ON THE TRACKS | This weekend's events

NASCAR NEXTEL CUPAll-Star ChallengeConcord, N.C.
Nextel Open Schedule: Today, qualifying (Speed Channel, 6 p.m.); Saturday, race (FX, 7 p.m.)All-Star Challenge Schedule: Today, qualifying (Speed Channel, 7 p.m.); Saturday, race (FX, 9 p.m.)Track: Lowe's Motor Speedway (quad-oval, 1.5 miles, 24 degrees banking in turns)Race distance: 135 miles, 90 lapsLast race: Greg Biffle finally snapped the streak of bad luck that has plagued his season, holding off a late charge from Jeff Gordon to win at Darlington Raceway. It was the first win of the season for Biffle, who had been unable to catch a break all year. He led the most laps in three other races, only to see his shot at a win evaporate because of a wide-ranging batch of mishaps.Last year: Mark Martin took advantage of Elliott Sadler's struggles off a restart with 19 laps left and won his second All-Star Challenge and $1 million at Concord.Fast facts: Eligible drivers are race winners from the previous and current seasons, Cup champions from the previous 10 seasons who are active and have competed in at least one event in 2005 or 2006, previous All-Star Challenge winners and the winner of the Nextel Open, a preliminary race for teams that have yet to win since the start of the 2005 season. Teams competing in the open must have finished in the top 50 in the final 2005 standings or be among the top 50 in points this season as of March 13. ... One of the Nextel Open losers will be voted into the All-Star Challenge by the fans. ... The race will be run in three segments of 40, 30 and 20 laps. ... Martin also won the 1998 event after Gordon ran out of gas on the final lap. ... Davey Allison is the only driver to win consecutive All-Star Challenges (1991-92). ... Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Sr. are the only three-time winners of this event. ... This event does not count in the standings.
CRAFTSMAN TRUCKSQuaker State & amp; Lube 200Concord, N.C.
Schedule: Today, qualifying (Speed Channel, 4 p.m.), race (Speed Channel, 8 p.m.)Track: Lowe's Motor SpeedwayRace distance: 300 miles, 200 lapsLast race: Todd Bodine raced to his fifth victory in the last eight truck events, leading a group of five Toyotas across the finish line in the Ram Tough 200 at Gateway International Raceway.Last year: Kyle Busch, 20, became the youngest winner in truck history, holding off Terry Cook and Ted Musgrave in a three-lap closing sprint in the Quaker Steak & amp; Lube 200.Fast facts: Bodine has won his last three starts on 1.5-mile tracks and finished either first or second in seven such races since winning at Kansas Speedway last July. ... A win by Mark Martin would give him the first sweep of the major NASCAR events at Lowe's Motor Speedway. ...Ted Musgrave won the inaugural event in 2003.Next race: Mansfield 250, May 27, Ohio.
CHAMP CAR WORLD SERIESMonterrey Grand PrixMonterrey, Mexico
Schedule: Today, qualifying, 3 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 3 p.m. (Speed Channel, 8 p.m., tape); Sunday, race (Speed Channel, 2 p.m.)Track: Fundidora Park (permanent road course, 2.104 miles, 12 turns)Race distance: 159.904 miles, 76 lapsLast race: Sebastien Bourdais won for the second time in as many races this season, holding off Paul Tracy by 1.238 seconds in the Grand Prix of Houston.Last year: Bruno Junqueira took his first lead on the 67th lap and took advantage of a yellow flag to win the Monterrey Grand Prix.Fast facts: Tracy has 19 career runner-up finishes -- including five to Bourdais. ... Junqueira finished 10th at Houston in his first full race since he broke two vertebrae in a wreck in last year's Indianapolis 500. He made his first start since the injury a month ago in Long Beach, but was knocked out of the race in a multicar wreck on the first lap. ... Bourdais has won the last three poles at Monterrey. ... This is the sixth year of the race. Cristiano da Matta won the first two in 2001 and 2002 and is the only multiple winner of this event.Next race: The Milwaukee Mile, June 4, West Allis, Wis.
NHRAPontiac Performance NationalsColumbus
Schedule: Today, qualifying, 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, Noon (ESPN2, 10 p.m., tape); Sunday, eliminations, 11 a.m. (ESPN2, 8 p.m., tape)Track: National Trail RacewayLast event: Doug Kalitta raced to his second straight Top Fuel victory and moved into second place in the championship standings, beating series leader Melanie Troxel in the final of the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals. Tony Pedregon, Dave Connolly and Antron Brown also won at Atlanta Dragway.Last year: Tony Schumacher had the fastest run in NHRA history during the Pontiac Performance Nationals on May 7, traveling 336.15 mph to win the Top Fuel division. John Force claimed his third Funny Car victory of the season, Greg Anderson won his second consecutive Pro Stock race and Ryan Schnitz took Pro Stock Bike.Fast facts: Troxel has competed in six of the seven Top Fuel finals this season. ... Pedregon had not advanced past the quarterfinals this season before his victory at Atlanta. ... There have been seven different Pro Stock winners this year. ... Only Indianapolis Raceway Park and Pomona Raceway have been around longer than National Trail Raceway, which has hosted an NHRA national event every year since 1972.Next event: O'Reilly Summer Nationals, May 28, Topeka, Kan.
Associated Press
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