ON THE TRACKS This weekend's events

NASCARNEXTEL CUPFood City 500Bristol, Tenn.
Schedule: Today, qualifying (Speed Channel, 3:30 p.m.); Sunday, race (FOX, 1:30 p.m.)Track: Bristol Motor Speedway (oval, .533 miles, 36 degrees banking in turns)Race distance: 266.5 miles, 500 lapsLast race: Jimmie Johnson used a late-race charge to catch and pass Tony Stewart three laps from the end and drive away with a victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Johnson, the reigning Cup champion, made it two in a row after beating Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon the previous week in Las Vegas.Last year: Kurt Busch brashly bumped Matt Kenseth -- his old teammate -- out of his way with four laps to go to win the Food City 500, his fifth victory in the last nine races on the half-mile track. It was also his first win with Roger Penske Racing.Fast facts: Mark Martin has had four straight top-10 finishes since leaving longtime employer Jack Roush for Ginn Racing, but he will sit out this race and the one next week at Martinsville, ending a string of 621 consecutive starts. ... Juan Pablo Montoya finished fifth at Atlanta -- his best in Cup and on an oval. He leads the rookie of the year standings by one point over David Ragan and is the first driver to lead the Cup and Busch rookie standings simultaneously. ... Kevin Harvick snapped a 55-race winless streak by taking the 2005 event. That day, Harvick's crew chief, Todd Berrier, was serving the second of a four-race suspension for rigging the car's gas tank earlier in the year in Las Vegas. ... Busch has not won since taking last year's event.
BUSCH SERIESSharpie Mini 300Bristol, Tenn.
Schedule: Saturday, qualifying (ESPN2, 11 a.m.); race (ABC, 3 p.m.)Track: Bristol Motor SpeedwayRace distance: 159.9 miles, 300 lapsLast race: Jeff Burton made it two victories in a row, easily holding off Richard Childress Racing teammate and reigning champion Kevin Harvick to win at Atlanta Motor Speedway.Last year: Kyle Busch benefitted from Greg Biffle's late tire problem to take the lead with 12 laps to go and held on to win the Sharpie Mini 300 on a cold, snowy day.Next race: Pepsi 300, April 7, Lebanon, Tenn.
INDY RACING LEAGUEXM Satellite Radio 300Homestead, Fla.
Schedule: Today, qualifying, 8:45 p.m.; Saturday, race (ESPN2, 8 p.m.)Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway (oval, 1.5 miles, 18-degree banking at bottom, 19-degree banking in middle, 20-degree banking at top)Race distance: 300 miles, 200 lapsLast year: Rookie Paul Dana died in a two-car crash during the warmup for the season-opening race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. While streaking around the oval during a warmup session, Dana failed to notice the car of Ed Carpenter had spun to a stop, slamming into it at close to 200 mph. The race went on as planned, with Dan Wheldon beating Helio Castroneves by a nose cone.Next race: Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Fla., April 1.
Associated Press
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