This week’s races at a glance

Thursday, Sept. 2, 1999 | 4:40 a.m.

WINSTON CUP

Southern 500

Site: Darlington, S.C.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, (ESPN, 12:30 p.m.); Saturday, second-round qualifying, 8:30 a.m. (ESPN, 3:30 p.m., tape); Sunday, race (ESPN, 10 a.m.)

Track: Darlington Raceway (egg-shaped oval, 1.366 miles, 25 degrees banking in turns 1-2, 23 degrees in turns 3-4).

Race distance: 501.322 miles, 367 laps.

Last year: Jeff Gordon won his fourth straight Southern 500, beating Jeff Burton by 3.631 seconds. Gordon also got a $1 million bonus for the third time in his career.

Last race: Dale Earnhardt won the Goody's 500 in Bristol, Tenn., by knocking Terry Labonte out of the lead with a bump from behind less than a lap from the checkered flag.

Fast facts: This is the 50th Southern 500. It is the oldest event on the Winston Cup schedule. ... Cale Yarborough won the race a record five times. ... Six previous winners are entered. ... The last driver before Gordon to win back-to-back Southern 500s was Earnhardt in 1989-90.

Next race: Exide NASCAR 400, Sept. 11, Richmond, Va.

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BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL

Dura Lube 200

Site: Darlington, S.C.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying, 11:05 a.m.; Saturday, race (ESPN, 10 a.m.)

Track: Darlington Raceway (egg-shaped oval, 1.366 miles, 25 degrees banking in turns 1-2, 23 degrees in turns 3-4).

Race distance: 200.802 miles, 147 laps.

Last year: Dick Trickle held off Dale Earnhardt Jr. by about 3 inches. The final four laps were run under caution after debris blocked the track.

Last race: Matt Kenseth led for 169 of the 250 laps, including the final 93, to win the Food City 250 in Bristol, Tenn., for his fourth victory of the season. He finished about four car-lengths ahead of Michael Waltrip.

Fast facts: Earnhardt leads Kenseth by 69 points with eight races left. ... Mark Martin and Harry Gant had three consecutive victories in fall races at Darlington. ... The average margin of victory this season is 1.752 seconds.

Next race: Autolite Platinum 250, Sept. 10, Richmond, Va.

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CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING TEAMS

Molson Indy

Site: Vancouver, British Columbia.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, 12:45 p.m. (ESPN2, Saturday, 10:30 p.m., tape); Sunday, race, (ABC, 1 p.m.)

Track: Concord Pacific Place Street Circuit (temporary course, 1.802 miles, 14 turns).

Race distance: 162.18 miles, 90 laps.

Last year: Dario Franchitti won his second straight race. Alex Zanardi finished third to clinch his second straight series championship.

Last race: Juan Montoya won the Target Grand Prix in Cicero, Ill., his second straight victory and sixth of the season, breaking the rookie record for wins set in 1993 by Nigel Mansell.

Fast facts: Al Unser Jr. won the inaugural race in 1990, his first of four victories in the event. ... Michael Andretti has the race won three times. ... Montoya leads Franchitti by four points, 172-168.

Next race: Texaco-Havoline 300, Sept. 12, Monterey, Calif.

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NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

U.S. Nationals

Site: Clermont, Ind.

Schedule: Thursday, qualifying, noon; Friday qualifying, noon (TNN 1:30 p.m., tape); Monday, final eliminations, 8 a.m. (TNN, 9 a.m., 3 p.m.)

Track: Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Last year: Gary Scelzi successfully defended his title, beating Mike Dunn in the Top Fuel final. John Force won the Funny Car competition, and Mike Edwards topped the Pro Stock division.

Last event: John Force won for the eighth time this season, defeating Whit Bazemore in the Colonel's Truck Accessories Nationals in Brainerd, Minn. Larry Dixon, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Craig Treble also were winners in their categories.

Fast facts: The closest points race is in the Top Fuel division, where Mike Dunn leads Kenny Bernstein 951-932. ... In Pro Stock, Warren Johnson leads son Kurt 1,221-1,099. ... There are six events remaining this season.

Next race: Keystone Nationals, Sept. 16-19, Reading, Pa.

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CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

Last race: Mike Bliss, winless for almost a year, squeezed his Saturday, qualifying, 11 a.m. Ford around Jay Sauter and Boris Said with fewer than six laps remaining and held on to win the O'Reilly Auto Parts 275 in Topeka, Kan.

Next race: Virginia Is For Lovers 200, Sept. 9, Richmond.

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INDY RACING LEAGUE

Last race: Greg Ray won for the third time in four races, beating back challenges from Davey Hamilton and Mark Dismore down the stretch in the Colorado 200 in Fountain.

Next race: Vegas.com 500., Sept. 26, Las Vegas.

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FORMULA ONE

Last race: David Coulthard won the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps. McLaren-Mercedes teammate Mika Hakkinen finished second and went back on top of the point standings. Hakkinen has 60 points to Eddie Irvine's 59.

Next race: Italian Grand Prix, Sept. 12, Monza. Sunday, eliminations, 11 a.m.