONWIDE
Next race: Dollar General 300, Oct. 12, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.
Last week: Joey Logano won at Dover for his series-leading seventh victory of the season, leading 184 of the 200 laps. He also won at the track in June.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
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NHRA FULL THROTTLE
AUTO-PLUS NHRA NATIONALS
Site: Mohnton, Pa.
Schedule: Friday, qualifying; Saturday, qualifying (ESPN2, Sunday, 12:30-1:30 a.m.), Sunday, final eliminations (ESPN2, 7-10 p.m.).
Track: Maple Grove Raceway.
Last year: Jason Line raced to the last of his six 2011 victories en route to the Pro Stock season title. Spencer Massey won in Top Fuel, Robert Hight topped the Funny Car field, and Hector Arana Jr. won in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Last week: Top Fuel points leader Antron Brown won the Midwest Nationals in Madison, Ill., for his sixth victory of the season. Jack Beckman won in Funny Car, Erica Enders in Pro Stock, and Eddie Krawiec in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Fast facts: The event is the fourth in the six-race NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship. The top 10 in each class qualified for the playoffs. ... Brown leads the Top Fuel standings, 21 points ahead of Massey. In Funny Car, Ron Capps has a 30-point lead over Jack Beckman. Allen Johnson has the Pro Stock lead, 109 points ahead of Line. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Krawiec had a 33-point advantage over Andrew Hines.
Next event: Big O Tires Nationals, Oct. 26-28, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas.
Online: http://www.nhra.com
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FORMULA ONE
JAPANESE GRAND PRIX
Site: Suzuka, Japan.
Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 1-2:30 a.m.); Saturday, qualifying (Speed, 1-2:30 a.m.); Sunday, race, 2 a.m. (Speed, 1:30-4 a.m.).
Track: Suzuka International (road course, 3.61 miles).
Race distance: 191.12 miles, 53 laps.
Last year: Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel wrapped up his second straight season championship, finishing third behind McLaren's Jenson Button.
Last race: Vettel won the Singapore Grand Prix on Sept. 23 to jump from fourth to second in the season standings. He also won this year in Bahrain.
Fast facts: Ferrari's Fernando Alonso tops the season standings, 29 points ahead of Vettel. Alonso and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton share the victory lead with three. ... Hamilton is moving to Mercedes next year, replacing seven-time season champion Michael Schumacher. Sergio Perez is leaving Sauber to join McLaren. ... The figure-eight track was built by Honda in 1962 as a test facility.
Next race: Indian Grand Prix, Oct. 28, Buddh International Circuit, New Delhi.
Online: http://www.formula1.com
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OTHER RACES
WORLD OF OUTLAWS: Sprint Car: Saturday, Rolling Wheels Raceway Park, Elbridge, N.Y. Late Model: Thursday, Rolling Wheels Raceway Park, Elbridge, N.Y. Super DirtCar: Sunday, New York State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, N.Y. Online: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com
