Formula 1 last series going in Las Vegas as Brown, Prock win series titles at NHRA finals
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Formula 1
Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix
Site: Las Vegas, Nevada.
Schedule: Friday, practice, 9:30 p.m. ET; Saturday, practice, 1 a.m., and 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 1 a.m.; Sunday, race, 1 a.m.
Track: Las Vegas Strip Circuit.
Race distance: 50 laps, 192.95 miles.
Last year: Max Verstappen hated just about everything at the Las Vegas Grand Prix last year, that is until he won it. Verstappen won his 18th race of the season when he passed Charles Leclerc once at the start and a second time with 13 laps left as he overcame a penalty for the victory. Verstappen was critical of the glitzy show, but sang “Viva, Las Vegas; Viva, Las Vegas" when he took the checkered flag. Leclerc was second and Sergio Perez was third.
Last race: Verstappen overcame penalties that left him starting 17th and then the rain to win the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo three weeks ago. It was a huge step toward securing a fourth consecutive series title. The Dutchman overtook Estaban Ocon on Lap 42 and won by nearly 20 seconds for his first victory since June.
Fast facts: Las Vegas starts the final stretch for the 2024 Formula 1 series, which moves to Qatar next week and closes at Abu Dhabi on Dec. 8. ... Verstappen’s run in Brazil was his best drive in months and ended a 10-race drought after winning seven of the first 10 events. He widened his lead over Lando Norris from 44 to 62 points and needs to finish ahead of him over the next three races to clinch the title. ... Norris won the sprint race and started on the pole at Interlagos but finished sixth. He and Mercedes driver George Russell were fined 5,000 euros ($5,440) each for breaching the FIA’s start procedure in an investigation by stewards.
Next race: Qatar Grand Prix, Nov. 29-Dec. 1.
Online: http://www.formula1.com
NHRA Drag Racing
Last event: Drag racers ended their season in Pomona, California, last week with Antron Brown winning the Top Fuel title at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals and taking his fourth world championship. ... Jack Breckman, driving for injured and recovering drag-racing great John Force, won the Funny Car event with Austin Prock taking the series crown. Breckman brought Force's racer into second overall. ... Greg Anderson won his sixth Pro Stock world championship. ... Gaige Herrera won his second straight Pro Stock Motorcycle title. ... Three-time NASCAR champion and current Top Fuel racer Tony Stewart and wife Leah Pruett welcomed newborn son Dominic James on Sunday. Dad was there for the birth before going back to compete.
Fast Facts: Brown won the Top Fuel series title by 62 points over Doug Kalitta. Justin Ashley was third, Shawn Langdon was fourth and Brittany Force, John Force's daughter, was fifth. ... Prock was dominant this season in winning the Funny Car title by 166 points over Force, who is still recovering from a horrific accident in Virginia this past June. Force returned to the track to watch. Ron Capps was third overall with Matt Hagan and Bob Tasca III rounding out the top five. ... Prock had won eight times heading into the finals and clinched the series title when he qualified No. 1 for the 15th time this season. It was Prock's first season in Funny Car.
Next event: March 6-9, 2025, Gainesville, Florida.
Online: http://www.nhra.com
NASCAR Cup Series
Last race: Joey Logano led 107 laps to dominate the winner-take-all finale at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 10, earning his third championship and completing a remarkable turnaround after initially missing the second-round cut before earning a reprieve with another driver’s disqualification. Team Penske clinched its third motorsports crown in less than a month.
Fast facts: All of Logano’s titles have come in even-numbered years: 2018, 2022 and this season. He and Kyle Busch are the series’ only active three-time champions. ... Playoff drivers William Byron (Chevy) and Tyler Reddick (Toyota) finished third and sixth, respectively, in the 312-lap race in the desert.
Next race: Feb. 16, 2025, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Last race: Justin Allgaier took his first series title. Allgaier overcame a flat tire and consecutive penalties that dropped him in the grid, then withstood another caution that forced a double-overtime restart to give JR Motorsports the crown.
Fast facts: Allgaier earned the fourth Xfinity title for JR Motorsports and Hall of Fame owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. ... Herbst won the first two stages and race for Stewart-Haas Racing, which ceased operations after Phoenix. ... Custer was eighth, AJ Allmendinger ninth and Hill 10th among playoff finalists.
Next race: Feb. 15, 2025, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR Truck Series
Last race: Ty Majeski dominated from the pole in a Ford to earn his first championship, holding off playoff drivers Corey Heim and Christian Eckes in the 150-mile finale at Phoenix Raceway. Majeski led 132 laps, Heim 16 and championship finalist Grant Enfinger two while finishing fifth.
Fast facts: Majeski clinched a series-high sixth title for ThorSport Racing. He raced in his second championship four in just his third full-time season.
Next race: Feb. 14, 2025, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
World of Outlaws Sprint Cars
Last event: David Gravel won in Concord, North Carolina, on Nov. 7 and clinched the series crown a day later. Gravel finished fourth in the Nov. 8 race, which was enough to lock up the title.
Next race: Feb. 5-8, 2025, Barberville, Florida.
Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars
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
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