Auto Racing Glance — May 28, 1998

Thursday, May 28, 1998 | 10:36 a.m.

By JOHN NICHOLSON

Associated Press Writer

All Times EDT

NASCAR

WINSTON CUP

MBNA Platinum 400

Site: Dover, Del.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, 3:30 p.m.; Saturday, second-round qualifying, 11:30 a.m.; Sunday, race, 12:10 p.m. (TNN).

Track: Dover Downs International Speedway (oval, 1.0 miles, 24 degrees banking in corners).

Race distance: 400 miles, 400 laps.

Last year: Mark Martin won the September race when Kyle Petty was forced to pit for fuel with 20 laps remaining. Martin averaged a Dover-record 132.719 mph in the race slowed by only one 11-lap caution period. Dale Earnhardt finished second, followed by Petty. Ricky Rudd won the Miller 500 in June, beating Martin by 0.091 seconds.

Last week: Jeff Gordon successfully defended his Coca-Cola 600 title, charging through the pack to win a 16-lap sprint to the finish. Gordon, who made a late four-tire change while the rest of the leaders gambled on just two tires, beat Rusty Wallace by about 15 car-lengths. The Hendrick Motorsports star leads Jeremy Mayfield by 27 points in the series standings.

Fast facts: Gordon, also the 1994 Coca-Cola 600 winner, has 32 Winston Cup victories. He won the 1995 fall race at Dover Downs and swept the 1996 races. ... Petty won the 1995 spring race for the last of his eight Winston Cup victories. ... Dover Downs has added 10,000 seats, increasing the reserved seating capacity to about 107,000.

Next race: Pontiac Excitement 400, June 6, Richmond, Va.

---

BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL

MBNA Platinum 200

Site: Dover, Del.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying, 2:10 p.m.; Saturday, race, 1:10 p.m. (TNN).

Track: Dover Downs International Speedway (oval, 1.0 miles, 24 degrees banking in corners).

Race distance: 200 miles, 200 laps.

Last year: Joe Bessey raced to his first BGN victory, avoiding a late-race crash and holding off Randy LaJoie in the September race. ... Bobby Labonte won the Goodwrench 200 in June.

Last week: Mark Martin won the Carquest 300 at Concord, N.C., beating Joe Nemechek for the Ford star's record 33rd BGN victory. A week earlier, Martin won The Winston all-star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Fast facts: Buckshot Jones will have double duties this week, driving the No. 8 Circuit City Chevrolet on the Winston Cup circuit. Jones, also scheduled to drive the Stavola Brothers entry next week in Richmond, Va., agreed to the two-race deal after Hut Stricklin was released from his driving duties. ... Mike McLaughlin leads the series standings with 1,685 points, followed by Matt Kenseth (1,684), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1,496), Jones (1,450) and two-time defending champion Randy LaJoie (1,408).

Next race: Hardee's 250, June 5, Richmond, Va.

---

CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

Parts America 150

Site: Watkins Glen, N.Y.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying, 2:50 p.m.; Saturday, race, noon (ESPN).

Track: (road course, 2.45 miles, 11 turns).

Race distance: 151.9 miles, 62 laps.

Last year: Ron Fellows became the first Canadian winner in series history, beating Mike Bliss by 1.401 seconds. Fellows started from the pole.

Last week: Tony Raines successfully defended his Yellow Freight 200 title at Odessa, Mo., beating Joe Ruttman by 1.367 seconds. Raines, who started from the pole, won in Ford after taking the 1997 race in a Dodge.

Fast facts: Jack Sprague finished fifth last week to increase his series-leading points total to 995. Ron Hornaday is second at 972.

Next race: Pronto Auto Parts 400, June 5, Fort Worth, Texas.

---

CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING TEAMS

Miller 200

Site: West Allis, Wis.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, 2:15 p.m. (ESPN2, tape 6 p.m.); Sunday, race, 1:30 p.m. (ESPN).

Track: The Milwaukee Mile (oval, 1.032 miles, 9.25 degrees banking in corners).

Race distance: 206.4 miles, 200 laps.

Last year: Canada's Greg Moore became the youngest winner in series history, beating 1996 winner Michael Andretti by 0.348 seconds. Moore was 22 years, 1 month and 10 days, breaking Al Unser Jr.'s 1984 mark by 19 days.

Last race: Italy's Alex Zanardi won the Motorola 300 at Madison, Ill., taking the lead with a very fast final pit stop and holding off Michael Andretti by 0.573-seconds. Zanardi, the only two-time winner this season, has a two-point lead over Canada's Greg Moore in the season standings.

Fast facts: Moore won the Rio 400 on May 10. ... Andretti has five victories at The Milwaukee Mile. He won the season-opening Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami for his series-leading 37th victory. ... Unser is winless in 40 races, the longest drought of his career. He has 31 career victories.

Next race: Detroit Grand Prix, May 31, Detroit.

---

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

Fram Route 66 Nationals

Site: Joliet, Ill.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, 4 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, second-round qualifying, noon and 4 p.m.; Sunday, final eliminations, noon (TNN, 6 p.m.).

Track: Route 66 Raceway.

Last year: Inaugural event.

Last event: Joe Amato won the Top Fuel competition in the Mopar Parts Nationals on May 24 at Englishtown, N.J., beating Cory McClenathan with a run of 4.614 seconds at 319.90 mph. Amato increased the national speed record to 323.50 mph during his quarterfinals victory over Doug Kalitta.

Fast facts: McClenathan, a four-time winner this year, leads the Top Fuel standings with 699 points, 69 more than Amato. ... The event is the first at the $20 million facility.

Next event: Pontiac Excitement Nationals, June 11-14, Columbus, Ohio.

---

FORMULA ONE

Next race: Canadian Grand Prix, June 7, Montreal.

Last week: Finland's Mika Hakkinen won the Monaco Grand Prix, the McLaren driver's fourth victory in six races this year. Italy's Giancarlo Fisichella finished second in a Benetton-Playlife, 11.4 seconds behind.

---

INDY RACING LEAGUE

Next race: True Value 500, June 6, Fort Worth, Texas.

Last week: Eddie Cheever won the Indianapolis 500, beating Buddy Lazier by 3.191 seconds. Cheever, 40, a former Formula One driver, averaged 145.155 mph in the race slowed by 12 caution periods.