Thanks to his wins at Charlotte and Kansas, Joey Logano is guaranteed a spot in the eight-driver Eliminator Round. But with Talladega Superspeedway next on the schedule, the standings could change in a heartbeat with the infamous “Big One.” MORE: Chase scenarios at Talladega | Winners, losers after Kansas “That’s just the biggest crap shoot we have,” Kyle Busch said of Talladega. Carl Edwards calls Talladega “the most unpredictable track on the circuit....

All Junior has done at the high-banked 2.66-mile layout over his career is win six times, including this race last fall — he also finished second in the fall. His next win at Talladega will break a tie with Jeff Gordon for second most in track history. Dale Sr. is the track’s all-time leader with 10 wins, including the last of his great career in 2000. In addition to all of Junior’s outstanding past history at Talladega, he’s also got his favorite restrictor-plate package chassis going, a car that won in two of the four plate races last season....

The race was red-flagged with less than 20 laps remaining for cleanup of a crash involving 16 cars. Five laps later, another red flag was brought out, but Keselowski again avoided any substantial damage. In the end, only 14 cars finished the race, out of a starting field of 40. There were just six undamaged cars on the track at the finish. MORE: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 10 best Talladega moments...

Hendrick Motorsports has two of the best drivers in the game in Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott. The 2021 and 2020 Cup Series champions have claimed checkered flag after checkered flag over the course of the past few seasons. But racing is a zero-sum game. And as much as it is important to maintain relationships between teammates, there’s nothing like the feeling of ending up in victory lane. So with Elliott firmly ahead deep in the final stage, Larson made a move for the front....

Sometimes, though, those celebrations go a little far. On Sunday at Watkins Glen, Denny Hamlin enjoyed a rather enthusiastic celebration of his first road-course victory in the Sprint Cup ranks. Then, with his tires blown out and his transmission broken, he climbed from his car and walked to victory lane. Now, NASCAR officials could be cracking down on such celebrations. MORE: Watkins Glen Winners & Losers | Images from race...

Harvick’s down performance at Martinsville on Sunday eliminated him from contention despite his overall success this year. It was an outcome even fellow drivers didn’t see coming. Some people inside NASCAR wonder whether the postseason should be slanted in a way that rewards regular-season success to a greater extent. Unlike most team sports in the U.S., NASCAR has often been more about the marathon of a campaign rather than the unforgiving nature of playoff action....

MORE: Round of 8 standings Meanwhile, Chase Elliott is looking up from the final spot in the Round of 8, back an intimidating 26 points after yet another time career victory No. 1 slipped from his grasp in the closing moments. Or was it yanked away? Again, it’s all about perspective. “It’s just Martinsville –– that’s what it’s all about,” Harvick said. “It’s championship time.” Harvick, who escaped unscathed and with his playoff destiny at least momentarily secure after finishing fifth, was painting with a broad brush....

There have been seven races on 1.5-mile tracks this season and there are four more to go including Sunday’s race. Brad Keselowski has won three of them, but Kevin Harvick comes in with the next lowest odds at 9-to-2 while Keselowski is posted at 5-to-1. Only Penske Racing and Hendrick Motorsports drivers have won on this type of track this season, but Harvick has been as close to winning as you can get without actually doing so....

Until someone knocks the champ out, he’s still the champ, and the Westgate oddsmakers believe in the champ to advance. By making him the favorite at New Hampshire, they’re telling Las Vegas, ‘Kevin Harvick is the driver we want the least amount of money on this week.’ The respect for Harvick partly stems from his series-leading 18 top-five finishes, but most of it comes from what we saw when the chips were down last season and Harvick had to win at Phoenix to advance to the Championship Round at Homestead....

Kevin Harvick had the fastest lap (132.0.94 mph) during Saturday’s early practice with Edwards third (131.888), but it was Edwards who showed the most continued speed over long runs. He had the best 10-consecutive lap average among the 25 drivers that ran as many in a row. MORE: Different packages at same track? | SN’s power rankings During the final practice session (happy hour), Edwards secured his top rating by not only having the fastest lap (133....

But France admits he probably shouldn’t have been shocked by the reaction. His own wife warned him endorsing Trump would cause a storm. “I was surprised a little bit. As it turns out, he’s a polarizing figure. I probably shouldn’t have been as surprised as I was,” France said during a meeting with Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE). MORE: Presidential moments in sports | France continues to deliver mixed messages on NASCAR in politics...

“We’re living in an incredibly politically charged environment,” said Figliuzzi on CBS News’ Face the Nation Sunday. “There’s tremendous dangerous polarization and it’s being fueled by social media conspiracy theorists out there.” Figliuzzi continued: “I’m aware that there are groups and individuals who seem to think that 5G technology might be the cause of COVID, that technology is generally is targeting us. You’ll find anything imaginable and unimaginable online, and it may be that this is partially what drove this individual....

The Colorado Avalanche star (and 2013-14 Calder Trophy winner) recently had an acceleration competition against gold-medal speed skater Charles Hamelin. MacKinnon wore hockey gear; Hamelin, naturally, wore speed-skating gear. Gentlemen: How about that! Doesn’t it make you want to go out and buy some CCM Tacks™? CCM Tacks — They’re The Best! winks at camera

In a statement posted on its website, the National Guard said its marketing budget has been cut. It spent $32 million on its sponsorship of Earnhardt and $12 million on its IndyCar program of Graham Rahal. Those figures include the amount spent on promotions and other programs around the sponsorship. MORE: Early Chase favorite | Power Ranings | Letarte showed good timing | Junior’s season in photos The National Guard statement said it would end both partnerships....

During a press conference on Wednesday, Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee said, “I think you can expect to see somewhere, upwards beyond 20,000 members of the National Guard that will be here in the footprint of the District of Columbia.” When asked if he has ever seen law enforcement reinforcement to this magnitude in D.C., Contee said “not at this level, no.” Contee also noted that since the inauguration was designated as a national special security event, the final numbers of National Guard members deployed in the city “will be provided from the United States Secret Service....

This time of year is perfect for pizza fans, as National Pizza Week only took place in January. National Pizza Day Deals Alex’s Awesome SourdoughCasey’s General StoreChuck E. CheeseDomino’sLittle CaesarsPapa John’sPasqually’s Pizza and WingsPizza HutPizza Time. xyzRed Baron Alex’s Awesome Sourdough Alex’s Awesome Sourdough is offering a buy-one-get-one deal at every Sprouts location until February 10. The sourdough based frozen pizza comes in three varieties: mushroom, sunflower pesto, and mozzarella....

The team said Bryce Harper and Adam LaRoche also had operations this week. Harper had the bursa in his left knee repaired after it had hampered him last season. LaRoche had his left, throwing elbow cleaned up. Strasburg, who had Tommy John surgery on his elbow three years ago, missed most of the 2011 season recovering from it. He had his innings limited in 2012 by the Nationals. His surgery was done in Los Angeles, and Strasburg is expected to be ready in time for spring training....

After the star third baseman capped a stellar postseason with a World Series Game 7 home run Wednesday, helping the Nationals win their first-ever championship, he yelled out his celebratory drink request from within an on-field mob of happy teammates. He presumably received his whiskey order in the clubhouse not long after. Everyone involved in Washington’s title-winning run this October will continue to get everything they ask for in the coming weeks....

The two-time All-Star will receive $2.5 million in 2015 and $5 million in 2016, the Associated Press reports. The extension means the sides avoid a Tuesday hearing over a grievance filed by the Major League Baseball Players Association on Harper’s behalf. The MLBPA was seeking to let Harper void his the contract for 2015, the final season of the a $9.9 million, five-year deal he signed as a rookie in 2010....