This week’s races

Thursday, Aug. 19, 1999 | 8:47 a.m.

WINSTON CUP

Pepsi 400

Site: Brooklyn, Mich.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, (ESPN2, 12:30 p.m.); Saturday, second-round qualifying, 8:45 a.m.; Sunday, race (ESPN, 9:30 a.m.)

Track: Michigan Speedway (d-shaped oval, 2 miles, 18 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 400 miles, 200 laps.

Last year: Jeff Gordon, taking advantage of a late caution flag, became the seventh driver in Winston Cup history to win four straight races. Gordon took the lead with eight laps to go, then easily held off Bobby Labonte by 1.826 seconds.

Last race: Gordon won the Frontier at the Glen in Watkins Glen, N.Y., extending to five his NASCAR record for consecutive victories on road courses.

Fast facts: Bobby Labonte, in 1995, had the most recent victory from the pole at Michigan Speedway. ... Harry Gant started 24th and took the 1992 race. It was the worst starting position for any winner. ... Gordon's victory last week was his 47th, giving him sole position of 12th place on the career list.

Next race: Goody's 500, Aug. 28, Bristol, Tenn.

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BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL

NAPA 200

Site: Brooklyn, Mich.

Schedule: Thursday, first-round qualifying, 1 p.m.; Friday, second-round qualifying, 8:15 a.m.; Saturday, race (ESPN, 9 a.m.).

Track: Michigan Speedway (d-shaped oval, 2 miles, 18 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 200 miles, 100 laps.

Last year: Jeff Burton beat Bobby Labonte by 0.225 seconds for the victory.

Last race: Jason Keller started from the pole and won the Kroger 200 in Clermont, Ind.

Fast facts: There were no cautions in last year's race. ... Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads Matt Kenseth by one point in the standings. ... Dick Trickle is the 39th driver in Busch Series history to pass the $1 million mark in earnings. ... Labonte finished second in the Busch and Winston Cup races last year.

Next race: Food City 250, Aug. 27, Bristol, Tenn.

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CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

Ram Tough 200

Site: Madison, Ill.

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

Track: Gateway International Raceway (egg-shaped oval, 1.25 miles, 11 degrees banking in turns 1-2, 9 degrees in turns 3-4).

Race distance: 200 miles, 160 laps.

Last year: Rick Carelli won the inaugural Ram Tough 200, edging Ron Hornaday by 0.351 seconds.

Last race: Greg Biffle held off Stacy Compton to win the Power Stroke 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Biffle took over the lead in the driver standings with his fifth victory in the last eight races.

Fast facts: Biffle joins Mike Skinner and Hornaday as the only drivers to win six or more times in one season. ... Compton is third in the point standings despite not having a win in his last 27 races. ... Four races ago, Biffle was 165 points behind in the standings. Now, he has a 48-point lead over Jack Sprague.

Next race: O'Reilly Auto Parts 275, Aug. 28, Topeka, Kan.

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CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING TEAMS

Target Grand Prix

Site: Chicago.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, Noon; Sunday, race, Noon. (ABC, 1 p.m., tape).

Track: Chicago Motor Speedway (oval, 1 mile).

Race distance: 200 miles, 200 laps.

Last year: Inaugural race.

Last race: Juan Montoya beat Paul Tracy by 11 seconds to win the Miller Lite 200 in Lexington, Ohio. Tracy's teammate, Dario Franchitti, led the first 54 laps of the 83-lap event, but finished third.

Fast facts: Montoya has tied the rookie record of five wins in a season set by Nigel Mansell in 1993. ... Franchitti has a one-point lead over Montoya in the standings. ... Robbie Gordon, one of the few drivers to compete in CART, Indy Racing League and NASCAR events, started his 100th CART race last week.

Next race: Molson Indy, Sept. 5, Vancouver, British Columbia.

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NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

VisionAire Northstar Nationals

Site: Brainerd, Minn.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, 11:30 a.m.; Saturday, second-round qualifying, 9 a.m.; Sunday, final eliminations, 9 a.m..

Track: Brainerd International Raceway.

Last year: Gary Scelzi won the Top Fuel competition, beating Mike Dunn in the final with a quarter-mile run of 4.829 seconds at 303.23 mph. Ron Capps took the Funny Car title, and Tom Martino topped the Pro Stock division.

Last event: Doug Kalitta defended his Autolite Nationals title in Sonoma, Calif., defeating Tony Schumacher in the Top Fuel finals. Whit Bazemore had his first Funny Car victory of the season, and Jim Yates claimed his second Pro Stock victory.

Fast facts: Scelzi has won three events this year, but stands sixth in the points. Dunn, also a three-time winner, leads Kenny Bernstein by 17 points. ... Funny Car leader John Force has a 256-point lead on Tony Pedregon.

Next race: U.S. Nationals, Sept. 1-6, Clermont, Ind.

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FORMULA ONE

Last race: Mika Hakkinen led the Hungarian Grand Prix from start to finish for his fourth victory of the season. Series points leader Eddie Irvine finished third.

Next race: Belgian Grand Prix, Aug. 29, Spa-Francorchamps.

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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.