ON TRACK This week's events

NASCAR
WINSTON CUP
Checker Auto Parts 500K
Schedule: Today, qualifying (Speed Channel, 5 p.m.); Sunday, race (NBC, 2 p.m.).
Track: Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale, Ariz., (tri-oval, 1 mile, 11 degrees banking in turns 1-2, 9 degrees banking in turns 3-4).
Race distance: 312 miles (500 kilometers), 312 laps.
Last race: Johnny Benson captured his first victory in 226 Winston Cup starts by winning the Pop Secret Microwave 400 in Rockingham, N.C.. Benson was coming back from two separate rib injuries that sidelined him for six races.
Last year: Jeff Burton passed Mike Wallace for the lead with 33 laps to go and won the Checker Auto Parts 500 for the second consecutive year. Wallace, in only his fourth race with Penske Racing South, took the lead on the 241st of 312 laps. He went in front when crew chief Peter Sospenzo elected to put on only right side tires while the rest of the leaders were changing all four.
Fast facts: Tony Stewart leads by Mark Martin by 112 points in the championship race and can wrap up his first career title this weekend. Martin was fined 25 points after last week's race for an unapproved left front spring. Stewart won the 1999 race. ... CART regular Christian Fittipaldi is expected to make his Winston Cup debut this weekend. ... Chip Ganassi Racing announced Tuesday that Jimmy Spencer will be released from his contract at the end of the 2002 season. Spencer has two top-five and six top-10 finishes this season while driving the No. 41 Dodge.
Next race: Homestead 400, Nov. 17, Homestead, Fla.
BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL
Bashas' 200
Schedule: Saturday, race (NBC, 2 p.m.).
Track: Phoenix International Raceway (tri-oval, 1 mile, 11 degrees banking in turns 1-2, 9 degrees banking in turns 3-4).
Race distance: 200 miles, 200 laps.
Last race: Jamie McMurray picked up an unlikely victory at the Sam's Club 300 at Rockingham after a next-to-last lap crash knocked out race leaders Jeff Green and Michael Waltrip. McMurray has won each of the last two races despite leading only a combined three laps.
Last year: Greg Biffle came back from nearly two laps down to earn his fifth victory of the season in the Outback Steakhouse 200 at Phoenix International Raceway. Biffle came up with his second win on the 1-mile oval in as many days, also winning the truck race that weekend.
Fast facts: Biffle finished second at Rockingham and owns a commanding 212-point lead in the standings over Jason Keller, who placed 27th. Biffle can clinch the championship this weekend if either he loses no more than 26 points to Keller, finishes fourth or better, places fifth or better and leads at least one lap or finishes seventh or better and leads the most laps.
Next race: GNC Live Well 300, Nov. 16, Homestead, Fla.
CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS
Chevy Silverado 150
Schedule: Today, race (ESPN2, 3 p.m.).
Track: Phoenix International Raceway (tri-oval, 1 mile, 11 degrees banking in turns 1-2, 9 degrees banking in turns 3-4).
Race distance: 150 miles, 150 laps.
Last race: Ted Musgrave posted his second straight victory in Fontana by winning the American Racing Wheels 200 at California Speedway. Musgrave won despite starting at the rear of the 36-truck field after blowing an engine in practice.
Last year: Greg Biffle started a two-victory weekend by holding off Jack Sprague on three late restarts in the Chevy Silverado 150.
Fast facts: Mike Bliss finished ninth in Fontana and saw his lead in the standings shrink to 68 points over Rick Crawford. Musgrave is third, 107 points behind Bliss. ... Musgrave's victory last week was his first in 13 races dating to a victory in Dover on May 31.
Next race: Craftsman Finale, Nov. 15, Homestead, Fla.
NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
Automobile Club Finals
Schedule: Today, qualifying, 4:45 p.m. Saturday, qualifying 2 p.m. (ESPN2, 9 p.m., tape); Sunday, eliminations 2 p.m. (ESPN, 5 p.m., tape).
Track: Pomona (Calif.) Raceway.
Last event: Larry Dixon (Top Fuel) and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) both won the championship in their respective categories in the ACDelco Nationals in Las Vegas. It was Dixon's first championship and Coughlin's second. John Force recorded his 105th win to extend the Funny Car championship to the final event.
Last year: Kenny Bernstein won at the Automobile Club Finals and earned the sixth championship of his career. It was Bernstein's second Top Fuel title. He also has four Funny Car titles and is the only driver to win a championship in both nitro categories. Warren Johnson and Angelle Savoie also wrapped up titles. Johnson earned his sixth Pro Stock championship while Savoie took her second straight Pro Stock Motorcycle title. Del Worsham (Funny Car), Bruce Allen (Pro Stock), Savoie and Mike Coughlin (Pro Stock Truck) were winners in their divisions in the season finale.
Fast facts: The Funny Car championship is the only one that has gone unclaimed. John Force, who has won the last nine titles and 11 overall, holds a 31-point advantage over Tony Pedregon, who has won three of the last five events. ... Dixon's championship was also the first for team owner Don Prudhomme, a four-time Funny Car champion himself. ... This is the final event of the season. ... The season has ended in California for the last 18 years.
-- Associated Press