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Wednesday, August 1

Viewer's Guide
A look at the weekend in racing
Associated Press

Here's a breakdown of this weekend's action in the world of motorsports. (All times ET)

Winston Cup
FAST FACTS
Event Brickyard 400
Site Indianapolis.
Schedule Saturday, qualifying (TNT, 11 a.m.); Sunday, race (NBC, 2:30 p.m.)
Track Indianapolis Motor Speedway (rectangular oval, 2.5 miles, 9 degrees banking)
Distance 400 miles, 160 laps.

Last race: Bobby Labonte passed Dale Earnhardt Jr. with a little more than two laps remaining to take the Pennsylvania 500 for his first victory of the season. Jeff Gordon finished eighth and took sole possession of the lead in the standings after Dale Jarrett wrecked twice and wound up 41st.

Drivers to Watch
Check out a short list of drivers to keep an eye on this weekend at Indianapolis.

Last year: Labonte won after passing Rusty Wallace 15 laps from the end.

Fast facts: Labonte finished second in 1997 and 1999, and third in 1998. ... John Andretti, Robby Gordon and Tony Stewart are the only drivers to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year.

Next race: Global Crossing at the Glen, Aug. 12, Watkins Glen, N.Y.

Busch
FAST FACTS
Event Kroger 200
Site Clermont, Ind.
Schedule Saturday, qualifying, 3:30 p.m.; race (TNT, 8 p.m.)
Track Indianapolis Raceway Park (oval, 0.686 miles, 7.5 degrees banking)
Distance 137.2 miles, 200 laps.

Last race: Jeff Purvis ran away with the NAPA AutoCare 250, beating Jeff Green by 15.782 seconds at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Purvis, who won for the first time in five years, was making his second start for Richard Childress Racing. He lost his regular ride four weeks ago, when Joe Gibbs Racing dropped its second Busch series team.

Last year: Ron Hornaday held off Purvis to get his second Busch series victory.

Fast facts: Jason Keller won the event in 1995 and 1999. ... Three of the last five races at IRP have been won from the pole. Before that, only one of 14 went to the top qualifier. ... There have been 15 different winners in the last 19 years. ... Chevrolet leads with 10 victories at the track.

Next race: NAPAonline.com 250, Aug. 18, Brooklyn, Mich.

Craftsman Trucks
FAST FACTS
Event Powerstroke Diesel 200
Site Clermont, Ind.
Schedule Friday, qualifying, 4 p.m.; race (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
Track Indianapolis Raceway Park (oval, 0.686 miles, 7.5 degrees banking).
Distance 137.2 miles, 200 laps.

Last race: Jack Sprague, dominating from start to finish, parlayed his pole position into a victory in the New England 200, averaging a track-record 109.244 mph to hold off rookie Travis Kvapil. Dennis Setzer finished third and Ricky Hendrick fourth as Chevrolets swept the top four spots for the first time in a season dominated by Dodge. In getting his 21st career victory, Sprague led 183 of 200 laps.

Last year: Polesitter Joe Ruttman led 143 of 200 laps for the victory. Ruttman's Dodge finished 0.859 seconds -- about 10 truck-lengths -- in front of Lyndon Amick.

Fast facts: Mike Skinner won the race in 1995 and 1996. ... Chevrolet swept the first five spots in 1995 and won IRP's first four events. ... Ruttman and Sprague are the only drivers to compete in each of the previous six events at the track.

Next race: Federated Auto Parts 200, Aug. 10, Nashville, Tenn.

NHRA
FAST FACTS
Event Fram Autolite Nationals
Site Sonoma, Calif.
Schedule Friday, qualifying, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN2, 10 p.m.); Sunday, eliminations, 2 p.m. (ESPN2, 4 p.m.)
Track Sears Point Raceway.

Last race: Gary Scelzi raced to his first victory of the season, beating Kenny Bernstein in the Top Fuel final of the NHRA Northwest Nationals. Whit Bazemore and Mark Osborne also won at Seattle International Raceway.

Last year: John Force won for the seventh time in 2000. Doug Kalitta won the Top Fuel division for the third straight year, and Kurt Johnson won in Pro Stock.

Fast facts: Kalitta earned his first Top Fuel victory at the 1998 event. ... Former nostalgia racer Brady Kalivoda will make his professional driving debut in the Top Fuel division. ... Bazemore trails Force 1,340-949 in the Funny Car standings.

Next race: Colonel's Truck Nationals, Aug. 19, Brainerd, Minn.

CART
Last event: Kenny Brack ended his two-race dry spell, winning the Target Grand Prix at Chicago Motor Speedway. After a pair of no-points finishes, the convincing win by Brack moved him from a three-point lead over Dario Franchitti coming into the race to a 22-point edge over Helio Castroneves.

Next race: Miller Lite 200, Aug. 12, Lexington, Ohio.

Formula One
Last week: Ralf Schumacher won a wild German Grand Prix on his home track in a Formula One race marked by a crash that involved his brother and forced a restart. Michael Schumacher, the defending series champion and points leader, was not injured. He quit in the 24th lap of a race in which only 10 cars finished.

Next event: Hungarian Grand Prix, Aug. 19, Budapest.

IRL
Last race: Buddy Lazier cut into Sam Hornish Jr.'s lead by racing to his third victory in his last four starts, leading the final 23 laps of the Harrah's Indy 200. The IRL champion, who has a series-record seven victories, trails Hornish by 40 points with five races remaining.

Next race: Belterra Resort Indy 300, Aug. 12, Sparta, Ky.

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