All Times EDT
NASCAR
SPRINT CUP
PURE MICHIGAN 400
Site: Brooklyn, Mich.
Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, noon-1:30 p.m.), qualifying (Speed, 3:30-5:30 p.m.); Saturday, practice (Speed, 10 a.m.-noon); Sunday, race, 1 p.m. (ESPN, noon-4:30 p.m.).
Track: Michigan International Speedway (oval, 2.0 miles).
Race distance: 400 miles, 200 laps.
Last year: Kevin Harvick raced to the last of his three 2010 victories, passing Denny Hamlin with 11 laps left.
Last week: Australia’s Marcos Ambrose won the rain-delayed race at Watkins Glen for his first victory in 105 starts in NASCAR’s top series. Brad Keselowski, racing with a broken left ankle, was second in the road-course event.
Fast facts: There are four races left in the regular season. The top 10 in the standings and the top two victory leaders between Nos. 11 and 20 will earn spots in the Chase. … In June at Michigan, Hamlin raced to his lone victory of the year, holding off Matt Kenseth. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver also won the 2010 June race at the track. … Dale Earnhardt Jr. is winless in 114 races since his fuel-mileage win at the track in June 2008, his lone victory in 129 starts for Hendrick Motorsports. He had 17 victories in 291 starts for Dale Earnhardt Inc.
Next race: Irwin Tools Night Race, Aug. 27, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
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NATIONWIDE
NAPA AUTO PARTS 200
Site: Montreal.
Schedule: Friday, practice, qualifying; Saturday, race, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN, 2-6 p.m.).
Track: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (road course, 2.709 miles).
Race distance: 200.466 miles, 74 laps.
Last year: Boris Said raced to his first Nationwide victory, edging Max Papis by 0.012 seconds in a green-white-checkered finish.
Last week: Kurt Busch won on the road course at Watkins Glen International, holding off Jimmie Johnson on a green-white-checkered finish. Busch was subbing for injured Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski.
Fast facts: The race is the third and final road-course event of the year. Reed Sorenson won at Road America in June. … In 2008, Canadian Ron Fellows splashed his way to victory in the first NASCAR points race run on grooved rain tires. The event was cut from 74 to 48 laps because of heavy rain, flooding and poor visibility. The 2009 race also was marred by rain, with Carl Edwards passing Marcos Ambrose on the final turn after Ambrose hit the rumble strips and slid sideways. … Danica Patrick is making her first series start since July at Daytona. … Ambrose is coming off a Cup victory Monday at Watkins Glen. Edwards also is racing, former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve will pilot the No. 22 Penske Racing Dodge that Busch won in at Watkins Glen, and Scott Speed will drive Kevin Harvick Inc.’s No. 33 Chevrolet.
Next race: Food City 250, Aug. 26, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
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CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS
VFW 200
Site: Brooklyn, Mich.
Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 11 a.m.-noon, 1:30-3 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying (Speed, 9-10 a.m.), race, 12:30 p.m. (Speed, noon-3 p.m.).
Track: Michigan International Speedway (oval, 2.0 miles).
Race distance: 200 miles, 100 laps.
Last year: Aric Almirola raced to his second victory of the year, holding off Todd Bodine in the June race. Kyle Busch led 172 laps, but ran out of gas and had to pit just before the finish. He placed third.
Last race: Kevin Harvick won the rain-delayed race at Pocono on Aug. 7 for his 10th Trucks victory, holding off Busch in a green-white-checkered finish.
Fast facts: Busch, a five-time winner in nine series starts this year, and Harvick are racing along with fellow Cup star Mark Martin. … Austin Dillon has a one-point lead over Johnny Sauter in the standings. James Buescher is third, 14 points back.
Next race: O’Reilly Auto Parts 200, Aug. 24, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
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NHRA FULL THROTTLE
LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS
Site: Brainerd, Minn.
Schedule: Friday, qualifying; Saturday, qualifying (ESPN2, 11 p.m.-1 a.m.), Sunday, final eliminations (ESPN2, 10 p.m.-12:30 a.m.).
Track: Brainerd International Raceway.
Last year: Larry Dixon raced to the ninth of his record 12 Top Fuel victories in 2010, beating Cory McClenathan in the final. Bob Bode (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won.
Last event: Tim Wilkerson won the Northwest Nationals for the third straight year, beating Jack Beckman in the Funny Car final Aug. 7 in Kent, Wash. Del Worsham (Top Fuel) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) also won.
Fast facts: John Force Racing’s Mike Neff, a four-time winner this year, tops the Funny Car standings – 125 points ahead of Robert Hight with two events left before the six-race playoffs. … In Top Fuel, Worsham has a 126-point lead over Spencer Massey.
Next race: Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, Aug. 31-Sept. 5, Lucas Oil Raceway, Clermont, Ind.
Online: http://www.nhra.com
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INDYCAR
Next race: Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, Aug. 28, Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif.
Last week: Ryan Hunter-Reay won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway after a wreck in wet conditions with 10 laps made a mess of the finish.
Online: http://www.indycar.com
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FORMULA ONE
Next race: Belgian Grand Prix, Aug. 28, Spa-Francorchamps, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium.
Last race: McLaren’s Jenson Button won the rainy Hungarian Grand Prix on July 31 for his second victory of the year. Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel stretched his commanding lead in the season standings with a second-place finish.
Online: http://www.formula1.com
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OTHER RACES
ARCA RACING SERIES: Allen Crowe 100, Sunday, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Macon, Ill. Online: http://www.arcaracing.com
AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES: Road Race Showcase, Saturday (ABC, Sunday, 4:30-6 p.m.), Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis. Online: http://www.americanlemans.com
GRAND-AM ROLEX SPORTS CAR SERIES: Montreal 200, Saturday (Speed, 7-9:30 p.m.), Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal. Online: http://www.grand-am.com
WORLD OF OUTLAWS: Sprint Car: Friday, River Cities Speedway, Grand Forks, N.D.; Saturday, Huset’s Speedway, Brandon, S.D. Late Model: Keyser Manufacturing 50, Friday, Winston Speedway, Rothbury, Mich.; Lane Automotive 50, Saturday, Merritt Raceway, Lake City, Mich. Online: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com
U.S. AUTO RACING CLUB: Silver Crown: Tony Bettenhausen 100, Saturday, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Macon, Ill. Online: http://www.usacracing.com
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