This week’s races

Thursday, March 9, 2000 | 9:04 a.m.

NASCAR

WINSTON CUP

Cracker Barrel 500

Site: Hampton, Ga.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN2, 2 p.m., tape); Saturday, second-round qualifying, 8:30 a.m. (ESPN2, 3 p.m., tape); Sunday, race (ABC, 10 a.m.)

Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway (quad-oval, 1.54 miles, 24 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 500.5 miles, 325 laps.

Last year: Jeff Gordon won, beating Bobby Labonte by 2.5 seconds. It was Gordon's second straight win at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Last race: Jeff Burton won the rain-shortened CarsDirect.com 400 in Las Vegas. NASCAR stopped the race after 148 of a scheduled 267 laps.

Fast facts: Dale Earnhardt is the track leader with eight victories. ... Bobby Labonte, Dale Jarrett and Mark Martin are the only drivers to record top-10 finishes in all three races this season. ... In 25 spring races at Atlanta, there have been 16 different winners. ... Labonte leads the point standings by four over Jarrett. It's the first time Jarrett hasn't led since May ... Ford got its 500th Winston Cup win last week in Las Vegas.

Next race: Mall.com 400, March 19, Darlington, S.C.

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BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL

Aaron's 312

Site: Hampton, Ga.

Schedule: Thursday, first-round qualifying, 11:45 a.m.; Friday, second-round qualifying, 7:15 a.m.; Saturday, race (ABC, 10 a.m.)

Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway (quad-oval, 1.54 miles, 24 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 312.62 miles, 203 laps.

Last year: Dave Blaney was awarded the win over Mike Skinner, who used an unapproved engine part and was bumped to 43rd place.

Last race: Jeff Burton got his 11th Busch Series victory in the Las Vegas 300 after leader Mark Martin got caught behind Jack Sprague's spinning car.

Fast facts: Former Craftsman Truck Series champ Ron Hornaday moved into the lead for the rookie of the year standings with an eighth-place finish Sunday. ... Chevrolet's have won five of the eight events at Atlanta. ... Jeff Gordon won the inaugural Atlanta BGN race in 1992. ... Blaney set a qualifying record of 186.775 mph last year.

Next race: SunCom 200, March 18, Darlington, S.C.

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FORMULA ONE

Australian Grand Prix

Site: Melbourne, Australia.

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

Track: Albert Park Circuit (3.28 miles).

Race distance: 190.24 miles, 58 laps.

Last year: Eddie Irvine won for the first time on the Formula One circuit, upsetting Michael Schumacher.

Fast facts: This is the first race of the season. ... Albert Park was rebuilt for the start of the 1996 season. ... Mika Hakkinen was the first polesitter to win in Melbourne. Damon Hill won from the pole in previous Grand Prix host city Adelaide in 1995. ... Hakkinen aims to become only the second driver to win three straight Formula One championships. Only Juan Manuel Fangio has done it, winning four straight in the 1950s.

Next race: Brazilian Grand Prix, March 26, Sao Paolo.

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CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

Last race: Andy Houston overcame a pit-stop accident to win the Florida Dodge Dealers 400 in Homestead on Feb. 26. It was Houston's first victory in the series since 1998.

Next race: Chevy Trucks 150, March 18, Avondale, Ariz.

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NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

Last event: Nine-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force moved closer to Bob Glidden's record for career victories by winning the Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals in Chandler, Ariz. Force has 82 career victories, three behind Glidden. Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) and Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) won their divisions.

Next: Mac Tools Gatornationals, March 22, Gainesville, Fla.