ON THE TRACKS \ This weekend’s events

NASCAR
NEXTEL CUP
Sylvania 300
Loudon, N.H.

Schedule: Today, qualifying (ESPN2, 3 p.m.); Sunday, race (ABC 1 p.m.)
Track: New Hampshire International Speedway (oval, 1.058 miles, 12 degrees banking in turns).
Race distance: 317 miles, 300 laps.
Last race: Jimmie Johnson easily raced to his series-best sixth victory of the season, winning at Richmond International Raceway to shore up the top seed in the Chase for the championship. The defending champion will start the 10-race title hunt on top of the standings and with the momentum of two consecutive wins to help him hold off 11 other challengers.
Last year: Kevin Harvick turned New Hampshire International Speedway into his personal playground, dominating the Sylvania 300 to take the early lead in NASCAR’s Chase for the championship. Harvick, who started from the pole and paced almost every practice session, led 196 of the 300 laps to run away with the first round of the Chase.
Fast facts: Johnson and Matt Kenseth are the only drivers to qualify for the Chase all four years. ... Jeff Gordon, the four-time series champion, will be seeded second — just 20 points behind Johnson. Tony Stewart, the two-time series champion, will be 30 points back in third. He missed the Chase last season. ... Dale Earnhardt Jr. missed the Chase for the second time in three years after a 30th place finish at Richmond. He ran in the top three late in the race, but his fifth motor failure with just a few laps to go sealed his fate. ... Johnson is trying to become the first repeat Cup champion since Gordon (1997-98). ... Denny Hamlin won the LENOX Industrial Tools 300 at Loudon on July 1. ... Stewart won three Chase races last year despite not qualifying for the championship field.

CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS
New Hampshire 200
Loudon, N.H.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, 10:05 a.m., race (Speed Channel, 2:30 p.m.)
Track: New Hampshire International Speedway.
Race distance: 211.6 miles, 200 laps.
Last race: Johnny Benson raced to his second straight NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory on Sept. 1, holding off Ron Hornaday Jr. in the Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200. Points leader Mike Skinner had the pole and led the first 30 laps on the 1.25-mile Gateway International Raceway oval, but dropped from contention after blowing out his right front tire.
Last year: Benson got past Kyle Busch an instant before a caution flag froze the field and never relinquished the top spot, racing away to a win at New Hampshire International Speedway.
Next race: Las Vegas 350, Sept. 22

FORMULA ONE
Belgian Grand Prix
Spa-Francorchamps

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying (Speed Channel, 8 a.m.); Sunday, race (Speed Channel, 7:30 a.m.)
Track: Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps (road course, 4.329 miles).
Race distance: 190.476 miles, 44 laps.
Last race: Fernando Alonso led teammate Lewis Hamilton for McLaren’s fourth 1-2 of the season at the Italian Grand Prix.
Last year: No race.
Next race: Japanese Grand Prix, Sept. 30, Suzuka.

NHRA
O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals
Memphis, Tenn.

Schedule: Today, qualifying, 4:45 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 1 p.m. (Sunday, ESPN2; Midnight, tape); Sunday, eliminations, Noon (ESPN2, 7 p.m., tape).
Track: Memphis Motorsports Park.
Last event: Defending Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher took the NHRA playoff lead on Sept. 3 with his sixth Mac Tools U.S. Nationals victory in eight years. Schumacher drove away from Larry Dixon in the final, finishing in 4.575 seconds at 331.94 mph, to earn a spot in the winner’s circle with Funny Car victor Mike Ashley, Pro Stock points leader Dave Connolly and Pro Stock Motorcycle winner Craig Treble.
Last year: John Force finally took over the Funny Car points lead by winning the rain-delayed O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals. Sharing the winner’s circle with Force was Doug Kalitta, Kurt Johnson in Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Andrew Hines.
Next event: O’Reilly Fall Nationals, Sept. 23, Ennis, Texas.

Associated Press