What you need to know this week

This week on TV

Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals

Nov. 13, 10:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (qualifying, ESPN2); Nov. 14, 2-5:30 p.m. (live eliminations on ESPN3.com); Nov. 14, 9-11:30 p.m. (eliminations, ESPN); Nov. 17, 1-4 p.m. (eliminations, TSN); Nov. 18, 4-6 a.m. (repeat eliminations, ESPN2); Nov. 21, 10-11 a.m. (Sportsman, ESPN2).

NHRA Race Day

Nov. 14, 10 a.m. ET

In next week's National DRAGSTER

Extended coverage from Las Vegas; the Lagana family

Upcoming birthdays

Andrew Cowin (31, Nov. 21); Reddell Harris (51, Nov. 21); Larry Morgan (56, Nov. 21)

This week in history

In 1978, NHRA received a welcome bit of publicity when CBS Sports aired the Challenge of the Sexes, which featured a Top Fuel match race between 1978 Top Fuel champ Kelly Brown and his championship predecessor, Shirley Muldowney. Brown won the best-of-three meet with a 6.05 to 6.07 count in the deciding race.