ON TRACK | This weekend's events

NASCAR
WINSTON CUP
Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500
Schedule: Today, qualifying (Speed Channel, 7 p.m.); Sunday, race (NBC, 12:30 p.m.).
Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway (quad-oval, 1.54 miles, 24 degrees banking in turns), Hampton, Ga.
Race distance: 500.5 miles, 325 laps.
Last race: Jeff Gordon completed the season sweep at Martinsville Speedway by taking the Subway 500. Gordon's only other win in 2003 was at the Virginia 500 on April 13.
Last year: Kurt Busch won the rain-shortened NAPA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Busch was leading the race at lap 242 when the fifth caution flag of the day came out because of rain. The race was called six laps later when the track was deemed too wet.
BUSCH SERIES
Aaron's 312
Schedule: Today, qualifying (Speed Channel, 1:40 p.m.); Saturday, race (TNT, 1 p.m.).
Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway (quad-oval, 1.54 miles, 24 degrees banking in turns), Hampton, Ga.
Race distance: 312.62 miles, 203 laps
Last race: Bobby Hamilton Jr. picked up his third Busch win of 2003 when he nudged past Johnny Sauter with three laps to go and held on to win the Sam's Town 250 at Memphis Motorsports Park.
Last year: Jamie McMurray's gas tank outlasted everyone else's and he won his first Busch race, at the Aaron's 312. McMurray took his first lead on the final lap after Joe Nemechek ran out of fuel.
Next race: Bashas' Supermarkets 200, Nov. 1, Avondale, Ariz.
CART
Lexmark Indy 300
Schedule: Today, qualifying, 1 a.m., qualifying, 11:45 p.m.; Sunday, race (Speed Channel, 12:30 a.m.).
Track: Surfers Paradise, Australia, Street Circuit (temporary road course, 2.795 miles, 12 turns).
Race distance: 181.675 miles, 65 laps.
Last race: Polesitter Paul Tracy dominated the Mexican Grand Prix on Oct. 12 and closed in on his first CART championship. With a 226-197 lead over Bruno Junqueira, Tracy needs a win or second-place finish in either of the last two races to secure his first championship in 13 years on the circuit.
Last year: Mario Dominguez won the rain-shortened Honda Indy 300 in Australia, a race that was marred by a spectacular 10-car wreck on the opening lap that put Adrian Fernandez and Tora Takagi in the hospital.
Next race: Champ Car 500, Nov. 2, Fontana, Calif.
NHRA
AC Delco Nationals
Schedule: Today, qualifying, 11:30 a.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN2, 11:30 p.m., tape); Sunday, early eliminations, 2 p.m. (ESPN, 5 p.m.), final eliminations (ESPN2, 7 p.m., tape).
Track: The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Last event: Larry Dixon clinched his second straight Top Fuel championship when Doug Kalitta lost in the second round and Greg Anderson secured the Pro Stock title at the Texas Motorplex. John Force earned his 109th career Funny Car win while Kenny Bernstein took Top Fuel.
Last year: Dixon and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) won the championship in their respective categories during the ACDelco Nationals. It was Dixon's first championship and Coughlin's second. Force recorded his 105th win in Funny Car.
Next event: Automobile Club Finals, Nov. 9, Pomona, Calif.
-- Associated Press