This week’s races

Thursday, Oct. 21, 1999 | 7:32 a.m.

WINSTON CUP

Pop Secret 400

Site: Rockingham, N.C.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, 11 a.m.; Saturday, second-round qualifying, 6:30 a.m.; Sunday, race (TNN, 9:30 a.m.)

Track: North Carolina Speedway (tri-oval, 1.017 miles, 22 degrees banking in turns 1-2, 25 degrees in turns 3-4).

Race distance: 399.641 miles, 393 laps.

Last year: Jeff Gordon became the youngest three-time Winston Cup champion, clinching his second straight title with a victory in Rockingham. The win was Gordon's 12th of the season. Dale Jarrett finished second, 0.520 seconds back.

Last race: Dale Earnhardt started 27th and led only 18 of the 188 laps, but got in front for the final time on lap 186 to win the Winston 500 in Talladega, Ala.

Fast facts: The race has been won from the pole five times, most recently by Kyle Petty in 1992. ... There are 11 former winners of the race entered in the field. ... Gordon swept the spring-fall races last year. ... Jarrett needs to finish 13th or better in the final four races to clinch the series championship.

Next race: Dura Lube 500, Nov. 7, Phoenix.

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BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL

KMart 200

Site: Rockingham, N.C.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying, 9:45 a.m.; Saturday, race (TNN, 11 a.m.)

Track: North Carolina Speedway (tri-oval, 1.017 miles, 22 degrees banking in turns 1-2, 25 degrees in turns 3-4).

Race distance: 200.349 miles, 197 laps.

Last year: Elliott Sadler beat Kevin Lepage by 3.263 seconds. Sadler moved up to Winston Cup this year after posting two Busch victories last season and five overall.

Last race: Michael Waltrip took the lead midway through the final lap to win the All Pro 300 in Concord, N.C. It was his first Busch series victory in six years.

Fast facts: Ford leads with five victories in fall races at Rockingham. Buick is second with four. ... The race has been won from the pole four times, but not since Ernie Irvan in 1991. ... Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads Matt Kenseth points, 3,988-3,871, with four races remaining. ... Mark Martin, the Busch series leader in career victories with 39, has nine wins in the past 12 years at Rockingham.

Next race: Memphis 250, Oct. 31, Memphis, Tenn.

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NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

Revell Nationals

Site: Ennis, Texas.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, 11:30 a.m.; Saturday, second-round qualifying, 9 a.m.; Sunday, final eliminations, 8 a.m.

Track: Texas Motorplex.

Last year: Gary Scelzi won the Top Fuel title with a record quarter-mile run of 4.525 seconds in qualifying. John Force won the Funny Car competition, and Warren Johnson raced to his ninth Pro Stock victory of the year.

Last event: Tommy Johnson Jr. defeated Tony Pedregon at the AutoZone Nationals in Millington, Tenn., to claim his second Funny Car victory of the season in his third straight final-round appearance. Doug Herbert, Mike Edwards, Angelle Seeling and Brad Jeter also won their pro categories.

Fast facts: There are three events remaining this season. ... Tony Schumacher leads Joe Amato by 20 points in the Top Fuel division. Scelzi is third, 66 points behind. ... John Force has a 295-point lead in the Funny Car division over Tony Pedregon.

Next race: Matco Tools Supernationals, Oct. 28-31, Houston.

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CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

Last race: Jay Sauter won the O'Reilly 300 in Fort Worth, Texas, for his second straight victory. Sauter, who started from the pole, fell back early but came to the front with six laps remaining. Greg Biffle vaulted past Jack Sprague to take a 21-point lead in the standings with one race remaining on the schedule.

Next race: No Fear Challenge, Oct. 30, Fontana, Calif.

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CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING TEAMS

Last race: Dario Franchitti won the Gold Coast Indy in Surfers Paradise, Australia. Franchitti led for 49 of 65 laps and won for the third time this season. Franchitti passed Juan Montoya, who did not finish, in the points race and holds a 209-200 advantage entering the final event of the season.

Next race: Marlboro 500, Oct. 31, Fontana, Calif.

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INDY RACING LEAGUE

Last race: Greg Ray won his first Indy Racing League championship by finishing third in the season finale, the Mall.com 500 in Fort Worth, Texas. Mark Dismore, who started on the front row, got his first IRL victory, with Davey Hamilton second. The points championship was worth a $500,000 bonus for both Ray and team owner John Menard.

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FORMULA ONE

Last race: Mika Hakkinen was declared the winner of the inaugural Malaysian Grand Prix after Ferrari teammates Eddie Irvine and Michael Schumacher, who crossed the finish line first and second, were disqualified for technical violations. Formula One authorities said the bodywork of the Ferraris violated rules affecting aerodynamics and the speed of the cars. Hakkinen is the 1999 Formula One drivers champion pending an appeal by Ferrari.

Next race: Japanese Grand Prix, Oct. 31, Suzuka.