ON THE TRACKS

ON THE TRACKS
This weekend's events
NASCAR NEXTEL CUPCrown Royal 400Richmond, Va.
Schedule: Today, qualifying (Speed Channel, 6 p.m.); Saturday, race (FX, 7 p.m.).Track: Richmond International Raceway (tri-oval, .75 miles, 14 degrees banking in turns).Race distance: 300 miles, 400 laps.Last race: Jimmie Johnson erased a career full of Talladega Superspeedway troubles, barreling past teammate Brian Vickers with one lap to go then holding off a charge from Tony Stewart to win the rain-postponed Aaron's 499. Last year: Kasey Kahne raced to his first Cup victory and temporarily halted the recent domination of Roush Racing and Hendrick Motorsports at the Chevy American Revolution 400 in Richmond.
NASCAR BUSCHCircuit City 250Richmond, Va.
Schedule: Friday, qualifying (Speed Channel, 4 p.m.), race (FX, 7:30 p.m.).Track: Richmond International Raceway (tri-oval, .75 miles, 14 degrees banking in turns).Race distance: 187.5 miles, 250 laps.Last race: Martin Truex Jr. picked the perfect race to make his first Busch start of the season, returning to his roots to win his third straight race at Talladega Superspeedway. Driving a car owned by Dale Earnhardt Inc., Truex celebrated what would have been The Intimidator's 55th birthday by giving the company the victory in the Aaron's 312.Last year: Carl Edwards passed Elliott Sadler with one lap to go after a green-white-checker restart in overtime and won the Funai 250 in Richmond.
FORMULA ONEGrand Prix of EuropeNurburgring, Germany
Schedule: Saturday, qualifying (Speed Channel, 8 a.m.); Sunday, race (Speed Channel, 7:30 a.m.).Track: Nurburgring (permanent road course, 3.196 miles).Race distance: 191.76 miles, 60 laps.Last race: Michael Schumacher held off Fernando Alonso in a tight duel to win the San Marino Grand Prix for his first victory in 13 races. Last year: Alonso recovered from a first-corner bump and took advantage of Kimi Raikkonen's tire blowout on the last lap in a riveting finish to the European Grand Prix.
NHRASouthern NationalsCommerce, Ga.
Schedule: Today, qualifying, 3:30 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 11:30 a.m. (ESPN2, 9 p.m., tape); Sunday, eliminations, 11 a.m. (7 p.m., ESPN2, tape).Track: Atlanta Dragway.Last event: Funny Car points leader Ron Capps raced to his third victory of the year, beating John Force by a hundredth of a second in the O'Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol, Tenn. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) also won.Last year: Force raced to his NHRA-record 116th Funny Car victory and Kalitta recorded his second straight Top Fuel win at the Southern Nationals. Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and GT Tonglet (Pro Stock Bike) also won.
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