This week’s races

Thursday, Aug. 5, 1999 | 9:34 a.m.

WINSTON CUP

Brickyard 400

Site: Indianapolis.

Schedule: Thursday, first-round qualifying, (ESPN, 11:30 a.m.); Friday, second-round qualifying, 2 p.m.; Saturday, race (ABC, 10 a.m.)

Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (oval, 2.5 miles, 9 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 400 miles, 160 laps.

Last year: Jeff Gordon won his second Brickyard 400, holding off Mark Martin. Gordon also won in 1994.

Last race: Bobby Labonte won the Pennsylvania 500 in Long Pond, for the first two-race sweep on the track since 1986. Labonte also won the Pocono 500 in June.

Fast facts: Gordon has failed to finish five times in 19 races this year. He was running all but twice in 33 races all of last season. ... Brett Bodine has not recorded a top-five finish in 156 races. His last top-five was in the inaugural Brickyard 400, in 1994.

Next race: Frontier at the Glen, Aug. 15, Watkins Glen, N.Y.

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BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL

Kroger 200

Site: Clermont, Ind.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying, 1:30 p.m.; race (ESPN, 5:15 p.m.)

Track: Indianapolis Raceway Park (oval, 0.686 miles, 7.5 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 137.2 miles, 200 laps.

Last year: Dale Earnhardt Jr. got his series-high fifth victory of the season. Elliott Sadler finished second.

Last race: Earnhardt got his fourth victory of the year in the Carquest Auto Parts 250 in Madison, Ill. Earnhardt led 59 of 200 laps, including the final 46 after passing Joe Nemechek.

Fast facts: Earnhardt became the sixth driver in series history to surpass $2 million in career earnings with his victory last week. ... Earnhardt has an 11-point advantage over Matt Kenseth in the standings - 2,947 to 2,936.

Next race: Pepsi 200, Aug. 21, Brooklyn, Mich.

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CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

IRP 200

Site: Clermont, Ind.

Schedule: Thursday, qualifying, 2:30 p.m.; race (ESPN, 5:30 p.m.)

Track: Indianapolis Raceway Park (oval, 0.686 miles, 7.5 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 137.2 miles, 200 laps.

Last year: Jack Sprague passed Lonnie Rush on lap 182 to take the victory. Tony Roper finished second.

Last race: Dennis Setzer recovered from a mid-race spin to win the Pennzoil 200 in Loudon, N.H. Setzer raced back from the 19th position to score a 0.355-second victory over Mike Wallace.

Fast facts: Setzer has three wins and Greg Biffle four in the last eight events. ...Sprague and Ron Hornaday went 0-for-July for the first time in series history.

Next race: Ram Tough 200, Aug. 20, Madison, Ill.

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CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING TEAMS

Tenneco Automotive Grand Prix

Site: Detroit.

Schedule: Friday, first round-qualifying, 12:30 p.m.; Saturday, second-round qualifying, 10:45 a.m.; Sunday, race (ABC, 1 p.m.)

Track: The Raceway on Belle Isle (temporary road course, 2.362 miles, 14 turns).

Race distance: 181.874 miles, 77 laps.

Last year: Alex Zanardi - now racing on the Formula One circuit - beat Adrian Fernandez by 6.624 seconds for the victory.

Last race: Max Papis ran out of fuel a half-lap from the end of the U.S. 500 at Michigan Speedway, and Tony Kanaan passed him for his first CART victory.

Fast facts: Christian Fittipaldi was injured in testing Monday, lost consciousness and will miss at least five races. ... Juan Montoya continues to lead the point standings, 129-116, over Dario Franchitti. Fittipaldi is in fourth, 28 points behind Montoya.

Next race: Miller Lite 200, Aug. 15, Lexington, Ohio.

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NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

Autolite Nationals

Site: Sonoma, Calif.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, 2:30 p.m.; Saturday, second-round qualifying, 11 a.m.; Sunday, final eliminations, 11 a.m. (ESPN2, 5 p.m., tape).

Track: Sears Point Raceway.

Last year: Doug Kalitta raced to his first Top Fuel victory, defeating Bruce Sarver in the finals. Cruz Pedregon won the Funny Car division, his third victory of the year and 20th overall.

Last event: Joe Amato won his second straight Top Fuel event, the Prolong Super Lubricants Northwest Nationals in Kent, Wash. Kurt Johnson won the Pro Stock division, and Del Worsham took the Funny Car title.

Fast facts: Mike Dunn leads the Top Fuel standings 866-844 over Kenny Bernstein. ... John Force his a big lead in the Funny Car standings. Tony Pedregon trails by more than 300 points.

Next race: VisionAire Northstar Nationals, Aug. 19-22, Brainerd, Minn.

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INDY RACING LEAGUE

Last race: Greg Ray won for the second time in his IRL career, taking the MBNA Mid-Atlantic 200 in Dover, Del. Ray passed Stephan Gregoire on the 172nd of 200 laps.

Next race: Colorado 200, Aug. 29, Fountain.

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FORMULA ONE

Last race: Eddie Irvine won the German Grand Prix for his second straight victory, and moved into first place in the Formula One standings. Ferrari had a 1-2 finish, with Mika Salo the runner-up.

Next race: Hungarian Grand Prix, Aug. 15, Budapest.