This week’s races

Wednesday, April 11, 2001 | 4:24 a.m.

NASCAR

BUSCH

Pepsi 300

Site: Nashville, Tenn.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying (FX, 9 a.m.); Saturday, race (FX, 9:30 a.m.)

Track: Nashville Superspeedway (tri-oval 1.33 miles, 14 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 300 miles, 225 laps.

Last race: Kevin Harvick, already with a Winston Cup victory since taking over for the late Dale Earnhardt, won the Jani-King 300 in Fort Worth, Texas. Harvick finished .246 seconds ahead of Jeff Burton.

Last year: Inaugural event.

Fast facts: The track replaces Nashville Speedway, where a Busch event has been held since 1984. ... No driver has won more than once in Nashville. ... Harvick has four career Busch victories. ... Harvick leads the point standings by 115 over Jason Keller.

Next race: Talladega 300, April 21, Talladega, Ala.

---

FORMULA ONE

San Marino Grand Prix

Site: Imola, Italy.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, (Speedvision, 3 a.m.); Sunday, race (Speedvision, 4 a.m.)

Track: Enzo and Dino Ferrari Autodrome (road course, 3.057 miles, 15 turns).

Race distance: 189.534 miles, 62 laps.

Last race: Michael Schumacher's six-race winning streak ended when David Coulthard took the Brazilian Grand Prix for McLaren's first victory of the Formula One season. Schumacher, on the pole and driving for Ferrari, finished second. The three-time series champion began his torrid run with four victories at the end of last season.

Last year: Schumacher won, finishing 1.1 seconds ahead of Mika Hakkinen. The win was Schumacher's third in three races, and second straight in Imola.

Fast facts: Schumacher's 1999 win gave Ferrari its first victory in the San Marino Grand Prix since 1983. ... Brazilian star Ayrton Senna was killed in a crash in the 1994 race. ... Schumacher leads Coulthard, 26-21, in the point standings.

Next race: Spanish Grand Prix, April 29, Barcelona.

---

NASCAR

Winston Cup

Last race: Dale Jarrett employed the supertire strategy, using fresher rubber to pass teammate Ricky Rudd with five laps to go and winning the Virginia 500. Jarrett, who never led until sneaking his Ford inside that of Rudd entering the first turn, won for the third time this season and for the first time in 30 career starts at Martinsville.

Next race: Talladega 500, April 22, Talladega, Ala.

---

CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

Last race: Scott Riggs passed up a tire-change stop to grab the lead with 108 laps to go and made the same rubber last for 151 laps to win the Advance Auto Parts 250 at Martinsville Speedway. Riggs, the series points leader entering the race, pitted for right-side tires after 87 laps, left sides after 99 laps and stopped for gas only thereafter en route to his first career victory in his 23rd start.

Next race: Ram Tough 250, May 6, Madison, Ill.

---

INDY RACING LEAGUE

Last race: Sam Hornish won the inaugural Infiniti Grand Prix at Homestead-Miami Speedway, giving Panther Racing its third consecutive Indy Racing League triumph. Hornish, 21, held off a late push from 20-year-old Sarah Fisher for his second win in two races this year. Hornish also won the season-opener last month at Phoenix International Raceway.

Next race: Atlanta Classic 500, April 28, Hampton, Ga.

---

CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING TEAMS

Last race: Helio Castroneves fought off Cristiano da Matta in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The two Brazilians put on a sensational show in the last half of the 82-lap race on the 1.968-mile, 12-turn temporary street circuit, with Castroneves holding off da Matta - the runaway winner of the season opener last month in Mexico - by 0.534 seconds.

Next race: Firestone Firehawk 600, April 29, Fort Worth, Texas.

---

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

Last event: Kenny Bernstein raced to his 54th NHRA victory, beating Andrew Cowin in the Top Fuel final in the SummitRacing.com Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Tommy Johnson Jr. took the Funny Car title, and Jeg Coughlin won the Pro Stock final for the second consecutive season.

Next race: Mac Tools Gatornationals, April 21, Gainesville, Fla.