AUTOMATIC RACE: NASCAR playoffs move to Kansas; F1 in Texas

Kyle Larson (5) celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series car race at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday October 17, 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo / Larry Papke)
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
Hollywood Casino 400
Location: Kansas City, Kansas
Schedule: Sunday, race, 3 p.m.
Track: Kansas Speedway
Race distance: 267 laps, 400.5 miles
Last year: Joey Logano won starting second.
Final race: Kyle Larson nabbed a berth in the decisive season championship final with a win in Texas, his best eighth of the season.
Fast facts: Larson has had six career wins this season. He will play for the championship for the first time in the season finale. ⦠Ryan Blaney moved up to second in the points race, 51 behind, with Denny Hamlin third, 59 behind. Kyle Busch (-60) and Chase Elliott (-68) round out the top five. … Logano pulled out of the race early and will likely have to win one of the next two races to qualify for the final. He and Hamlin share the lead of the active pilots with three wins each in Kansas.
Next race: October 31, Martinsville, Virginia.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES
Kansas Lottery 300
Location: Kansas City, Kansas
Schedule: Saturday, race, 3 p.m.
Track: Kansas Speedway
Race distance: 200 laps, 300 miles
Last year: Chase Briscoe won after starting sixth.
Last race: John Hunter Nemechek overcame a late race penalty and rallied to win in Texas.
Quick Facts: AJ Allmendinger’s lead over defending champion Austin Cindric has dropped from six points to four in Texas. Justin Allgaier is 26 points behind, Noah Gragson 28 and Daniel Hemric 30. … Nemechek became the fourth driver to win in the No.54 for Joe Gibbs Racing this year, joining Kyle Busch, Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell . … Nemechek moved from the lead to 18th after a team member was penalized in a pit stop with 51 laps to go.
Next race: October 30, Martinsville, Virginia.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR TRUCK SERIES
Last race: At Talladega, Tate Fogelman won for the first time in 46 career starts.
Next race: October 30, Martinsville, Virginia.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
FORMULA ONE
2021 United States Aramco Grand Prix
Location: Austin, Texas
Schedule: Friday, practice, 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, practice, 2 p.m., and qualifying, 5 p.m. Sunday, race, 3 p.m.
Track: Circuit of the Americas
Race distance: 56 laps, 191.6 miles
Last year: did not run.
Last race: Valtteri Bottas won in Istanbul while runner-up Max Verstappen regained the championship lead from Lewis Hamilton.
Highlights: Bottas’ victory was his first of the season. He is far third in the points standings, 86 behind Verstappen. … Verstappen was second in Turkey while Hamilton was fifth, creating an 8-point swing in points. … Verstappen has 12 podiums in 16 races; Hamilton has 11.⦠Hamilton has won the last four championships, six of the last seven and seven in total.
Next race: November 7, Mexico City, Mexico.
Online: http://www.formula1.com
INDYCAR
Final race: Colton Herta won the season finale in Long Beach, Calif., As Alex Palou finished the series championship.
Next race: February 27, St. Petersburg, Florida.
Online: http://www.indycar.com
NHRA DRAG RACING
Last event: Mike Salinas won in Top Fuel and Bob Tasca III won in Funny Car in Bristol, Tennessee.
Next event: October 29-31, Las Vegas.
Online: http://www.nhra.com
WORLD OF OUTSIDE LAI:
Upcoming events: October 22, Kansas City, Kansas.
Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars