Thursday, Oct. 12, 2000 | 4:22 a.m.
All times Pacific.
NASCAR
WINSTON CUP
Winston 500
Site: Talladega, Ala.
Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying (ESPN2, 1 p.m.); Saturday, second-round qualifying, 8:45 a.m.; Sunday, race (ESPN, 10 a.m.)
Track: Talladega Superspeedway (tri-oval, 2.66 miles, 33 degrees banking in turns).
Race distance: 500.08 miles, 188 laps.
Last year: Dale Earnhardt started 27th and led only 18 of the 188 laps, but got in front for the final time on lap 186 to win.
Last race: Bobby Labonte took four new tires on a pit stop 25 laps from the finish and won the UAW-GM Quality 500 in Concord, N.C. Labonte, sixth before the final pit stop, drove to the finish line 1.166 seconds ahead of Jeremy Mayfield.
Fast Facts: There were 75 lead changes during the 1984 race. ... Jeff Gordon won the spring race after starting from the 36th position, the deepest in the field for a Talladega winner. ... Darrell Waltrip is making his last appearance at Talladega. He made his Talladega debut in the spring race in 1972.
Next race: Pop Secret Microwave 400, Oct. 22, Rockingham, N.C.
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CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS
O'Reilly 400
Site: Fort Worth, Texas.
Schedule: Thursday, qualifying, 3:30 p.m.; Friday, race (ESPN, 5 p.m.)
Track: Texas Motor Speedway (quad-oval, 1.5 miles, 24 degrees banking in turns).
Race distance: 250.5 miles, 167 laps.
Last year: Jay Sauter won for the second straight week. Sauter, who started from the pole, fell back early but came to the front with six laps remaining.
Last race: Kurt Busch, who wrecked his primary truck in practice, came from last place to pass Mike Wallace and win the inaugural NASCAR truck series race at Dover Downs International Speedway. Busch took the lead by passing a spinning Wallace on the 198th lap of the MBNA E-Commerce 200.
Fast Facts: There is one remaining race after this week. ... The race is 42 laps longer than last season. ... The last two races at Texas have been won from the pole. ... Busch is the first rookie to win three times in a season in the truck series. ... Greg Biffle is the first driver to win $600,000 in a season.
Next race: California 200, Oct. 28, Fontana.
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CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING TEAMS
Honda Indy 300
Site: Surfers Paradise, Australia.
Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, 9:30 p.m.; race (ESPN, 9 p.m.).
Track: Australian Street Circuit (temporary road course, 2.795 miles, 12 turns).
Race distance: 181.675 miles, 65 laps.
Last year: Dario Franchitti led for 49 of 65 laps and won for the third time of the season.
Last race: Jimmy Vasser, the 1996 series champion, pulled away from teammate Juan Montoya at the end and picked up the ninth victory of his career, winning the Houston Grand Prix. Vasser had not won since a season-ending victory in 1998 in Fontana, Calif.
Fast Facts: There is one race remaining in the season after this week. ... Nigel Mansell set the race record of 97.284 mph in 1993. ... Gil de Ferran leads Paul Tracy 153-134 in the standings.
Next race: Marlboro 500, Oct. 29, Fontana, Calif.
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INDY RACING LEAGUE
Excite 500
Site: Fort Worth, Texas.
Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, 10 a.m. (ESPN2, 12:30 p.m., tape); Sunday, race, 11 a.m. (ABC, 1 p.m., tape).
Track: Texas Motor Speedway (quad-oval, 1.5 miles, 24 degrees banking in turns).
Race distance: 312 miles, 208 laps.
Last year: Greg Ray won his first IRL championship by finishing third in the season finale. Mark Dismore, who started on the front row, got his first IRL victory, with Davey Hamilton second.
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. Polesitter Scott Goodyear finished second with Fisher third.
Fast Facts: This is the final event of the season. ... Fisher made her IRL debut at last year's race. ... Lazier can clinch the points title with a finish of 13th or better.
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NASCAR
BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL
Last race: Matt Kenseth won the All Pro Bumper to Bumper 300 in Concord, N.C. NASCAR confiscated his engine because of a possible rules violation. Officials later upheld the victory after finding nothing illegal.
Next race: Rockingham 200, Oct. 21, Rockingham, N.C.
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FORMULA ONE
Last race: Michael Schumacher made a late move to win the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, and took the Formula One title for the third ti me. Schumacher trailed Mika Hakkinen most of the race before taking the lead late and winning by 1.8 seconds. Schumacher won his first title since 1995 and the first for Ferrari in 21 years. He won titles with the Benetton team in 1994 and 1995.
Next race: Malaysian Grand Prix, Oct. 22, Kuala Lumpur.
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NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
Last event: Jeg Coughlin clinched his first NHRA Pro Stock championship and won for the 10th time this season at the AutoZone Nationals in Millington, Tenn. Gary Scelzi, Ron Capps and Mike Coughlin won their respective categories.
Next race: O'Reilly Fall Nationals, Oct. 22, Ennis, Texas.
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