AUTO RACING: Elliott back in front; Verstappen closing in

Updated Oct. 5, 2022 5:56 p.m. ET

Associated Press

All Times Eastern

NASCAR CUP SERIES

Bank of America Roval 400

Site: Concord, North Carolina.

Schedule: Saturday, 12:30 practice, and 1 p.m., qualifying; Sunday, race 2 p.m. (NBC).

Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway road course.

Race distance: 109 laps, 252.88 miles.

Last year: Kyle Larson won after starting 10th.

Last race: Chase Elliott passed Ryan Blaney on the final lap to win at Talladega and claim a spot in the next round of the playoffs.

Fast facts: Elliott moved back into the points lead by two over Blaney and six over Ross Chastain. Denny Hamlin is 13 points back and Joey Logano and Larson are 16 back. ... Blaney is the only driver remaining in the playoffs without a victory this year. ... The race featured 57 lead changes among 17 drivers.

Next race: Oct. 16, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

Drive for the Cure 250 presented by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina

Site: Concord, North Carolina.

Schedule: Saturday, practice, 10 a.m., qualifying, 10:30 a.m., and race, 3 p.m. (NBC).

Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway road course.

Race distance: 67 laps, 155.44 miles.

Last year: A.J. Allmendinger won after starting 14th.

Last race: Allmendinger beat Sam Mayer by .015 seconds at Talladega for his fourth victory of the season.

Fast facts: Allmendinger ended Noah Gragson's four-race winning streak and posted his 25th top-10 finish in 28 races. Allmendinger will move to the Cup Series next season with Kaulig Racing. ... Ty Gibbs finished seventh after prompting the only on-track caution of the race, a spin on the third lap. ... Allmendinger and Gragson are tied for the series lead with Gibbs 21 points back.

Next race: Oct. 15, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR TRUCK SERIES

Last race: Matt DiBenedetto earned his first career victory in the truck series at Talladega, which finished under caution with him in front.

Next race: Oct. 22, Homestead, Florida.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

FORMULA ONE

Japanese Grand Prix

Site: Suzuka, Japan.

Schedule: Thursday, 11 p.m., practice; Friday, practice, 2 p.m. and 11 p.m., Saturday, qualifying, 2 p.m.. Sunday, race, 1 p.m. (ESPN).

Track: Suzuka International Racing Course.

Race distance: 53 laps, 191.053 miles.

Last year: Did not race.

Last race: Sergio Perez overcame a five-second penalty with a 7.6-second victory over Charles Leclerc in Singapore, delaying teammate Max Verstappen's celebration of a second consecutive series championship.

Fast facts: Verstappen had won five straight races and is 104 points ahead of Leclerc and 106 clear of Perez. ... He can clinch the title in Japan. ... Perez's victory was his second of the season. ... Verstappen has won 11 of 18 races.

Next race: Oct. 23, Austin, Texas.

Online: http://www.formula1.com

INDYCAR

Last race: Outgoing champion Alex Palou won at Laguna Seca and Will Power finished third in the season finale to beat Team Penske teammate Josef Newgarden for the season championship by 16 points. It’s the second title for Power, who also won in 2014, and the 17th for the Penske organization.

Next race: Next season.

Online: http://www.indycar.com

NHRA DRAG RACING

Last event: Steve Torrence won in Top Fuel and Robert Hight won in Funny Car in Illinois.

Next event: Oct. 7-16, Ennis, Texas.

Online: http://www.nhra.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS

Next events: Oct. 7-8, Port Royal, Pennsylvania.

Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars

___

More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP