This week’s races

Thursday, Feb. 21, 2002 | 10:56 a.m.

NASCAR

WINSTON CUP

Subway 400

Site: Rockingham, N.C.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying (Fox Sports Net, 3 p.m.); Sunday, race (Fox, 12:30 p.m.)

Track: North Carolina Speedway (tri-oval, 1.017 miles, 22 degrees banking in turns 1-2, 25 degrees in turns 3-4).

Race distance: 399.681 miles, 393 laps.

Last race: Ward Burton survived a late 18-car crash and took advantage of a penalty assessed to Sterling Marlin to win his first Daytona 500.

Last year: Steve Park honored his late boss by driving a Dale Earnhardt car to victory in the Dura Lube 400. Park held off Bobby Labonte by two car-lengths in the rain-delayed race. The race began Sunday and was postponed after just 52 of 393 laps before finishing Monday.

Fast facts: Park and Jeff Gordon combined to lead 347 of the 393 laps in last year's race. Park led 167 of those, including the final 55. ... Mark Martin earned his 30th Winston Cup victory in the 1999 race. ... Bill Elliott made his Winston Cup debut in the 1976 race, finishing 33rd. ... Only Richard Petty and Gordon went on to win at The Rock after taking the Daytona 500. ... Gordon owns the record for fastest winning speed, 128.423 mph in 1998. He has won the event three times, including the 1995 and '97 races. ... The farthest back in the field that the winner of a Winston Cup race started at Rockingham was 30th by Neil Bonnett in 1988.

Next race: UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400, March 3, Las Vegas.

BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL

1-866RBCTERM.com 200

Site: Rockingham, N.C.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying, 1:30 p.m.; Saturday, race (Fox, 1 p.m.).

Track: North Carolina Speedway (tri-oval, 1.017 miles, 22 degrees banking in turns 1-2, 25 degrees in turns 3-4).

Race distance: 200.349 miles, 197 laps.

Last race: Dale Earnhardt Jr., making his return to the Busch Series, led the final 47 laps and held off Michael Waltrip and Matt Kenseth to win the rain-delayed EAS/GNC Live Well 300 at Daytona.

Last year: Todd Bodine gambled on a late stop and made it pay off with a victory in the then-named Alltel 200. Bodine was leading when Scott Wimmer's car hit the wall on the 183rd of 197-laps. Bodine pitted for four tires, while several other drivers stayed on the track.

Fast facts: The last five events at the North Carolina Speedway have been won by Fords. ... Mark Martin holds the track record for most victories (11), top five finishes (16), top 10 finishes (20), fastest winning speed (124.397 mph in 1996), widest margin of victory (13.4 seconds in 1998) and pole positions (6). ... Jeff Burton's comeback in 1999 from 30th to first was the largest in race history. ... There were seven caution flags for 29 laps during last year's race.

Next race: Sam's Town 300, March 2, Las Vegas.

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals

Site: Chandler, Ariz.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying, 3:30 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN2, 9 p.m., tape); Sunday, eliminations, 2 p.m. (ESPN2, 7 p.m., tape).

Track: Firebird International Raceway

Last event: Larry Dixon beat series champion Kenny Bernstein on Feb. 10 in the Top Fuel finals, and John Force got his 99th Funny Car victory at the K&N Filters Winternationals, the opening event of the NHRA season.

Last year: John Force raced to his 93rd career Funny Car victory, beating Bruce Sarver in the final round. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Warren Johnson (Pro Stock) won their divisions.

Fast facts: This is the 18th running of the event. ... Dixon was eliminated by Bernstein six times on race day last season, including two finals, before last event's win. ... Force, the winningest driver in NHRA history, is looking for his 100th victory. He has seven wins in his last eight trips to Firebird Raceway. ... Tony Schumacher recorded the sport's first 330-mph run (330.26 mph) in 1999 at Firebird.

Next event: Mac Tools Gatornationals, March 17, Gainesville, Fla.

NASCAR

CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

Last race: Robert Pressley took the lead on a restart with two laps to go and held off Ted Musgrave to win the Dodge Dealers 250 at Daytona.

Next race: Darlington 200, March 16, Darlington, S.C.