Harvick passes Truex for Texas win, title shot

FORT WORTH, Texas — The timing was perfect for Kevin Harvick’s first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Texas. So was his winning pass.

Harvick went around the outside of Martin Truex Jr. for the lead with 10 laps to go, then stayed in front the rest of the way Sunday to earn his championship shot in NASCAR’s season finale.

Truex led 107 of 334 laps and was still up front until his bobble on the backstretch that allowed Harvick to take the lead. But Truex, with a significant points lead and wins in three of the eight playoff races, also locked into one of the four spots to race for the championship at Homestead in two weeks.

Kyle Busch had already clinched a championship spot with his win at Martinsville a week ago to start the third round of the playoffs. That leaves only one spot up for grabs among the five remaining playoff contenders next week at Phoenix.

Denny Hamlin, another of the playoff contenders, finished third, while Brad Keselowski was fifth and Ryan Blaney sixth.

TORONTO — Bradley Beal scored 38 points, Otto Porter Jr. had 19 and Washington overcame the absence of All-Star point guard John Wall to beat Toronto, winning for the second time in 11 meetings with the Raptors.

DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points and Norman Powell had 19 as Toronto lost for the first time in three home games this season.