11-08-18 NASCAR America

Hosts: Carolyn Manno in Stamford & Kyle Petty/Nate Ryan at NBC Charlotte

·     Kevin Harvick and the #4 team's major penalties from Texas are still reverberating. No longer in the Championship 4, Harvick holds the final spot by only a few points. But with the Playoffs heading to Phoenix, he's coming to his best track - and a 10th win in the desert would send him to Miami. Today, we'll focus on Harvick and the Bottom 4 - Kurt Busch, Chase Elliott, Aric Almirola, and Clint Bowyer - as they head for the biggest race of the season!

 

·     SiriusXM's Pete Pistone joins the show with his thoughts on the Harvick penalties, including how they're being perceived beyond the NASCAR world. Teams constantly pushing the limits to gain performance is a fact of life in the garage. But when a team crosses the line, does that tradition end up hurting the sport's image?

 

·     Already in the Championship 4 with a win at Martinsville, Joey Logano and the #22 Team Penske crew are having to balance preparations between this weekend and the finale in Miami. Crew chief Todd Gordon shares how they're doing it in an interview with Marty Snider. Plus: How has the continuity of the #22 pit crew and road crew helped Logano contend for a title once again?

 

·     The XFINITY Series is heading for its own Playoff elimination race on Saturday at Phoenix, where Elliott Sadler hopes to lock into the Championship 4. No matter what, Sadler faces the final two races of his career as a full-time driver. Can the 43-year-old veteran earn an opportunity that few athletes receive - to go out as a champion?