AUTO RACING: Bell tolls in Florida to earn title shot; Truex, Hamlin need to rally at Martinsville

The Associated Press
·4 min read
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All Times Eastern

NASCAR CUP SERIES

Xfinity 500

Site: Martinsville, Virginia.

Schedule: Saturday, practice, 12:35 p.m., and qualifying, 1:20 p.m.; Sunday, race, 2 p.m. (NBC).

Track: Martinsville Speedway.

Race distance: 500 laps, 263 miles.

Last year: Christopher Bell won after starting 20th.

Last race: Bell took the lead with 15 laps to go and held off Ryan Blaney at Homestead-Miami Speedway to clinch a spot in next month’s championship finale.

Fast facts: Bell and Kyle Larson are the only drivers locked into the Championship 4 with one race left for six drivers to vie for two spots. ... Bell led only 26 of 267 laps in a chaotic race that featured 25 lead changes. ... Three playoff drivers — Larson, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. — did not finish. ... William Byron is third in the standings, 30 points clear of the top-four cutoff, and race runner-up Blaney is 10 points clear. Tyler Reddick is fifth, Truex and Hamlin are both 17 points back and Chris Buescher is 43 points off the pace.

Next race: Nov. 5, Avondale, Arizona.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

Dead On Tools 250

Site: Martinsville, Virginia.

Schedule: Friday, practice, 5 p.m., and qualifying, 5:35 p.m.; Saturday, race, 3:30 p.m. (USA).

Track: Martinsville Speedway.

Race distance: 250 laps, 131.5 miles.

Last year: Ty Gibbs won after starting fourth.

Last race: Sam Mayer held off Riley Herbst and became the first driver to claim a spot in the championship finale with a victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Fast facts: The victory was Mayer's fourth of the season, all in the last 12 races, and first on an oval. ... John Hunter Nemechek is second in the standings, 44 points above the cutline, with Cole Custer and Austin Hill each 13 points clear. Justin Allgaier is within three points of Custer and Hill with one race remaining to earn a berth in the Championship 4 while Sammy Smith (49 back), Chandler Smith (54 back) and Sheldon Creed (65 back) all need to win to advance.

Next race: Nov. 4, Avondale, Arizona.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR TRUCK SERIES

Last race: Carson Hocevar earned his fourth career victory — all this season — and first NASCAR Truck Series Championship appearance with a victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He joins regular-season champion Corey Heim, Grant Enfinger and 2021 series champion Ben Rhodes in the Championship 4.

Next race: Nov. 3, Avondale, Arizona.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

FORMULA ONE

Mexican Grand Prix

Site: Mexico City.

Schedule: Friday, practice, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.; Saturday, practice, 1:30 p.m., and 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 won from the pole position.

Last race: Verstappen, already the season champion for the third consecutive year, rallied after starting sixth and held off Lewis Hamilton to earn his record-tying 15th victory of the year and the 50th of his career.

Fast facts: Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were both later disqualified for rules violations found with the skid blocks under their cars. ... Verstappen is just the fifth F1 driver to win 50 races. Hamilton, a seven-time season champion, is the career leader with 103. ... Verstappen has won three times this season after starting sixth or lower. ... Lando Norris finished third but was moved to second when Hamilton was DQ'd.

Next race: Oct. 29, Mexico City.

Online: http://www.formula1.com

INDYCAR

Last race: Scott Dixon won at Laguna Seca, his third win of the season, all in the last four races. The six-time champion gave Chip Ganassi Racing a 1-2 finish in the standings. A week earlier, teammate Alex Palou became the first driver in 18 years to clinch the title before the final race of the season.

Next race: 2024 season opener at St. Petersburg, Florida.

Online: http://www.indycar.com

NHRA DRAG RACING

Last event: Leah Pruett won in Top Fuel and Matt Hagan won in Funny car in Texas.

Next event: Oct. 26-29, Las Vegas.

Online: http://www.nhra.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS

Next events: Nov. 1-4, Concord, North Carolina.

Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing