Homestead-Miami Speedway President Matt Becherer said that the 46,000-seat venue is expecting a sellout for Sunday's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400. The track has yet to announce a sellout for what will be Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s final race as a full-time driver in NASCAR's top series. The track's ticket site on Wednesday showed about 2,500 seats remained, but Becherer said that the municipality-owned, ISC-operated venue expects to have what would be its fourth consecutive sellout race by raceday. Attractions and activations this weekend include a Bellator MMA fight on Sunday.

Security will be ramped up and include metal-detecting wanding for incoming patrons, as has been the case at all ISC races since the Las Vegas mass shooting last month.

Danica Patrick on Friday announced this will be her "last season as a full-time driver," though she plans to drive in next year's Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500 (Mult., 11/17). Patrick has been "working on putting together 'The Danica Double' over the last three weeks." She did not reveal "who she will drive for in either race next year, but the Indianapolis contender would be Chip Ganassi Racing" (AP, 11/17).

Meanwhile, Patrick "is in talks with NBC Sports to potentially join the network in the coming months." She served as a pit reporter for FS1 "during an Xfinity Series race broadcast in June, one of several current NASCAR drivers to be part of the broadcast" (USATODAY.com, 11/17).

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive his last race Sunday and has “hired a personal photographer to document the final weekend and he's had a camera crew filming in preparation for a possible documentary.” Earnhardt “has a photo shoot set” for Friday with longtime friend Matt Kenseth. Earnhardt and Kenseth “broke in together and leave the series together” (AP, 11/17).

Meanwhile, Kenseth, who said he does not expect to race in ’18, “will be honored by Joe Gibbs Racing and sponsor DeWalt with a design from his rookie season.” Kenseth in ’00 entered the Cup Series “driving a No. 17 DeWalt car for Jack Roush.” Earnhardt, who also began his full-time career in ‘00, previously “announced he would be running a paint scheme resembling his first Budweiser car” (RACER.com, 11/14).

REV will be the primary sponsor for the No. 12 Ford Fusion and driver Ryan Blaney for two races next season on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in ’18. The specialty vehicle manufacturer will primary sponsor Blaney at the Food City 500 in April and the Alabama 500 in October. REV will be an associate sponsor of Blaney and his car for the rest of the season. REV will also continue its association with Team Penske’s Verizon IndyCar Series program as a full-season associate sponsor of Josef Newgarden and Helio Castroneves (Team Penske).

ESPN Radio will see its weekday lineup change effective Jan. 2. The altered schedule will see "Golic & Wingo," which debuts Nov. 27, in the 6:00-10:00am ET slot, with a simulcast on ESPN2. "Russillo & Cain" will be in the 3:00-6:00pm window (simulcast on ESPNews), while "Spain & Fitz" will go from 6:00-9:00pm. 

ESPN also will launch a new podcast hosted by Bomani Jones, with new episodes available two or three times a week. Jones' current ESPN Radio show will conclude in December. The new "Jalen & Jacoby" podcast will also debut Jan. 2, with new episodes available four or five times a week. Katie Nolan is getting a weekly podcast that will debut Jan. 10 (ESPN).

Cavaliers G Dwyane Wade is bringing a documentary series to the Facebook Watch platform. The series, produced by the Bob Metelus Studio, is dubbed "BackCourt Wade." Over five episodes, fans will get a look at Wade's life during the offseason. Highlights include his trip to Paris and Milan for Men's Fashion Week, as well as a look at Wade's business ventures, which include Way of The Wade brand and Wade Wine (THE DAILY).

SNY tonight tips off its '17-18 lineup of UConn women's basketball content, starting with the home opener against Cal. The net will televise 16 games, all of which are "also viewable outside of the Connecticut-New York-New Jersey markets on ESPN3." SNY will offer 350 hours of UConn programming, with "pregame, halftime and postgame shows along with original shows such as 'The Geno Auriemma Show.'" Shoulder programming also will live on SNY.tv and the NBC Sports app to "authenticated subscribers." The streaming "may be just the start as SNY pushes UConn content on various platforms" (HARTFORD COURANT, 11/10).

Goodyear is expected to announce its renewal as the official tire of NASCAR during a press conference Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Adam Stern, Staff Writer).

The Houston Golf Association has hired Strike Marketing to develop and negotiate the '18 PGA Tour Houston Open marketing plan (Strike Marketing).

"MLS has been very clear -- very clear -- that a soccer-specific stadium is going to be required to win an MLS bid. The notion that we would play in Paul Brown Stadium is fantasy. It is a losing bid” -- FC Cincinnati GM Jeff Berding, on the Hamilton County Commission recommending the team play in the NFL venue (BIZJOURNALS.com, 11/16).

“The draft is something we’d really like to see accomplished. I think it’d be nice for [Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen] to know that the city he’s witnessed tremendous support from in terms of what they’ve done for the Broncos and how important the Broncos are to people and how important football is to people" -- Broncos CEO Joe Ellis, on the team trying to land an NFL Draft (DENVERPOST.com, 11/16).

“She’s the one after the game who always asks me, ‘Did you hear me?’” -- Astros P Justin Verlander, on his wife, Kate Upton ("Today," NBC, 11/17).

"If you stick us too far out east, then it becomes a financial issue with our fans. If you're obligated to buy X number of tickets and we can't sell them to our fans, then it would become a costly enterprise" -- New Mexico State Univ. Chancellor & President Garrey Carruthers, on the football team possibly skipping a bowl game should it become eligible (ELPASOPROUD.com, 11/16).

No surprise that John Hart is latest to depart #Braves front office as #MLB soon to announce penalties for illegal signings

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 17, 2017

Managerial candidate Aaron Boone was interviewed by the #Yankees this morning at Yankee Stadium.

— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) November 17, 2017

Say this for Goodell: he doesn't pull punches due to power within league circles. Biggest suspensions have come to players of Kraft and Jones.

— Andrew Brandt (@AndrewBrandt) November 17, 2017

Speaking at Montreal chamber of commerce event, #habs owner Geoff Molson mentions his franchise has won 24 Stanley Cups. Then quips: “Marc Bergevin and I haven’t won any of them.”

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) November 17, 2017

Friday

Gold medal-winning U.S. figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi will be on hand for the opening of an outdoor ice skating rink in San Jose.

Saturday

NFL Cardinals President Michael Bidwill, gold medal-winning U.S. track and field athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee and former NASCAR Cup driver Carl Edwards are among the honorees at the Musial Awards in St. Louis.

Shop.NHL.com's fourth installment of a national campaign features Blackhawks RW Patrick Kane helping a fan with her gift shopping.

Friday

Newlyweds Astros P Justin Verlander and Kate Upton are guests on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon."

1,800 -- The number of hours of coverage from the Pyeongchang Games NBC Sports plans to stream, the most it has done for a Winter Games (NBC Sports).