This week’s races

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2000 | 10 a.m.

NASCAR

WINSTON CUP

Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400

Site: Richmond, Va.

Schedule: Friday, first-round qualifying (ESPN2, 2:30 p.m.); Saturday, second-round qualifying, 10:15 a.m.; Saturday, race (ESPN, 4:30 p.m.)

Track: Richmond International Raceway (oval, .75 miles, 14 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 300 miles, 400 laps.

Last year: Tony Stewart won, becoming only the second driver to get his first career victory at Richmond International Raceway. Kyle Petty was the first, 14 years ago.

Last race: Bobby Labonte, who wrecked his primary car during practice, won the rain-shortened Southern 500 in Darlington, S.C. Jeff Burton, who swept last year's two races in Darlington, was second.

Fast facts: Eight drivers have won the race from the pole in the 38-year history of the event. ... Richard Petty leads all drivers with seven victories in fall races in Richmond. ... Two father-son combos have wins in Richmond - Bobby and Davey Allison and Ned and Dale Jarrett. ... Rusty Wallace won the race in 1991, the first time it was run under the lights.

Next race: New Hampshire 300, Sept. 17, Loudon.

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BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL

Autolite Platinum 250

Site: Richmond, Va.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying, 8:15 a.m.; Friday, race (ESPN, 4:30 p.m.)

Track: Richmond International Raceway (oval, .75 miles, 14 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 187.5 miles, 250 laps.

Last year: Dale Earnhardt Jr. won, passing Mark Martin with seven laps to go.

Last race: Winston Cup star Mark Martin, driving in his final Busch Series event at Darlington Raceway, won the Dura Lube 200 for the second year in a row, giving him a sweep of the races this year at the South Carolina track.

Fast facts: Martin, the Busch series career leader with 45 wins, leads all drivers with five wins at Richmond. ... Bobby Hamilton and Harry Gant share the record for winning from the lowest starting position. Hamilton won the 1989 race from the 29th starting position and Gant won the race in 1991. ... Ford leads with five victories at fall events at Richmond.

Next race: MBNA.com 200, Sept. 23, Dover, Del.

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CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

Richmond 200

Site: Richmond, Va.

Schedule: Thursday, qualifying, Noon; Thursday, race, (ESPN2, 5 p.m.)

Track: Richmond International Raceway (oval, .75 miles, 14 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 150 miles, 200 laps.

Last year: Greg Biffle passed Dennis Setzer for the lead with 39 laps to go and overcame two late cautions to win the rain-shortened event after 196 laps.

Last race: Joe Ruttman held off points leader 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.

Fast facts: Dodges have won three straight races and four of the last five. ... Every Labor Day weekend points leader has won the series championship. ... Biffle's 200-point lead over Mike Wallace is the tour's largest in-season margin. ... Jack Sprague has not led in any of the past eight events at superspeedways.

Next race: MBNA Palladian Travel 200, Sept. 22, Dover, Del.

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CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING TEAMS

Honda Grand Prix

Site: Monterey, Calif.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying, 2:30 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 12:45 p.m.; Sunday, race, (ESPN, Noon)

Track: Laguna Seca Raceway (permanent road course, 2.238 miles, 11 turns).

Race distance: 185.754 miles, 83 laps.

Last year: Bryan Herta led every lap on the way to his second straight victory at the event.

Last race: Paul Tracy won the Vancouver Molson Indy in Vancouver, British Columbia. Team Kool Green teammate Dario Franchitti finished second.

Fast facts: Bryan Herta earned his first CART victory at the 1998 race. ... Last year, Gonzalo Rodriguez, a 27-year-old driver from Uruguay, was killed in a crash during practice when his car struck a concrete wall at about 140 mph the day before the race.

Next race: Texaco-Havoline Grand Prix, Oct. 1, Houston.

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FORMULA ONE

Italian Grand Prix

Site: Monza, Italy.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying (Speedvision, 4 a.m.); Sunday, race, (Speedvision, 4:30 a.m.)

Track: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza (road course, 3.585 miles, seven turns).

Race distance: 190.005 miles, 53 laps.

Last year: Mika Hakkinen lost control of his car and spun off the course, clearing the way for Heinz-Harald Frentzen to win.

Last race: 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.

Fast facts: McLaren has an eight-point lead over Ferrari in the manufacturers' standings. ... Ferrari will be using a new system to keep fuel cooler, making for faster pit stops and improve performance. ... Hakkinen's lead is six points over Schumacher.

Next race: United States Grand Prix, Sept. 24, Indianapolis.

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NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

Matco Tools Supernationals

Site: Englishtown, N.J.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying, Noon; Saturday, eliminations, 11 a.m.

Track: Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.

Last year: John Force beat Cruz Pedregon in the Funny Car division, Joe Amato won Top Fuel and Richie Stevens won in Pro Stock.

Last event: Tony Schumacher raced to his first U.S. Nationals in victory in Clermont, Ind., beating Gary Clapshaw in the final to regain the lead in the NHRA Top Fuel standings. Jim Epler, Jeg Coughlin, Antron Brown and Bob Panella also raced to their first U.S. Nationals victories.

Fast facts: The event was scheduled for May, but rained washed out all but some qualifying. ... Englishtown has played host to an event since 1971. ... In 1998, Amato increased the national speed record in Top Fuel to 323.50 mph during his quarterfinals victory. ... Last year, records were set in six of the seven race divisions.

Next race: Keystone Nationals, Sept. 17, Mohnton, Pa.

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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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