Friday, August 27, 2004
NASCARNEXTEL CUPSharpie 500Bristol, Tenn.
Schedule: Today, qualifying (TNT, 3 p.m.); Saturday, race (TNT, 7:30 p.m.)Track: Bristol Motor Speedway (oval, .533 miles, 36 degrees banking in turns)Race distance: 266.5 miles, 500 lapsLast race: Greg Biffle led a race-high 73 of 200 laps and easily won the GFS Marketplace 400 at Michigan International Speedway.Last year: Kurt Busch sped away from Kevin Harvick. Busch, who was punched by Jimmy Spencer the previous week, found himself in trouble again by spinning-out Sterling Marlin midway through the race as he tried to pass Marlin for second place, drawing thundering boos from the crowd.Fast facts: Busch also won the Food City 500 at Bristol on March 28 and has four wins in his last five appearances at the track. ... Only three races remain before the championship showdown, when the top 10 drivers in the standings compete over the last 10 events for the title. ... Jeff Gordon snapped a 31-race winless drought at the 2002 event. He has five victories and 15 top 10 finishes in 23 career starts at Bristol.
BUSCHFood City 250Bristol, Tenn.
Schedule: Today, race (TNT, 8 p.m.)Track: Bristol Motor SpeedwayRace distance: 133.25 miles, 250 laps.Last race: Kyle Busch recorded his series-leading fifth race of the season after taking the Cabela's 250 at Michigan International Speedway. Busch had several leads of more than five seconds wiped out but still beat runner-up Mark Martin by 3.861 seconds.Last year: Michael Waltrip used a slight bump-and-run to knock Ron Hornaday out of his way for his second win at Bristol. Waltrip also won in April 1993, two days after former Nextel Cup champion Alan Kulwicki was killed in a plane crash.Fast facts: Busch is the first series rookie to win five races in a season since Greg Biffle had five in 1989. ... Dale Earnhardt Jr. is expected to compete in his fourth Busch race of 2004 this weekend. He won at Daytona Beach on Feb. 14. ... Jeff Green will replace Bobby Hamilton Jr. in the Team Rensi in the No. 25 car for the rest of the season.Next race: Target House 300, Sept. 4, Fontana, Calif.
CHAMP CAR WORLD SERIESGrand Prix of Montreal
Schedule: Today, qualifying, 2 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 1:45 p.m.; Sunday, race, 2 p.m. (SPIKE, 4 p.m., tape)Track: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (road course, 2.709 miles, 15 turns)Race distance: 186.921 miles, 69 lapsLast race: Sebastien Bourdais recovered from a bump on the first turn with teammate Bruno Junqueira, worked his way through the field and passed Paul Tracy with 10 laps left to win the Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver on Aug. 15. It was the fifth victory this season for Bourdais, who widened his series lead to 56 points over Junqueira.Last year: Michel Jourdain won the Montreal Molson Indy after using a later pit stop to beat Alex Tagliani, who led 52 of the 75 laps.Fast facts: Jimmy Vasser is expected to make his 193rd consecutive start this weekend, moving him past Al Unser Jr. for most in open-wheel history. ... The track, named for the fabled Ferrari driver and father of former CART champion Jacques Villeneuve, has been the site of this event since 1978.Next race: Sept. 12, Laguna Seca, Calif.
FORMULA ONEBelgian Grand PrixSpa-Francorchamps
Schedule: Saturday, qualifying (Speed Channel, 8 a.m.); Sunday, race (Speed Channel, 7:30 a.m.)Track: Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps (road course, 4.329 miles)Race distance: 190.527 miles, 44 laps.Last race: Michael Schumacher won the Hungarian Grand Prix and set another record by becoming the first F1 driver with 12 victories in a season. He can clinch his seventh championship at Belgium.Last year: No race.Fast facts: Schumacher is also the first driver to win seven consecutive races in a season. Italy's Alberto Ascari had nine, but it bridged two seasons (1952-53). ... Rubens Barrichello finished second at Hungary, giving Ferrari its sixth straight constructors' championship. ... Schumacher won the last F1 race in Belgium in 2002.Next race: Italian Grand Prix, Sept. 12, Monza
INDY RACING LEAGUEFirestone Indy 225Nazareth, Pa.
Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, 11:30 a.m.; Sunday, race (ABC, 2 p.m.)Track: Nazareth Speedway (tri-oval, 1 mile, 1 degree banking in turn 1, 4 degrees in turn 2, 6 degrees in turns 3-4)Race distance: 225 miles, 225 laps.Last race: Dario Franchitti shook off a potentially dangerous pit mishap and led the final 63 laps to win the Honda 225 at Fountain, Colo.. On lap 85, Franchitti's fuel man, Mike Miller, had trouble getting the hose disconnected from the car and was clipped by the rear tire.Last year: Helio Castroneves moved atop the standings and gave Toyota its first series championship by holding off Sam Hornish Jr. by 0.169 seconds.Fast facts: Tony Kanaan has 11 straight top 10 finishes and has a 68-point lead over Buddy Rice in the standings with four races remaining. ... Rice has five poles this season, one shy of Billy Boat's series record in 1998. ... Castroneves has not won since his victory at Nazareth last year.Next race: Delphi Indy 300, Sept. 12, Joliet, Ill.
Associated Press