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Wednesday, Sept. 22, 1999 | 4:12 a.m.

BC-CAR--Auto Racing Glance, ADV23,1047 $Adv23 For release Thursday, Sept. 23, and thereafter

Auto Racing Glance

By GIL KAMINER

Associated Press Writer

All Times EDT

WINSTON CUP

MBNA Gold 400

Site: Dover, Del.

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

Track: Dover Downs International Speedway (oval, 1-mile, 24 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 400 miles, 400 laps.

Last year: Mark Martin led a record 380 of 400 laps en route to a 2.036-second victory over Jeff Gordon. Martin also won in 1997.

Last race: Joe Nemechek earned his first Winston Cup victory, taking the Dura Lube 300 in Loudon, N.H. He got a big break when points leader Dale Jarrett was penalized a lap for stopping with his right side outside his box on pit road.

Fast facts: Jarrett leads Bobby Labonte by 254 points with eight of 34 races remaining. ... The worst starting position for a Dover fall winner is 15th by Dale Earnhardt in 1989.

Next race: NAPA Autocare 500, Oct. 3, Martinsville, Va.

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BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL

MBNA Gold 200

Site: Dover, Del.

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

Track: Dover Downs International Speedway (oval, 1-mile, 24 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 200 miles, 200 laps.

Last year: Matt Kenseth led 158 of 200 laps for the victory. Pole-sitter Kevin Grubb finished second.

Last race: Dale Earnhardt Jr. passed Mark Martin with seven laps to go and outdueled the Winston Cup star to win the Autolite Platinum 250 in Richmond, Va.

Fast facts: There have been 12 different winners in the last 13 fall races in Dover. Harry Gant is the only multiple winner, taking home the title in 1990-91. ... Three drivers have swept spring and fall races in Dover. The most recent was Randy LaJoie in 1996. ... Earnhardt has six victories this season and leads Kenseth by 103 points in the standings.

Next race: All Pro 300, Oct. 9, Concord, N.C.

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CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

Las Vegas 250

Site: Las Vegas.

Schedule: Thursday, qualifying, 8 p.m.; Friday, race (ESPN, 8:30 p.m.)

Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (tri-oval, 1.5 miles, 12 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 250.5 miles, 167 laps.

Last year: Jack Sprague outlasted Ron Hornaday for his second victory in three years at Las Vegas.

Last race: Greg Biffle passed Dennis Setzer for the lead with 39 laps to go and overcame two late cautions to win the rain-shortened Virginia Is For Lovers 200 after 196 laps. Biffle's eighth win in 21 races matched Mike Skinner's season record set in 1995 and tied in 1996.

Fast facts: Joe Ruttman won the 1997 race by 1.512 seconds over Sprague. ... Hornaday has won 17 races and finished in the top-five 47 times over the past three seasons. ... Biffle leads Sprague 3,232-3,107 in the standings with four races remaining.

Next race: Kroger 225, Oct. 1, Louisville Ky.

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CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING TEAMS

Texaco Grand Prix

Site: Houston.

Schedule: Friday; provisional qualifying 3:30 p.m.; Saturday, final qualifying, 1:45 p.m. (ESPN2, tape, 4 p.m.); Sunday, race (ABC, 4 p.m.)

Track: Houston street circuit (temporary road course, 1.53 miles, 10 turns).

Race distance: 198.9 miles, 130 laps.

Last year: Dario Franchitti won the rain-shortened event, beating series champion Alex Zanardi by .646 seconds.

Last race: Bryan Herta led every lap on the way to his second straight victory in the Shell 300 in Monterey, Calif. Gonzalo Rodriguez, a 27-year-old driver from Uruguay, was killed in a crash during practice when his car struck a concrete wall at about 140 mph.

Fast facts: Franchitti trails Juan Montoya 199-171 in the standings with three races remaining. ... Montoya leads all drivers with seven victories this year. ... If Montoya finishes the race with at least a 44-point lead, he would clinch the series title. It would be the fourth consecutive title for Chip Ganassi's team.

Next race: Honda Indy, Oct. 17, Surfers Paradise, Australia.

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INDY RACING LEAGUE

vegas.com 500

Site: Las Vegas.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying (Speedvision, 3 p.m.); Sunday, race (ESPN2, 2:30 p.m.)

Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (tri-oval, 1.5 miles, 12 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 312 miles, 208 laps.

Last year: Arie Luyendyk won for the final time in his career. He retired after the 1999 Indianapolis 500.

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

Fast facts: If Ray wins he will tie Kenny Brack for most consecutive victories (three) and set an IRL record with four in a season. ... If Ray leads the standings by 56 points or more following the race he will clinch the championship. ... Sam Schmidt and Ray have led at least one lap in each of the last six races.

Next race: Lone Star 500, Oct. 17, Fort Worth, Texas.

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FORMULA ONE

European Grand Prix

Site: Nurburgring, Germany.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, 7 a.m. (Speedvision); Sunday, race, 8 a.m. (Speedvision; Fox Sports Net).

Track: Nuerburgring (road course, 2.831 miles).

Race distance: 189.677 miles, 67 laps.

Last year: Mika Hakkinen beat Michael Schumacher by 2.212 seconds and moved ahead of him in the standings.

Last race: Hakkinen lost control of his car and spun off the course, clearing the way for Heinz-Harald Frentzen to win the Italian Grand Prix in Monza.

Fast facts: Two-time CART champion Alex Zanardi has not won a point this season. ... Hakkinen and Eddie Irvine have 60 points each to share the lead in the championship race with three events remaining.

Next race: Malaysian Grand Prix, Oct. 17, Kuala Lumpur.

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NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

Last event: Joe Amato won his fifth Top Fuel title of the year, beating Tony Schumacher at the Keystone Nationals in Mohnton, Pa. Tommy Johnson Jr., Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Matt Hines also won in their categories in the 17th of 22 events.

Next race: Parts America Nationals, Sept. 30-Oct. 3, Topeka, Kan.

End Adv for Thursday, Sept. 23