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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, August 12, 2009

This week's top auto races


Associated Press

All Times EDT

NASCAR

SPRINT CUP

Carfax 400

Site: Brooklyn, Mich.

Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, noon-1:30 p.m.), qualifying (Speed, 3:30-5 p.m.); Saturday, practice (Speed, 12:30-3 p.m.); Sunday, race, 2 p.m. (ESPN, 1-5:30 p.m.).

Track: Michigan International Speedway (oval, 2 miles).

Race distance: 400 miles, 200 laps.

Last year: Carl Edwards completed a weekend sweep, beating Kyle Busch off pit road on their last stops and pulling away for the fifth of his series-high nine 2008 Cup victories. Edwards won the Nationwide race the previous day.

Last week: Tony Stewart won the rain-delayed race at Watkins Glen on Monday, holding off Marcos Ambrose over the final 21 laps for his Cup-record fifth victory at the New York road course. It was the series leader's third win in his first season as an owner-driver and his seventh career road-course victory.

Fast facts: Mark Martin won the June race at Michigan for his third victory of the year. Jimmie Johnson dominated most of the race, but ran out of fuel with two laps to go, giving the lead to Greg Biffle, who then ran out on the final lap. ... Stewart needs only to start to wrap up a spot in the 12-driver Chase for the championship. Three-time defending series champion Johnson needs a 90-point gain on 13th place — currently Busch — to lock up a spot. Matt Kenseth is 12th, 58 points ahead of Busch.

Next race: Sharpie 500, Aug. 22, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.

On the Net: http://www.nascar.com

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NATIONWIDE

Carfax 250

Site: Brooklyn, Mich.

Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 1:30-3:30 p.m., 5-6 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying (Speed, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.), race, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN2, 3-6 p.m.).

Track: Michigan International Speedway (oval, 2 miles).

Race distance: 250 miles, 125 laps.

Last year: Carl Edwards raced to the third of his seven 2008 series victories, taking the lead in the pits and easily holding off Brian Vickers. Edwards won the Cup race the next day to complete a weekend sweep.

Last week: Marcos Ambrose won at Watkins Glen for the second straight year. The hard-charging Tasmanian passed points leader Kyle Busch with a daring move through the chicane and held on to win for JTG-Daugherty Racing.

Fast facts: Busch, a six-time winner this year, has a series-record 10th consecutive top-two finishes. He leads the season standings with 3,646 points, followed by Edwards (3,434) and Brad Keselowski (3,237). ... Ryan Newman, driving the No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, won the 2001 and 2005 races in his only other series starts at the track. ... J.J. Yeley will drive the No. 81 MacDonald Motorsports Dodge, his first series ride since the 2007 season finale.

Next race: Food City 250, Aug. 21, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.

On the Net: http://www.nascar.com

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CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS

Next race: O'Reilly 200, Aug. 19, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.

Last race: Ron Hornaday Jr. raced to his series-record fifth straight victory, beating Brian Scott in a green-white-checker finish Aug. 1 at Nashville Superspeedway. The 51-year-old Hornaday has six wins this year for Kevin Harvick Inc., and a series-record 44 overall. He also has a record three season titles.

On the Net: http://www.nascar.com

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NHRA FULL THROTTLE

Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals

Site: Brainerd, Minn.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying; Saturday, qualifying (ESPN2, 6-7 p.m., 11 p.m.-midnight); Sunday, final eliminations (ESPN2, 10 p.m.-1 a.m.).

Track: Brainerd International Raceway.

Last year: Tony Schumacher raced to his fourth straight victory and the ninth of his 15 2008 wins, beating Cory McClenathan in the Top Fuel final. Tony Pedregon (Funny Car), Kurt Johnson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won.

Last event: Antron Brown swept the NHRA's Western swing, beating McClenathan on July 26 in the Top Fuel final at Infineon Raceway. Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won.

Fast facts: Brown leads the Top Fuel standings with 1,283 points, followed by Schumacher (1,084) and Larry Dixon (1,035). ... Pedregon tops the Funny Car points race with 1,101, followed by Ron Capps (1,090) and Ashley Force Hood (1,054).

Next race: Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals, Aug. 21-23, Maple Grove Raceway, Mohnton, Pa.

On the Net: http://www.nhra.com

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INDYCAR

Next race: Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, Aug. 23, Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif.

Last week: Scott Dixon won at Mid-Ohio to become the IndyCar career victory leader with 20, beating Ryan Briscoe by nearly 30 seconds — the largest margin in the series in a decade. Dixon broke a tie with Sam Hornish Jr., now racing in NASCAR, for the victory mark. Dixon has three wins this year for Target Chip Ganassi and leads the season standings, three points ahead of Briscoe.

On the Net: http://www.indycar.com

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FORMULA ONE

Hungarian Grand Prix

Next race: Grand Prix of Europe, Aug. 23, Streets of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.

Last race: McLaren's Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 26, the defending series champion's first victory of the year. Ferrari's Felipe Massa was seriously injured in qualifying when he was hit in the helmet by debris and crashed into a tire barrier at 120 mph. He had surgery to repair multiple skull fractures, and returned home to Brazil to recover.

On the Net: http://www.formula1.com

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OTHER RACES

KNOXVILLE RACEWAY SPRINT CARS: Knoxville Nationals, through Saturday (Speed, Saturday, 10 p.m.-1 a.m.), Knoxville Raceway, Knoxville, Iowa. On the Net: http://www.knoxvilleraceway.com

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES: Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase, Sunday (Speed, 3-6 p.m.), Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis. On the Net: http://www.americanlemans.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS: Late Model Series: Thursday, Grandview Speedway, Bechtelsville, Pa.; Friday, Bedford Speedway, Bedford, Pa.; Saturday, Hagerstown Speedway, Hagerstown, Md. On the Net: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com

U.S. AUTO RACING CLUB: Sprint Car and Midget: Saturday, Salem Speedway, Salem, Ind. On the Net: http://www.usacracing.com