Logano heads to Homestead as first NASCAR Cup finale qualifier; Verstappen takes F1 lead to Mexico

Updated Oct. 21, 2024 4:43 p.m. ET

Associated Press

All Times Eastern

NASCAR Cup Series

Straight Talk Wireless 400

Site: Homestead, Florida.

Schedule: Saturday, practice, 9:05 a.m.; qualifying, 9:50 p.m., Sunday, race, 2:30 p.m. (NBC)

Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Race distance: 267 laps, 400.5 miles.

Last year: Christopher Bell overcame balance issues in Stage 2 and took advantage of a late caution in Stage 3 to seize the lead with 15 laps remaining and earn his second win of the season.

Last race: Joey Logano won at Las Vegas to become the first qualifier for next month's championship finale in Phoenix. Christopher Bell led 155 laps after starting on the pole but didn't have enough to hold off Logano. Daniel Suarez was third, William Byron fourth and Alex Bowman fifth.

Fast facts: Bell leads the standings over Kyle Larson by seven points and Byron by 15. Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, defending champion Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott are below the cutline as the Round of Eight continues in Miami. ... Only four playoff drivers finished in the top 10 including Hamlin, who was eighth after a rough day with pit stop issues. ... Homestead-Miami marks the season's final 1.5-mile layout before closing at half-mile Martinsville and one-mile Phoenix.

Next race: Nov. 3, Martinsville, Virginia.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit 300

Site: Homestead, Florida.

Schedule: Friday, practice, 4:05 p.m.; qualifying, 4:40 p.m.; Saturday, race, 3:30 p.m. (CW)

Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Race distance: 200 laps, 300 miles.

Last year: Sam Mayer led twice for 45 laps, including the final 31 to win by .227 seconds over Riley Herbst and clinch the first spot in the championship finale.

Last race: AJ Allmendinger held off non-playoff driver Ryan Sieg in a two-lap sprint after a final restart and held on to win in Las Vegas by 0.156 seconds and clinch a spot in the championship finale. Allmendinger entered the semifinal opener seventh of eight playoff drivers and below the cutline but led a race-high 102 of 201 laps in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevy for his first win this season. Justin Allgaier was third with playoff driver Chandler Smith fourth.

Fast facts: Xfinity is down to the round of eight with two more races left at Homestead-Miami and Martinsville to determine the championship four at Phoenix. ... Allgaier leads the series by 16 points over defending champion Cole Custer and 24 over Smith. Austin Hill, Jesse Love, Mayer and Sam Smith are below the cutline.

Next race: Nov. 2, Martinsville, Virginia.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR Truck Series

Baptist Health 200

Site: Homestead, Florida.

Schedule: Friday, practice, 2:35 p.m.; qualifying, 3:05 p.m.; Saturday, race, Noon. (FS1)

Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Race distance: 201 laps, 301.5 miles.

Last year: Carson Hocevar overtook eventual champion Ben Rhodes for his only lead with 11 laps remaining and won by 2.705 seconds.

Last race: Grant Enfinger won the Love’s RV Stop 225 playoff race at Talladega to automatically qualify for the championship finale at Phoenix on Nov. 8.

Fast facts: The series returns from a three-week break and will also run at Martinsville on Nov. 1 and Phoenix on Nov. 8 to wrap the season.. ... Enfinger’s win was the first for his CR7 Motorsports team and first by a playoff driver in nine Talladega races. … Three more spots are at stake over the next two races of the round of eight. Corey Heim (3,077 points) finished 11th and leads Christian Eckes by one with Ty Majeski 25 back and Rajah Caruth 30 behind.

Next race: Nov. 1, Martinsville, Virginia.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

Formula 1

Mexico City Grand Prix

Site: Mexico City.

Schedule: Friday, practice, 2:30 p.m., 6 p.m.; Saturday, practice, 1:30 p.m., qualifying, 5 p.m.; Sunday, race, 4 p.m. (ESPN)

Track: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

Race distance: 71 laps, 189.7 miles.

Last year: Max Verstappen quickly surged from third at the start and dominated for his record 16th win of the season.

Last race: Charles Leclerc dominated the U.S. Grand Prix at Austin, Texas, leading a 1-2 sweep for Ferrari with teammate Carlos Sainz and giving the automaker its first USGP win since 2018. Verstappen was awarded third after Lando Norris received a late five-second penalty.

Fast facts: Formula 1 fined Circuit of the Americas nearly $550,000 after about 200 spectators invaded the track during the cooldown lap. ... Verstappen hadn't won since June before winning the U.S. Sprint to earn five points and widen his points lead on Norris to 57. ... Ferrari earned its first 1-2 sweep in the U.S. since 2006 at Indianapolis. ... Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton failed to finish his first American race in 16 starts with a spin into gravel after two laps. ... Leclerc moved within 22 points of Norris with the win.

Next race: Nov. 3, São Paulo, Brazil.

Online: http://www.formula1.com

IndyCar

Last race: Alex Palou claimed his second consecutive IndyCar championship and third in four years at Nashville Superspeedway, where Colton Herta won the Music City Grand Prix for Andretti Global.

Next race: March 2, 2025, St. Petersburg, Florida.

Online: http://www.indycar.com

NHRA Drag Racing

Last event: Justin Ashley took the Top Fuel points lead, holding off Clay Millican in the final round to win the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals. Matt Hagan took the Funny Car title in Texas for a second straight year.

Next event: Oct. 31-Nov. 3, Las Vegas.

Online: http://www.nhra.com

World of Outlaws Sprint Cars

Last event: Michael Kofoid won in Joliet, Illinois, a day after Aaron Reutzel won from the pole, holding off David Gravel. Gravel's series lead over Carson Macedo is 78 points.

Next race: Bull Ring Blitz, West Memphis, Arkansas, Friday-Saturday.

Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars

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