AUTO RACING: After Verstappen victory, F1 finale in Abu Dhabi brings auto racing season to a close
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands stands on the podium after winning the Qatar Formula One Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Credit: AP/Darko Bandic
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FORMULA 1
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Site: Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Schedule: Friday, practice, 4:30 a.m., and 8 a.m.; Saturday, practice, 5:30 a.m., and qualifying, 9 a.m.; Sunday, race, 8 a.m. (ESPN).
Track: Yas Marina Circuit.
Race distance: 58 laps, 190.253 miles.
From the left, second-aced Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco, first-placed Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, and third-placed McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia spray champagne on the podium after the Qatar Formula One Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Credit: AP/Altaf Qadri
Last year: Max Verstappen won from the pole position, his seventh consecutive victory to end his third consecutive series championship season.
Last race: Verstappen, already crowned the season champion for the fourth straight year, won in Qatar for his second victory in three races and ninth of the season.
Fast facts: Heading into the season finale, Verstappen has won 53 of 89 races in his championship seasons, or 59.6%. ... Verstappen can match Michael Schumacher’s record of five straight F1 season titles (2000-04) by winning again next year. ... Verstappen joined Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton (2017-20), Sebastian Vettel (2010-13) and Juan Manuel Fangio (1954-57) as drivers with four straight championships. ... Esteban Ocon, 14th in the point standings, has been released by Alpine and Jack Doohan will replace him in the season finale, making his F1 debut.
Next race: March 16, Melbourne, Australia.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands shakes hands with his team member after winning the Qatar Formula One Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Credit: AP/Altaf Qadri
Online: http://www.formula1.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. ... Riley Herbst won the first two stages and race for Stewart-Haas Racing, which ceased operations after Phoenix. ... Cole Custer was eighth, AJ Allmendinger ninth and Austin 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
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: Drag racers ended their season in Pomona, California, 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. 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
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
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