ON THE TRACKS | This weekend's results

NASCAR NEXTEL CUPChecker Auto Parts 500
Site: Avondale, Ariz.
Schedule: Saturday, qualifying (Speed Channel, 1 p.m.); Sunday, race (NBC, 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: 312 miles, 312 laps.
Last race: Carl Edwards gambled on a late pit stop for tires, charged from sixth to first in 11 laps and won for the second straight week at the Dickies 500 in Fort Worth, Texas. Tony Stewart finished sixth and had his lead in the Chase for the championship drop from 43 points to 38 over Jimmie Johnson, who managed to pass Stewart two laps from the end and finish fifth.
Last year: Dale Earnhardt Jr. reluctantly followed his crew chief's orders to stay on the track and pass up a late tire change, and the strategy worked as he pulled away from Jeff Gordon in a pair of overtime laps to win the Checker Auto Parts 500.
Fast facts: Kurt Busch won the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix on April 23 and is one of five Chase drivers to have at least one victory at the track, joining Stewart, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth and Rusty Wallace. ... Wallace is the only Chase driver without a victory this season. ... Jamie McMurray gained his release from Chip Ganassi Racing on Monday, clearing the way for a driver swap that affects three teams. Busch will now go to Penske Racing to replace Wallace, retiring at the end of the season. McMurray will take over Busch's ride at Roush Racing and Ganassi is altering his plans for the 2006 season, deciding to field only three cars rather than replacing McMurray. ... Ricky Rudd will retire from Cup racing at the end of this season, his 31st on NASCAR's top circuit. Rudd holds NASCAR's record for consecutive starts with 786, a streak that began in 1981.
Next race: Ford 400, Nov. 20, Homestead, Fla.
On the Net: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR BUSCH
Phoenix 200
Site: Avondale, Ariz.
Schedule: Saturday, qualifying (Speed Channel, 11 a.m.), race (TNT, 3:30 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: Kevin Harvick overcame the death of his father-in-law earlier in the week to win the O'Reilly Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway, his fourth Busch victory of the season.
Last year: Jamie McMurray and Kyle Busch swapped the lead twice in the final 27 laps, but McMurray used a surprising outside pass on a restart 10 laps from the finish en route to winning the Bashas' Supermarket 200 at Phoenix International Raceway.
Fast facts: Martin Truex Jr. leads Clint Bowyer by 84 points in the standings and could clinch his second straight Busch title this weekend. He sealed his first championship during the next-to-last race in 2004. ... Ryan Newman failed to record his sixth straight Busch victory after finishing 16th at Texas. ... Greg Biffle has been the runner-up in five of his last eight Busch races.
Next race: Ford 300, Nov. 19, Homestead, Fla.
On the Net: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS
Chevy Silverado 150
Site: Avondale, Ariz.
Schedule: Friday, qualifying, noon, race (Speed Channel, 8 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: Todd Bodine slipped under Mike Skinner with 23 laps to go and then held the lead after a final restart to win The Silverado 350 at Texas Motor Speedway.
Last year: David Starr won the Chevy Silverado 150 after dominant Ted Musgrave fell out of contention with a flat tire.
Fast facts: Points leader Ted Musgrave finished 14th at Texas, but still increased his lead from 51 to 63 points over Dennis Setzer, who was 18th. ... Skinner became the third driver to win three straight poles after recording an average speed of 182.593 mph at Texas, sharing the record with Jack Sprague and Ron Fellows. ... Sprague won three consecutive truck events at Phoenix from 1995-96. Harvick, Skinner and Ron Hornaday Jr have two victories at the track. ...
Next race: Ford 200, Nov. 18, Homestead, Fla.
On the Net: http://www.nascar.com
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