This week’s racing

Thursday, June 15, 2000 | 8:29 a.m.

NASCAR

WINSTON CUP

Pocono 500

Site: Long Pond, Pa.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, noon; Saturday, second-round qualifying, 8:30 a.m.; Sunday, race (TNN 10 a.m.)

Track: Pocono International Raceway (triangle oval, 2.5 miles, 14 degrees banking in turn 1, 8 degrees in turn 2, 6 degrees in turn 3).

Race distance: 500 miles, 200 laps.

Last year: Bobby Labonte won by six car-lengths over three-time Pocono winner Jeff Gordon.

Last race: Tony Stewart won his second straight race, the Kmart 400 in Brooklyn, Mich.

Fast facts: Terry Labonte came from 27th to win the 1995 event. ... Rick Hendrick leads all car owners with eight victories at Pocono. ... Jeremy Mayfield earned his first Winston Cup victory in the 1998 race. ... Bobby Labonte leads seven-time series champion Dale Earnhardt by 98 points in the standings.

Next race: Save Mart/Kragen 350k, June 25, Sonoma, Calif.

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BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL

Myrtle Beach 250

Site: Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, 1 p.m.; race, (TNN, 6 p.m.)

Track: Myrtle Beach Speedway (oval, .538 miles, 13 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 134.5 miles, 250 laps.

Last year: Jeff Green won after race leader Jason Keller cut a tire with three laps remaining.

Last race: Green survived 13 caution flags and a three-lap dash to the finish to win the Textilease/Medique 300 in South Boston, Va. Green took the lead from runner-up Tony Raines on lap 171 and led the final 129 circuits.

Fast facts: Elton Sawyer has five top-10 finishes in the last six races. ... Green leads the standings by 264 points over Todd Bodine.

Next race: Lysol 200, June 25, Watkins Glen, N.Y.

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CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

Kroger 225

Site: Covington, Ky.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying, 4:15 p.m.; Saturday, race (ESPN, 5:30 p.m.)

Track: Kentucky Speedway (oval, 1.5 miles, 14 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 150 laps, 225 miles.

Last year: Inaugural event.

Last race: Greg Biffle took the lead for good on lap 131, then shook off rookie teammate Kurt Busch 29 laps later to win the Pronto Auto Parts 400 in Fort Worth, Texas. With the victory, Biffle passed Jack Sprague for the series points lead.

Fast facts: The race replaces the event at the Louisville Motor Speedway, which was the smallest track in the series. ... Biffle has led five of the last six races. ... Randy Tolsma has back-to-back top-five finishes for the first time in 63 races.

Next race: Bully Hill Vineyards 150, June 24, Watkins Glen, N.Y.

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INDY RACING LEAGUE

Radisson Indy 200

Site: Fountain, Colo.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying 9:30 a.m. (ESPN2, 2:30 p.m., tape); Sunday, race (ABC, 1 p.m.)

Track: Pikes Peak International Raceway (oval, 1 mile, 10 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 200 miles, 200 laps.

Last year: Greg Ray held off Sam Schmidt by .12 seconds for the victory. Ray finished with an average speed of 134.111 mph.

Last race: Scott Sharp won the fastest race in IRL history and became the circuit's winningest driver. Sharp finished .059 seconds ahead of Robby McGehee. Sharp's average speed of 169.182 mph broke the mark of 167.607 set by Juan Montoya in the Indianapolis 500.

Fast facts: The winner at Pikes Peak has gone on to take the championship every year in the series. ... Ray won both events at the track in 1999. ... Al Unser Jr. and 19-year-old Sarah Fisher are making their first starts at Pikes Peak.

Next race: Atlanta 500, July 15, Hampton, Ga.

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CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING TEAMS

Tenneco Automotive Grand Prix

Site: Detroit.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, 11:30 a.m.; Saturday, second-round qualifying, 10:45 a.m.; Sunday, race (ESPN, 10 a.m.)

Track: The Raceway on Belle Isle (temporary road course, 2.346 miles, 14 turns).

Race distance: 175.95 miles, 75 laps.

Last year: Dario Franchitti won to move into first place in the standings, five points ahead of eventual champion Juan Montoya.

Last race: Montoya won the rain-delayed Miller Lite 225 in West Allis, Wis., giving Toyota its first victory in five seasons on the CART circuit.

Fast facts: There have been six different winners in six races this season. ... Paul Tracy leads in the standings. Montoya is 15 points behind. ... Montoya has qualified in the top three for every race.

Next race: Marconi Grand Prix, July 2, Cleveland.

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FORMULA ONE

Canadian Grand Prix

Site: Montreal.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying (Speedvision, 9 a.m.); Sunday, race (Speedvision and Fox Sports Net, 9:30 a.m.)

Track: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (road course, 2.747 miles, 15 turns).

Race distance: 189.543 miles, 69 laps.

Last year: Mika Hakkinen won his second straight race and third of the season.

Last race: David Coulthard won the Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo when Michael Schumacher was forced out with suspension problems after leading 55 laps.

Fast facts: The track is named after the father of former series champion Jacques Villeneuve. Schumacher leads Coulthard by 12 points in the standings. ... Villeneuve, who failed to record a point last season, is tied for seventh with five points.

Next race: French Grand Prix, July 2, Magny-Cours.

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NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

Pontiac Excitement Nationals

Site: Columbus, Ohio.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, 11:45 a.m.; Saturday, second-round qualifying, 8 a.m.; Sunday, final eliminations, 8 a.m.

Track: National Trail Raceway.

Last year: Phil Burkart got his first career victory. Burkart beat Tim Wilkerson in the Funny Car division. Doug Herbert (Top Fuel), Warren Johnson (Pro Stock), Antron Brown (Pro Stock Motorcycle) and John Coughlin (Pro Stock Truck) also were winners in their respective divisions.

Last event: Funny Car driver John Force got his record-setting 86th victory, breaking a tie with Bob Glidden, by taking the Prestone Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Ill. Gary Scelzi (Top Fuel), Ron Krisher (Pro Stock), Brown (Pro Stock Motorcycle) and Bob Panella (Pro Stock Truck) also were winners.

Fast facts: This is the 36th year of the event. ... Chuck Harris won his only Pro Stock title at the event in 1996. ... Four of the six divisions set new speed records last year.

Next race: Sears Craftsman Nationals, June 24, Madison, Ill.