TV Schedule Nov. 18-20

Carl Edwards enters Homestead-Miami Speedway with the points lead -
will he leave with his first Sprint Cup title? Credit: Kelly Gavin/Miami Dolphins

It all comes down to this.

As the white flag prepares to wave on the 2011 NASCAR season, all three series converge on the beautiful locale of South Florida for their respective season finales. Among the palm trees and beaches, new champions will be crowned at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the Camping World Truck Series, Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup Series.

Homestead is a 1.5-mile oval in the tropical oasis of Miami. The track, which opened in 1995, has variable banking of 18 to 20 degrees in the turns and 4 degrees in the straightaways. Homestead plays host to the drama, tears and cheers of championship weekend, providing thrilling racing for NASCAR's tripleheader of season finales.

One thing that is certain in the Truck Series and Nationwide Series is that the champion will be a first-timer. In trucks, Austin Dillon carries a 20-point lead into Homestead ahead of second-place Johnny Sauter, and eight more points back is third-place James Buescher. In Nationwide, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wields a 41-point lead over second-place Elliott Sadler and is all but assured of the title.

Now for the Sprint Cup Series, it's the final round between points leader Carl Edwards and second-place Tony Stewart. Just three - count 'em - three points separates these two title contenders in a battle that promises to be riveting until the final lap. When all is said and done, will it be Edwards hoisting his first Cup trophy or will Smoke be adding a third to his collection?

Here are last year's race winners at Homestead:

SPRINT CUP
2010: Carl Edwards

NATIONWIDE
2010: Kyle Busch

TRUCK SERIES
2010: Kyle Busch

The following is a handy guide to track events and television coverage at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend (all times are Eastern Standard Time. Events without a channel listed will not be televised).

Friday, Nov. 18:
9 a.m. NNS Practice
11 a.m. NCWTS Final Practice, SPEED
12 noon NASCAR Now, ESPN2
12:30 p.m. NNS Final Practice, ESPN2
3 p.m. NSCS Practice, ESPN2
4:30 p.m. NCWTS Qualifying, SPEED
6 p.m. NSCS Final Practice, SPEED
7:30 p.m. NCWTS SetUp, SPEED
8 p.m. NCWTS: Ford 200, SPEED. Green flag: 8:18 p.m.
11 p.m. NSCS Final Practice (re-air), SPEED


Saturday, Nov. 19:
12:30 a.m. NCWTS SetUp (re-air), SPEED
1 a.m. NCWTS: Ford 200 (re-air), SPEED
3:30 a.m. The 10, SPEED
11:30 a.m. SPEED Center NASCAR Edition, SPEED
12 noon Trackside at Homestead-Miami, SPEED. Guests: NCWTS Champion, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., April Rose (from SPEED Dream Ride).
1 p.m. NNS Qualifying, SPEED
2:30 p.m. NSCS Qualifying, SPEED
4 p.m. NNS Countdown, ESPN2
4:30 p.m. NNS: Ford 300, ESPN2. Green flag: 4:45 p.m. In-race reporter: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
8 p.m. NSCS Qualifying (re-air), SPEED

Sunday, Nov. 20:
1:30 a.m. NNS: Ford 300 (re-air), ESPN2
9 a.m. NASCAR Now, ESPN2
9:30 a.m. NASCAR Performance, SPEED
10 a.m. The 10, SPEED
10:30 a.m. SPEED Center NASCAR Edition, SPEED
11 a.m. NASCAR RaceDay, SPEED
2 p.m. NSCS Countdown, ESPN
3 p.m. NSCS: Ford 400, ESPN. Green flag: 3:15 p.m. In-race reporter: Tony Stewart. Re-air: Monday at 1 a.m. on ESPN2.
7 p.m. NASCAR Victory Lane, SPEED
9 p.m. Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain, SPEED
10 p.m. NASCAR Now, ESPN2
10 p.m. NASCAR Victory Lane, SPEED (re-airs again at 9 a.m. Monday)