This week in motor sports

Friday, March 1, 2002 | 10:55 a.m.

Site: Las Vegas.

Schedule: Today, qualifying (FSW, 2 p.m.); Sunday, race (Fox, 12:30 p.m.).

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

Race distance: 400 miles, 267 laps.

Last race: Matt Kenseth charged from fourth to first late in the race to win the Subway 400 at North Carolina Speedway.

Last year: Jeff Gordon took the lead 20 laps from the end and drove away for an easy victory.

Fast facts: Last week's race marked the debut of the new NASCAR rule that states only one engine is allowed for practice, qualifying and the race. Las Vegas Speedway's ovals are known to put more pressure on the 750-800 horsepower engines than the 1.017-mile North Carolina track. ... Kenseth's win last week was the second of his career and first in 60 races. ... Jeff Burton outraced brother Ward to the finish line in 1999. It was the first 1-2 finish by brothers since Terry Labonte beat Bobby in 1997 in Talladega, Ala. ... Only the inaugural race in 1998 was won from a top-10 starting position. No pole-sitters have won the race.

Next race: Atlanta 500, March 10, Hampton, Ga.

Driver standings: 1. Sterling Marlin, 327. 2. Ward Burton, 309. 3. Kurt Busch, 292. 4. Jeff Gordon, 289. 5. Jeff Burton, 282. 6. Ricky Craven, 272. 7. Ryan Newman, 267. 8. Bill Elliott, 260. 9. Matt Kenseth, 254. 10. Rusty Wallace, 251. 11. Mark Martin, 250. 12. Elliott Sadler, 240. 13. Bobby Labonte, 231. 14. Johnny Benson, 228. 15. Jeff Green, 223. 16. Terry Labonte, 218. 17. Robby Gordon, 215. 18. Kenny Wallace, 207. 19. Bobby Hamilton, 205. 20. Michael Waltrip, 203.

On the net: www.nascar.com BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL Sam's Town 300

Site: Las Vegas.

Schedule: Today, qualifying, 12:30 p.m.; Saturday, race (FX, 1 p.m.).

Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Race distance: 300 miles, 200 laps.

Last race: With the last 68 of 197 laps run without a caution, Jason Keller pulled away from Greg Biffle to win the RBCTerm.com200 at North Carolina Speedway by 6.208 seconds.

Last year: Todd Bodine outraced Greg Biffle on a late restart to win the Sam's Town 300 in Las Vegas for his second straight Busch series victory. Bodine's victory ended a string of five straight Las Vegas wins -- in both the Busch and Winston Cup series -- by Roush Racing drivers Jeff Burton and Mark Martin.

Fast facts: Keller has six career wins and leads the Busch Series standings for the first time in his 256-race career. He finished second and third in the past two seasons. ... Dale Earnhardt Jr., who won the Busch season-opener, did not enter the RBCTerm.com200. He is expected to start Saturday.

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

Driver standings: 1. Jason Keller, 340. 2. Scott Riggs, 310. 3. Jack Sprague, 296. 4. Randy LaJoie, 292. 5. Greg Biffle, 272. 6. Kenny Wallace, 261. 7. Michael Waltrip, 260. 8. Andy Houston, 255. 9. Jamie McMurray, 253. 10. Larry Foyt, 252.

On the net: www.nascar.com FORMULA ONE Australian Grand Prix

Site: Melbourne, Australia.

Schedule: Today, qualifying (Speedvision, 6 p.m.); Saturday, race (Speedvision, 6:30 p.m.).

Track: Albert Park Circuit (3.28 miles).

Race distance: 191.118 miles, 58 laps.

Last event: Michael Schumacher won the Japan Grand Prix on Oct. 14 for his record-tying ninth victory of 2001. Only Nigel Mansell, in 1992, was able to win as many in a season.

Last year: Schumacher led from start to finish to win his fifth consecutive Formula One race. A track marshal was killed and 13 people were injured from debris that flew off Jacques Villeneuve's car when it became airborne and hit a catch fence.

Next race: Malaysian Grand Prix, March 17, Kuala Lumpur.

On the net: www.formula1.com INDY RACING LEAGUE Grand Prix of Miami

Site: Homestead, Fla.

Schedule: Today, qualifying, 9:30 a.m.; Saturday, race (ABC, 10 a.m.).

Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway (oval 1.5 miles, 6 degrees banking in turns).

Race Distance: 300 miles, 200 laps.

Last event: Sam Hornish Jr. overtook Scott Sharp just a few feet from the finish line to cap his championship season with a win in the Chevy 500 on Oct. 6, in the closest 1-2-3 finish in IRL history.

Last year: Hornish led the final 15 laps and held off Sarah Fisher to give Panther Racing its third consecutive IRL triumph.

Next race: Bombardier/ATV Indy 200, March 17, Avondale, Ariz..

On the net: www.indyracingleague.com NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

Last event: Del Worsham denied John Force his 100th career victory by beating him in the Funny Car final at the Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals in Chandler, Ariz. Tony Schumacher won the Top Fuel final over Larry Dixon and Bruce Allen topped Warren Johnson in the Pro Stock category.

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

Driver standings: Top Fuel -- 1. Larry Dixon, 215. 2. Tony Schumacher, 152. 3. Clay Millican, 146. 4. Kenny Bernstein, 132. 5. Doug Kalitta, 128. Funny Car -- 1. John Force, 216. 2. Del Worsham, 206. 3. Scotty Cannon, 128. 4. Ron Capps, 126. 5. Gary Densham, 113. Pro Stock -- 1. Bruce Allen, 171. 2. George Marnell, 164. 3. Jim Yates, 153. 4. Kurt Johnson, 147. 5. Warren Johnson, 147.

On the net: www.nhra.com