ON THE TRACKS \ This weekend’s events

NASCAR
NEXTEL CUP
Chevy Rock-and-Roll 400
Richmond, Va.

Schedule: Today, qualifying (ESPN2, 6 p.m.); Saturday, race (ABC, 7:30 p.m.)
Track: Richmond International Raceway (tri-oval, 0.75 miles, 14 degrees banking in turns).
Race distance: 300 miles, 400 laps.
Last race: Jimmie Johnson grabbed a victory in the the Sharp Aquos 500, clinching a spot in NASCAR’s Chase for the Nextel Cup championship and guaranteeing he will be no worse than a tie for the top seed in the 10-race playoff.
Last year: Tony Stewart eliminated himself from title contention with a miserable showing. The two-time defending series champion started the weekend with a wreck that destroyed his primary car minutes into the first practice and capped it with a lackluster 18th-place finish. Stewart plummeted from eighth to 11th in the standings. Kasey Kahne, who came into the race 11th in the standings, claimed the final Chase position after finishing third — behind winner Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch.
Fast facts: This race is the final event before the start of the Chase. ... Martin Truex Jr. and Kurt Busch each moved up one spot to 10th and 11th, respectively, while Kevin Harvick slipped from 10th to 12th in the points race. ... Dale Earnhardt Jr. began and ended the race in 13th place in the points, but cut his margin 30 points from 158 behind Busch to 128 behind Harvick.

BUSCH SERIES
Emerson Radio 250
Richmond, Va.

Schedule: Today, qualifying, (ESPN, 4 p.m.); race Friday (ESPN2, 8 p.m.)
Track: Richmond International Raceway.
Race distance: 187.5 miles, 250 laps.
Last race: Jeff Burton turned a late pit stop and fresh tires into a NASCAR Busch Series win in the Camping World 300 at California Speedway. He passed Kyle Busch for the lead just eight laps from the end and pulled away to win by 2.859 seconds — about 12 car lengths — as Busch barely held off pole-winner Denny Hamlin for second place.
Last year: Kevin Harvick continued his dominance in NASCAR’s Busch Series. Harvick led five times for 154 laps leaving with a 619-point lead over Carl Edwards and just seven races left on the schedule. The victory in the Emerson 250 was the 23rd of Harvick’s Busch career, fourth all-time, and the fourth of his career on the .75-mile, D-shaped oval. It also gave him 25 top-10 finishes in 28 Busch races this season.
Fast facts: Runaway series points leader Carl Edwards, was running in the top 10 until he was involved in a late crash. Edwards finished 25th and leads Kevin Harvick by 654 points. ... Brad Keselowski has been cleared for NASCAR competition and will drive the No. 88 Navy Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS. ... Clint Bowyer won the Busch Circuit City 250 at Richmond on May 4.
Next race: RoadLoans.com 200, Sept. 22, Dover, Del.

INDY RACING LEAGUE
Peak Antifreeze IndyCar 300
Joliet, Ill.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, race (ABC, 4 p.m.)
Track: Chicagoland Speedway (oval, 1.5 miles, 18 degrees banking in turns).
Race distance: 300 miles, 200 laps.
Last race: Tony Kanaan gambled and won the Detroit Indy Grand Prix. The Brazilian, the leader after a late restart, had enough fuel to win the shortened race and avoid a last-lap melee that collected IndyCar Series points leader Scott Dixon and Kanaan’s Andretti Green Racing teammate Dario Franchitti. It was Kanaan’s series-best fifth victory this season and 12th of his career. Danica Patrick avoided the wreckage to finish a career-best second.
Last year: Dan Wheldon beat Target Chip Ganassi teammate Scott Dixon by 0.1897 seconds to win the PEAK Antifreeze Indy 300, but Sam Hornish Jr. was 0.2323 seconds behind and clinched the championship.
Fast facts: Three points separate points leader Dario Franchitti from Scott Dixon and 39 points separate Franchitti from Tony Kanaan who is in third place. ... Franchitti, Dixon or Kanaan will take home $1 million by winning the championship.

FORMULA ONE
Italian Grand Prix
Monza

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying (Speed Channel, 8 a.m.); Sunday, race (Speed Channel, 8 a.m.)
Track: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza (road course, 3.599 miles, seven turns).
Race distance: 190.747 miles, 53 laps.
Last race: Ferrari’s Felipe Massa won his third race of the year and his second consecutive Turkish Grand Prix by beating teammate Kimi Raikkonen. Two-time defending Formula One champion Fernando Alonso of McLaren was third. Overall leader Lewis Hamilton of McLaren had been in third place but dropped to fifth after shredding a tire on the 43rd lap.
Last year: Michael Schumacher announced his retirement from Formula One moments after the seven-time world champion won the Italian Grand Prix. The 37-year-old Ferrari driver, who holds every major record in the sport, moved within two points of season leader Fernando Alonso.
Fast facts: This year marks Ferrari’s 60th birthday. In 1947, the very first Ferrari, the 12-cylinder 125 Sport, made its racing debut. That same year in May the team enjoyed their first taste of victory at the Rome Grand Prix with Franco Cortese behind the wheel. ... Spyker’s updated F8-VII will make its race debut. Spyker drivers Adrian Sutil and Sakon Yamamoto, will give the car its first race weekend appearance during Today’s morning practice session. ... Renault is set to appoint Bernard Rey as president of its Formula One team following the departure of Alain Dassas. Rey, who was previously responsible for Nissan’s motor sport teams, will take charge Sept. 17.
Next race: Belgian Grand Prix, Sept. 16, Spa

Associated Press’