This week’s races

Friday, Oct. 5, 2001 | 10:15 a.m.

All times Pacific.

NASCAR WINSTON CUP

UAW-GM Quality 500

Site: Concord, N.C.

Schedule: Qualifying was Thursday; Sunday, race (NBC, 10 a.m.)

Track: Lowe's Motor Speedway (quad-oval, 1.5 miles, 24 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 501 miles, 334 laps.

Last race: Jeff Gordon, the three-time Winston Cup champion, solidified his points lead with his series-leading sixth victory of the season, pulling away from rookie Ryan Newman to win the crash-filled Protection One 400 at Kansas Speedway. Gordon had to survive a wild 267-lap event on the new 1 1/2-mile tri-oval. There were 13 caution flags and an 11-minute red flag stoppage before he earned his 58th career win.

Last year: Bobby Labonte took the lead from Jeremy Mayfield with seven laps to got the last of his four victories in 2000. The victory gave Labonte a 252-point lead over Jeff Burton as he cruised to his first championship.

Next race: Old Dominion 500, Oct. 14, Martinsville, Va.

Driver standings: 1. Jeff Gordon, 4,108. 2. Ricky Rudd, 3,886. 3. Tony Stewart, 3,658. 4. Sterling Marlin, 3,604. 5. Dale Jarrett, 3,580. 6. Rusty Wallace, 3,525. 7. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., 3,498. 8. Kevin Harvick, 3,495. 9. Bobby Labonte, 3,403. 10. Johnny Benson, 3,220. Also, 26. Kurt Busch, 2,503.

BUSCH

Little Trees 300

Site: Concord, N.C.

Schedule: Qualifying was this morning; Saturday, race (TNT, 10 a.m.)

Track: Lowe's Motor Speedway (quad-oval, 1.5 miles, 24 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 300 miles, 200 laps.

Last race: Jeff Green elected not to pit during a late caution and the gamble paid off with a win in the inaugural Mr. Goodcents 300 at Kansas Speedway. It was his second straight Busch series win and fourth of the season. Green's Ford began smoking in the third turn of the final lap, but he was able to nurse it across the finish line.

Last year: Matt Kenseth won, but NASCAR confiscated his engine because of a possible rules violation. Officials later upheld the victory after finding nothing illegal.

Next race: Sam's Town 250, Oct. 13, Millington, Tenn.

Driver standings: 1. Kevin Harvick, 4,101. 2. Jeff Green, 3,914. 3. Jason Keller, 3,905. 4. Greg Biffle, 3,749. 5. Elton Sawyer, 3,514. 6. Tony Raines, 3,451. 7. Mike McLaughlin, 3,360. 8. Jimmie Johnson, 3,347. 9. Chad Little, 3,296. 10. Kenny Wallace, 3,230.

CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

Silverado 350

Site: Fort Worth, Texas.

Schedule: Qualifying was Thursday; today, race, 6 p.m. (ESPN2, Saturday, 10 p.m., tape).

Track: Texas Motor Speedway (quad-oval, 1.5 miles, 24 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 219 miles, 146 laps.

Last race: Ted Musgrave, avoiding trouble that produced a series-record 77 caution laps, won the NetZero 250 in South Boston, Va., to clinch Dodge's first series manufacturers' title. Musgrave led twice for 185 of the 200 laps. Dennis Setzer closed to within four truck lengths and finished second. The official margin of victory was 0.954 seconds.

Last year: Bryan Reffner passed Andy Houston with six laps to go for his first victory in 112 career starts. The event was marred by the death of Tony Roper, who crashed during the race.

Next race: The Orleans 350, Oct. 14, Las Vegas.

Driver standings: 1. Jack Sprague, 3,075. 2. Joe Ruttman, 3,038. 3. Scott Riggs, 3,018. 4. Ted Musgrave, 2,943. 5. Travis Kvapil, 2,913. 6. Ricky Hendrick, 2,907. 7. Terry Cook, 2,805. 8. Dennis Setzer, 2,786. 9. Rick Crawford, 2,640. 10. Coy Gibbs, 2,411. Also, 35. Brendan Gaughan, 687.

INDY RACING LEAGUE

Chevy 500

Site: Fort Worth, Texas.

Schedule: Today, qualifying, 2 p.m.; Saturday, race (ESPN2, 1 p.m)

Track: Texas Motor Speedway (quad-oval, 1.5 miles, 24 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 300 miles, 200 laps.

Last race: Jaques Lazier got his first career victory, winning the Delphi Indy 300 in Joliet, Ill.

Last year: Scott Goodyear won the fastest race in IRL history and Buddy Lazier took the season championship by finishing fourth. 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 1/2-mile oval.

Driver standings: 1. x-Sam Hornish Jr., 451.2. Buddy Lazier, 385. 3. Scott Sharp, 315. 4. Felipe Giaffone, 295. 5. Billy Boat, 295. 6. Eliseo Salazar, 276. 7. Al Unser Jr., 259. 8. Eddie Cheever, 249. 9. Jeff Ward, 232. 10. Buzz Calkins, 222. Also, 25. Richie Hearn, 50.

CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING TEAMS

Texaco-Havoline Grand Prix

Site: Houston.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, 11:45 a.m. (ESPN2, 3 p.m., tape); Sunday, race (ESPN, 11 a.m.)

Track: Houston street circuit (temporary road course, 1.527 miles, 10 turns).

Race distance: 152.7 miles, 100 laps.

Last race: Gil de Ferran and Kenny Brack made daring passes on the last two laps of the Rockingham 500 in England, with De Ferran winning by 0.634 seconds over Brack. Cristiano da Matta finished third after Helio Castroneves, who originally finished third, was pushed back to fourth for accelerating too soon coming out of the pits.

Last year: Jimmy Vasser of Las Vegas pulled away from Juan Montoya at the end and picked up the ninth victory of his career. Vasser had not won since a season-ending victory in 1998 in Fontana, Calif.

Next race: Honda Grand Prix, Oct. 14, Monterey, Calif.

Driver standings: 1. Kenny Brack, 147. 2. Gil de Ferran, 141. 3. Michael Andretti, 125. 4. Helio Castroneves, 123. 5. Cristiano da Matta, 92. 6. Dario Franchitti, 89. 7. Scott Dixon, 86. 8. Patrick Carpentier, 83. 9. Tony Kanaan, 77. 10. Paul Tracy, 76. Also, 14. Jimmy Vasser, 56. 15. Alex Tagliani, 51.

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

Keystone Nationals

Site: Mohnton, Pa.

Schedule: First qualifying was this morning; Saturday, qualifying, 8 a.m.; Sunday, eliminations, 8 a.m.

Track: Maple Grove Raceway.

Last event: Kenny Bernstein moved back into the Top Fuel points lead with a final-round victory at the inaugural NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway. Bernstein beat Darrell Russell down the quarter-mile track with a 4.569-second run at 322.04 mph. Whit Bazemore (Funny Car), Warren Johnson (Pro Stock) and Taylor Lastor (Pro Stock Truck) also won.

Last year: Five-time NHRA champion Joe Amato got his 52nd career Top Fuel victory. Bruce Sarver, Kurt Johnson and Matt Hines also were winners.

Next event: O'Reilly Fall Nationals, Oct. 21, Ennis, Texas.

Driver standings: Top Fuel -- 1. Kenny Bernstein, 1,715. 2. Larry Dixon, 1,701. 3. Doug Kalitta, 1,338. 4. Gary Scelzi, 1,315. 5. Mike Dunn, 1,309. Funny Car --1. John Force, 1,681. 2. Whit Bazemore, 1,437. 3. Del Worsham, 1,237. 4. Ron Capps, 1,235. 5. Tony Pedregon, 1,204. Pro Stock1. Warren Johnson, 1,387. 2. Jim Yates, 1,252. 3. Mike Edwards, 1,137. 4. Bruce Allen, 1,103. 5. Jeg Coughlin, 1,065.

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