Sunday, May 25, 2003
INDY RACING LEAGUE
Indianapolis 500
Schedule: Sunday, race (ABC, noon).
Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (rectangular oval, 2.5 miles, 9 degrees banking in turns).
Race distance: 500 miles, 200 laps.
Last race: Scott Sharp won the crash-filled Indy Japan 300 on April 13 and moved into a tie for the lead in career victories in the series. Sharp finished under the yellow flag at Twin Ring Motegi for his eighth career IRL victory, matching Sam Hornish Jr. and Buddy Lazier for wins in the series.
Last year: Helio Castroneves gave team owner Roger Penske a record 12th Indianapolis 500 victory when he won the race under caution after rookie Laurent Redon and Buddy Lazier crashed on lap 199. Runner-up Paul Tracy's team protested, saying he had passed Castroneves just before a yellow flag came out, but it was denied. Castroneves became the first repeat winner of the Indianapolis 500 since Al Unser won consecutive races in 1970-71 and the first driver to win both of his first two Indy starts.
Fast facts: The race has taken place every year since 1911, except for when the United States was in World War I (1917-18) and World War II (1942-45). ... Castroneves won the pole with a speed of 231.725 mph and will be joined in the front row by Tony Kanaan and Robby Gordon. The field average of 227.125 mph is the third-fastest ever at Indianapolis. ... This year's field has a combined 115 previous starts in the Indianapolis 500. Two-time winner Al Unser Jr. has the most experience with 15 previous starts. ... Castroneves and fellow Brazilian Gil de Ferran gave team owner Penske a 1-2 finish and led a CART sweep of the top five at the 2001 race. ... Unser Jr., Michael Andretti and A.J. Foyt all qualified and will be in the same field for the first time since 1992. ... Sarah Fisher made history during last year's qualifying by becoming the fastest woman to make the Indy 500.
Next race: Longhorn 500K, June 7, Fort Worth, Texas.
NASCAR WINSTON CUP
Coca-Cola 600
Schedule: Sunday, race (Fox, 5 p.m.).
Track: Lowe's Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C. (quad-oval, 1.5 miles, 24 degrees banking in turns).
Race distance: 600 miles, 400 laps.
Last race: Jimmie Johnson became $1 million richer by racing away to win The Winston and a record cash prize. Johnson took the lead away from teammate Jeff Gordon three laps into the final 20-lap segment, then pulled away to an easy victory over Kurt Busch in NASCAR's annual all-star race.
Last year: Johnson was poised to win the Coca-Cola 600, but he overshot his pit box on the race's final pit stop and surrendered the lead -- and eventually the win -- to Mark Martin. Martin started 25th, the farthest back in the field than any previous winner in the track's history.
Next race: MBNA America 400, June 1, Dover, Del.
BUSCH SERIES
Carquest Auto Parts 300
Schedule: Saturday, race (FX, 1 p.m.).
Track: Lowe's Motor Speedway (quad-oval, 1.5 miles, 24 degrees banking in turns).
Race distance: 300 miles, 200 laps.
Last race: Ron Hornaday beat Brian Vickers by less than half a second to win Goulds Pumps ITT Industries 200 at Nazareth Speedway, ending a 63-event winless drought. Hornaday made his Busch debut at the track in May 1998 and picked up his first series victory there in July 2000.
Last year: Jeff Green held off Greg Biffle on a last-lap duel to win the Carquest Auto Parts 300 for the second straight year. Ron Hornaday Jr. set the race qualifying record at 182.094 mph the previous day.
Fast facts: Winston Cup rookie Casey Mears agreed to a deal that will put him in a Busch series car for at least two races, starting this weekend. Car owner Chip Ganassi worked out the deal after driver Chad Blount asked for and received his release from the team. ... Green, Mark Martin and Tim Richmond are the only drivers to win this race in consecutive years. Martin won a series-leading six Busch races at Lowe's before leaving for the Winston Cup circuit. ... Kyle Busch, the younger brother of Winston Cup's Kurt, is expected to make his series debut this weekend. He won both of his ARCA starts this season.
Next race: MBNA Platinum 200, May 31, Dover, Del.
NHRA
O'Reilly Summer Nationals
Schedule: Today, qualifying, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 1 p.m. (ESPN, 5 p.m., tape); Sunday, eliminations, Noon (ESPN2, 3:30 p.m., tape).
Track: Heartland Park, Topeka, Kan.
Last event: Doug Kalitta won his second Top Fuel event of the season at the NHRA K & amp;N Filters SuperNationals in Englishtown, N.J.. Whit Bazemore, Greg Anderson and Shawn Gann also won their divisions.
Last year: Darrell Russell (Top Fuel), Tony Pedregon (Funny Car) and Troy Coughlin (Pro Stock) all enjoyed wins at the O'Reilly Summer Nationals in Topeka. Russell edged Larry Dixon by .04 in the finals.
Next event: Route 66 Nationals, June 1, Chicago.
-- Associated Press