This week’s races

Thursday, Aug. 31, 2000 | 9:33 a.m.

NASCAR

WINSTON CUP

Southern 500

Site: Darlington, S.C.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, (ESPN2, 12:30 p.m.); Saturday, second-round qualifying, 8:30 a.m.; 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: 500 miles, 367 laps.

Last year: Jeff Burton won the rain-shortened event, giving him a sweep of the Winston Cup events at Darlington Raceway last. Burton's brother, Ward, was second in the first 1-2 finish by brothers in the Labor Day weekend classic.

Last race: Rusty Wallace led 279 of the 500 laps, pulling off a season sweep at Bristol, winning the goracing.com 500 in Tennessee. The victory made Wallace the only driver with four wins this season, and the first to win consecutive races.

Fast facts: If Darrell Waltrip makes the field, it will be his 800th Winston Cup start, third on the career list. Only Richard Petty (1,177) and Dave Marcis (874) have more. ... Ward Burton won the spring race at Darlington. ... Bobby Labonte's lead in the standings is just 91 points over Dale Jarrett.

Next race: Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400, Sept. 9, 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 10 a.m. (ESPN, 12:30 p.m., tape).

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 miles, 147 laps.

Last year: Mark Martin used a new car to win for the sixth time since 1987.

Last race: Kevin Harvick survived a two-lap shootout to cap a dominating performance to win the Food City 250 in Bristol, Tenn. Harvick started on the pole and led 241 of the 250 laps.

Fast facts: Martin leads all drivers with seven wins at Darlington. ... Chevrolet has 11 wins in 35 events at the track. ... Harvick is just seven points behind Jason Keller for second in the standings. Jeff Green is the leader by almost 600 points. ... Green has 20 top-10 finishes in 24 races this season.

Next race: Autolite Platinum 250, Sept. 8, Richmond, Va.

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CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING TEAMS

Molson Indy

Site: Vancouver, British Columbia.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, 2:15 p.m.; Saturday, second-round qualifying, 1:30 p.m.; Sunday, race (ABC, 1 p.m.)

Track: Concord Pacific Place Street Circuit (temporary course, 1.781 miles, 12 turns).

Race distance: 160.29 miles, 90 laps.

Last year: Juan Montoya won. The event, scheduled for 90 laps, began under caution in a heavy downpour. Before it ended, 16 laps short because of a two-hour time limit, more than half the cars had spun or slid into tire walls or concrete barriers, causing six caution flags for a total of 34 laps.

Last race: Paul Tracy fell from seventh to 23rd on the first lap after the throttle sensor stuck on the Honda engine in his Reynard, but he persevered for the victory at the Motorola 200 in Elkhart Lake, Wis.

Fast facts: Dario Franchitti set the race record of 77.081 mph in 1998. ... This is the 10th year of the race, but just the second with this track set up. ... Mauricio Gugelmin earned his only CART win at the 1997 race. ... No driver has led every lap of the race.

Next race: Honda Grand Prix, Sept. 10, Monterey, Calif.

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NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

U.S. Nationals

Site: Clermont, Ind.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, 3 p.m.; Saturday, second-round qualifying, 7:30 a.m.' Sunday, eliminations, 7:45 a.m.; Monday, final eliminations, 11 a.m.

Track: Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Last year: Cory McClenathan won the Top Fuel division. Frank Pedregon, Warren Johnson, Matt Hines and Mike Coughlin won their divisions.

Last event: Tony Schumacher raced to his third Top Fuel victory of the season, winning the Colonel's Truck Accessories Nationals in Brainerd, Minn. John Force, Kurt Johnson and Antron Brown also won their divisions.

Fast facts: The event was first held in 1961. ... Elimination records were set in all but one pro division last year. ... George Steinbrenner, owner of the New York Yankees, has formed a team with Top Fuel owner Darrell Gwynn. Their car will compete some events this year and a full schedule next year.

Next race: Matco Tools Supernationals, Sept. 9, Englishtown, N.J.

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CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

Last race: Joe Ruttman held off points leader Greg Biffle in a two-lap shootout to win the inaugural Sears Craftsman 175 race in Cicero, Ill. The victory was the third of the season for Ruttman who extended Dodge's winning streak on the tour to three straight races and four of the last five.

Next race: Richmond 200, Sept. 7, Richmond, Va.

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INDY RACING LEAGUE

Last race: Buddy Lazier won the inaugural Belterra Resort Indy 300 in Sparta, Ky. Lazier took the lead for good 31 laps from the end of the 200-lap event, moving to the top when rookie Sarah Fisher made her final pit stop. Pole-winner Scott Goodyear finished second with Fisher third.

Next race: Mall.com 500, Oct. 15, Fort Worth, Texas.

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FORMULA ONE

Last race: Mika Hakkinen passed Michael Schumacher with four laps left to win the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps, and extend his lead in the Formula One drivers' standings.

Next race: Italian Grand Prix, Sept. 10, Monza.

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