This week’s races

Thursday, Oct. 26, 2000 | 5:32 a.m.

CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING TEAMS

Marlboro 500

Site: Fontana, Calif.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, Noon; Sunday, race (ESPN, 11:30 a.m.)

Track: California Speedway (d-shaped oval, 2 miles, 14 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 500 miles, 250 laps.

Last year: Greg Moore, one of the budding stars of the CART series, was killed when he lost control of his car at 220 mph and slammed into a wall in the season-ending event. The race went on, with Adrian Fernandez winning with a fuel gamble. Rookie Juan Montoya finished fourth and won the points championship on a tiebreaker over Dario Franchitti.

Last race: Fernandez prevailed in the crash-filled Honda Indy 300 in Surfers Paradise, Australia, beating Kenny Brack by .324 seconds. Fernandez came from 17th place to win a race marked by five caution flags for 19 of the 59 laps completed before a two-hour time limit. The race ended six laps short of its scheduled distance.

Fast Facts: This is the final race of the season. ... Mark Blundell won the inaugural race in 1997, when Moore's car slowed because of engine problems with 11 laps left. ... Bobby Rahal made his final career start in the 1998 race, finishing 11th.

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NASCAR

BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL

Sam's Town 250

Site: Memphis, Tenn.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, 11:30 a.m.; Sunday, race (TNN, 10 a.m.)

Track: Memphis Motorsports Park (oval, .75 miles, 11 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 187.5 miles, 250 laps.

Last year: Jeff Green won his third Busch Series race of the year. Green led 104 of 250 laps.

Last race: Green used a last-lap pass to give him his first victory at North Carolina Speedway. The series leader chased down the dominating car of Jeff Burton and got by him twice in the waning laps of the Sam's Club 200.

Fast Facts: This is the second year of the event. ... Green will win the season championship by starting the race. ... Kevin Harvick leads the rookie standings by 16 points over Ron Hornaday. ... Chevrolet has 21 wins this season and leads Ford by 57 points in the manufacturer's standings.

Next race: Outback Steakhouse 200, Nov. 4, Avondale, Ariz.

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CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

California 200

Site: Fontana, Calif.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying, 12:45 p.m.; Saturday, race (ESPN, 1 p.m.)

Track: California Speedway (d-shaped oval, 2 miles, 14 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 200 miles, 100 laps.

Last year: Jack Sprague passed two trucks for the lead with one lap remaining and won. The victory carried him to his second series championship in three years.

Last race: Bryan Reffner won the O'Reilly 400 in Fort Worth, Texas, a race marred by the death of Tony Roper. Reffner passed Andy Houston with six laps to go for his first victory in 112 career starts. Greg Biffle claimed the points title, even though he completed just 81 of the 167 laps and finished 25th.

Fast Facts: This is the final race of the season. ... Biffle can set a series record if he leads the race for at least one lap. He has led 17 races this season. ... This is the second year the race is the final event of the season. ... Houston has won the pole the last two years.

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NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

Matco Tools Supernationals

Site: Baytown, Texas.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying, 11:45 a.m.; Saturday, second-round qualifying, 9:15 a.m.; Sunday, final eliminations, noon.

Track: Houston Raceway Park.

Last year: John Force won his 11th Funny Car title of the year. Larry Dixon, Rickie Smith and Tony Mullen also were winners in their categories.

Last event: Persistent rain and an unfavorable forecast forced postponement of the O'Reilly Fall Nationals in Ennis, Texas. The event has been rescheduled for Nov. 3-4.

Fast Facts: In the Top Fuel standings, Gary Scelzi leads Tony Schumacher 1,663-1,537. ... This is the fourth year of the event. ... There are two events remaining after this week.

Next race: O'Reilly Fall Nationals, Nov. 4, Ennis, Texas.

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NASCAR

WINSTON CUP

Last race: Dale Jarrett, after finishing second six times in his last nine starts at North Carolina Speedway, took the lead late in the Pop Secret 400 and pulled steadily away from Jeff Gordon for his first Rockingham win. Jarrett had not won since the season-opening Daytona 500.

Next race: Checker Auto Parts/Dura Lube 500k, Nov. 5, Avondale, Ariz.

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FORMULA ONE

Last race: Already the champion, Michael Schumacher ended the Formula One season by winning the Malaysian Grand Prix to give Ferrari its first sweep of the driver's and constructor's titles since 1979. Schumacher ended the season with nine victories and his third championship. The German won for Benetton in 1994 and 1995.

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INDY RACING LEAGUE

Last race: Scott Goodyear won the fastest race in IRL history, and Buddy Lazier took the season championship by finishing fourth in the Excite 500 in Fort Worth, Texas. Lazier needed to finish 14th or better to win the title and $1 million, but did much more. He led 38 consecutive laps near the end and was running with the front pack for all 208 trips around the 1.5 mile oval.