This week’s races

Friday, Oct. 12, 2001 | 11:07 a.m.

All Times Pacific.

NASCAR WINSTON CUP

Old Dominion 500

Site: Martinsville, Va.

Schedule: Today, qualifying (CNN/SI, noon); Sunday, race (NBC, 10 a.m.)

Track: Martinsville Speedway (oval, 0.526 miles, 12 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 500 laps, 263 miles.

Last race: Sterling Marlin won the UAW-GM Quality 500 in a somber race in which the drivers watched images of the U.S. attacks on Afghanistan minutes before the start. Marlin beat Tony Stewart to the finish line at Lowe's Motor Speedway by more than six seconds, about a quarter of the track. NASCAR refused to let Marlin take the customary victory lap, so he drove straight to the winner's circle, carrying the American flag out his window.

Last year: Tony Stewart kept the lead through the final pit stops and held off hard-charging Dale Earnhardt over the last 11 laps to win.

Fast Facts: Last week was the third victory for a Dodge, which made its return to NASCAR this season after a 15-year absence.

Next race: EA Sports 500, Oct. 21, Talladega, Ala.

Driver standings: 1. Jeff Gordon, 4,223. 2. Ricky Rudd, 3,986. 3. Tony Stewart, 3,833. 4. Sterling Marlin, 3,789. 5. Dale Jarrett, 3,730. 6. Rusty Wallace, 3,671. 7. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., 3,658. 8. Kevin Harvick, 3,637. 9. Bobby Labonte, 3,537. 10. Jeff Burton, 3,364. Also, 26. Kurt Busch, 2,600.

BUSCH

Sam's Town 250

Site: Millington, Tenn.

Schedule: Qualifying was this morning; Saturday, race (TNT, 11:30 a.m.)

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

Race distance: 187.5 miles, 250 laps.

Last race: Greg Biffle won the Little Trees 300 in Concord, N.C., under caution when Matt Kenseth brought out the yellow flag by wrecking as he tried to hold on to his lead. Kenseth led 97 straight laps and was fending off a charge from Biffle when he went high on the track to block a pass with three to go. He wiggled just a little, tried to save it, and ended up in a full spin while Biffle cruised past. Kenseth then hit the wall, bringing out the yellow with two laps to go and giving Biffle his fourth victory of the season, a Busch series rookie record.

Last year: Kevin Harvick rallied from a lap down to win, beating Elton Sawyer by 0.47 seconds.

Next race: Outback Steakhouse 200, Oct. 27, Avondale, Ariz.

Driver standings: 1. Kevin Harvick, 4,261. 2. Jason Keller, 4,075. 3. Jeff Green, 4,048. 4. Greg Biffle, 3,929. 5. Elton Sawyer, 3,652. 6. Tony Raines, 3,572. 7. Mike McLaughlin, 3,466. 8. Jimmie Johnson, 3,444. 9. Chad Little, 3,408. 10. Kenny Wallace, 3,297.

CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

The Orleans 350

Site: Las Vegas.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, 4 p.m.; Sunday, race (ESPN2, 3p.m.)

Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (tri-oval 1.5 miles, 12 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 219 miles, 146 laps.

Last race: Rookie Travis Kvapil won the Silverado 350 in Fort Worth, Texas, for his first series victory, taking the lead with six laps left when Scott Riggs slowed because of a flat tire. Riggs, the polesitter, was dominating the race when the right front tire on his Dodge went flat on lap 141. Kvapil raced around the slowing Riggs on the backstretch and drove his Chevrolet to the victory.

Last year: Inaugural event.

Next race: Chevy Silverado 150, Oct. 26, Avondale, Ariz.

Driver standings: 1. Jack Sprague, 3,240. 2. Joe Ruttman, 3,176. 3. Scott Riggs, 3,152. 4. Travis Kvapil, 3,093. 5. Ted Musgrave, 3,082. 6. Ricky Hendrick, 3,049. 7. Dennis Setzer, 2,936. 8. Terry Cook, 2,907. 9. Rick Crawford, 2,810. 10. Coy Gibbs, 2,557. 11. Lance Norick, 2,497. 12. Matt Crafton, 2,443. 13. Billy Bigley, 2,406. 14. Carlos Contreras, 2,286. 15. Bobby Dotter, 2,226. 16. Willy T. Ribbs, 2,016. 17 Randy Tolsma, 1,859. 18. Jon Wood, 1,550. 19. Lance Hooper, 1,531. 20. Tom Powers, 1,489. 21. Nathan Haseleu, 1,419. 22. Jimmy Hensley, 1,414. 23. Larry Gunselman, 1,321. 24. Brian Rose, 1,176. 25. Ricky Sanders, 1,091. 26. Morgan Shepherd, 1,073. 27. Jerry Hill, 1,010. 28. Chuck Hossfeld, 933. 29. Ken Schrader, 919. 30. Michael Dokken, 835. 31. Nathan Buttke, 767. 32. Phil Bonifield, 716. 33. Bobby Hamilton, 707. 34. Jim Inglebright, 706. 35. Rodn ey Sawyers, 689. 36. Brendan Gaughan, 687. 37. Tom Carey, 672. 38. Jason White, 637. 39. Bryan Reffner, 585. 40. Stan Boyd,! 554.

CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING TEAMS

Honda Grand Prix

Site: Monterey, Calif.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, 4:45 p.m. (ESPN2, Sunday, 3 a.m., tape); Sunday, race (ESPN, 4 p.m.)

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

Race distance: 185.754 miles, 83 laps.

Last race: Gil de Ferran led all 100 laps and took the lead in the series championship with a victory in the Texaco/Havoline Grand Prix of Houston. Only 17 of the 26 cars that started the race on the tight, 1.527-mile, 10-turn downtown street circuit were running at the end.

Last year: Helio Castroneves dominated the race, leading all but two laps on his way to victory.

Next race: Honda Indy 300, Oct. 28, Surfers Paradise, Australia.

Driver standings: 1. Gil de Ferran, 163. 2. Kenny Brack, 153. 3. Helio Castroneves, 133. 4. Michael Andretti, 125. 5. Dario Franchitti, 105. 6. Cristiano da Matta, 100. 7. Patrick Carpentier, 86. 8. Scott Dixon, 86. 9. Tony Kanaan, 78. 10. Paul Tracy, 76. Also, 14. Jimmy Vasser, 58. 15. Alex Tagliani, 51.

FORMULA ONE

Japanese Grand Prix

Site: Suzuka.

Schedule: Today, qualifying, (Speedvision, 9 p.m.); Sunday, race, (Speedvision, 10 p.m. Saturday)

Track: Suzuka Circuit (road course, 3.636 miles, 21 turns).

Race distance: 192.708 miles, 53 laps.

Last race: Mika Hakkinen, who drives for McLaren, took advantage of two pit stops by Ferrari's Michael Schumacher to win the United States Grand Prix in Indianapolis by 11 seconds. Hakkinen earned his second win of the season and the 20th of his career.

Last year: Schumacher trailed Hakkinen most of the race before taking the lead late and winning by 1.8 seconds. The victory gave Schumacher his first title since 1995 and the first for Ferrari in 21 years.

Driver standings 1. x-Michael Schumacher, 113. 2. David Coulthard, 61. 3. Rubens Barrichello, 54. 4. Ralf Schumacher, 48. 5. Mika Hakkinen, 34. 6. Juan Pablo Montoya, 25. 7. Nick Heidfeld, 13. 8. Jacques Villeneuve, 12. 9. Kimi Raikkonen, 9 10. Jarno Trulli, 9. x-champion

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

Last event: John Force inched closer to his 100th career win by beating Whit Bazemore at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals for his 98th NHRA Funny Car national event win. Gary Scelzi (Top Fuel), Troy Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Angelle Savoie (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won.

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

Driver standings: Top Fuel -- 1. Kenny Bernstein, 1,812. 2. Larry Dixon, 1,754. 3. Gary Scelzi, 1,430. 4. Doug Kalitta, 1,394. 5. Mike Dunn, 1,387. Funny Car -- 1. John Force, 1,819. 2. Whit Bazemore, 1,534. 3. Del Worsham, 1,273. 4. Ron Capps, 1,268. 5. Tony Pedregon, 1,259. Pro Stock -- 1. Warren Johnson, 1,420. 2. Jim Yates, 1,286. 3, Mike Edwards, 1,170. 4. Jeg Coughlin, 1,162. 5. Bruce Allen, 1,155.

INDY RACING LEAGUE

Last race: Sam Hornish Jr. overtook Scott Sharp just a few feet from the finish line to cap his championship season with a win at the Chevy 500 on Oct. 6, in the closest 1-2-3 finish in IRL history. Hornish led 114 of 200 laps. Hornish won by .0188 seconds. Robbie Buhl, who led 31 laps, was just .0468 seconds, or about a half-car-length, behind in third. Hornish, who was the only driver to finish every race this season, had already clinched the Northern Light Cup and a $1 million bonus.

Driver standings: 1. x-Sam Hornish Jr., 503. 2. Buddy Lazier, 398. 3. Scott Sharp, 355. 4. Billy Boat, 313. 5. Eliseo Salazar, 308. 6. Felipe Giaffone, 304. 7. Al Unser Jr., 287. 8. Eddie Cheever, 261. 9. Buzz Calkins, 242. 10. Airton Dare, 239. x-champion.