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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, June 10, 2009

This week's top auto races


Associated Press

All Times EDT

NASCAR

SPRINT CUP

LifeLock 400

Site: Brooklyn, Mich.

Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.), qualifying (Speed, 3-4:30 p.m.); Saturday, practice (Speed, noon-1:30 p.m.); Sunday, race, 2 p.m. (TNT, 12:30-5:30 p.m.).

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

Race distance: 400 miles, 200 laps.

Last year: Dale Earnhardt Jr. ended a 76-race victory drought with his lone win for Hendrick Motorsports, driving the last 55 laps — including three of overtime — without stopping for fuel. Kasey Kahne was second, and Matt Kenseth finished third. Carl Edwards won the August race at Michigan.

Last week: Tony Stewart raced to his first Cup points victory as an owner, coming from the rear of the field and gambling on fuel at Pocono Raceway. Winner of the non-points All-Star race last month, Stewart snapped a 19-race winless streak, driving the final 41 laps without pitting. He's the first owner/driver to win a points race since Ricky Rudd at Martinsville in 1998. Edwards was second, followed by David Reutimann.

Fast facts: Earnhardt, an 18-time winner in the Cup series, is winless in 35 starts since his fuel-mileage victory at the track last year. After Lance McGrew replaced Tony Eury Jr. as crew chief following a season-worst 40th-place run at Charlotte, Earnhardt finished 12th at Dover and 27th at Pocono. He's 20th in the season standings. ... Stewart, the winner of the rain-shortened 2000 race, tops the standings with 2,043 points, followed by Hendrick's Jeff Gordon (1,972) and Jimmie Johnson (1,940) and Stewart-Haas teammate Ryan Newman (1,840). Newman has six straight top-10 finishes. He won at Michigan for Roger Penske in 2003 and 2004. ... Kyle Busch, ninth in the standings, has a series-high three wins. Johnson, Kenseth and Mark Martin are two-time winners. ... Roush Fenway Racing has won three of the last five Michigan races. Jack Roush is based in nearby Livonia.

Next race: Toyota/SaveMart 350, June 21, Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif.

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

NATIONWIDE

Meijer 300

Site: Sparta, Ky.

Schedule: Friday, practice; Saturday, qualifying (ESPN2, 5-7 p.m.), race, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN2, 8-11:30 p.m.).

Track: Kentucky Speedway (oval, 1.5 miles).

Race distance: 300 miles, 200 laps.

Last year: Joey Logano became the youngest winner in Nationwide Series history, taking the lead from Kyle Busch with 53 laps remaining and rolling on after Busch spun out with 37 laps to go. At 18 years, 21 days, Logano broke the record of 18 years, 10 months, 26 days set by Casey Atwood in 1999.

Last week: Busch raced to his fourth Nationwide Series victory of the year and ninth overall NASCAR win of the season, easily holding off Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards at Nashville Superspeedway. Busch smashed the guitar trophy in Victory Lane.

Fast facts: Busch, the 2004 Kentucky winner, leads the season standings with 2,031 points, followed by Edwards (1,966), Jason Leffler (1,843), Keselowski (1,838) and Logano (1,670). ... Busch, Edwards and Logano also are racing in the Sprint Cup race in Michigan. Brad Coleman (Busch), Auggie Vidovich (Edwards) and Jeremy Clements (Logano) will serve as substitute drivers when the racers are absent.

Next race: NorthernTool.com 250, June 20, The Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wis.

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

CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS

Michigan 200

Site: Brooklyn, Mich.

Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 1:30-3 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying, race, 2 p.m. (Speed, 1:30-4:30 p.m.).

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

Race distance: 200 miles, 100 laps.

Last year: Erik Darnell beat Johnny Benson by 0.005 seconds — just inches — to give team owner Jack Roush his fourth trucks victory at Michigan.

Last week: Todd Bodine became the winningest driver at Texas Motor Speedway in any series, racing to his fifth victory at the 1½-mile, high-banked oval. He also is the first five-time trucks winner at any NASCAR track.

Fast facts: Kyle Busch is making his seventh series start of the season. He won at California and Atlanta. ... Matt Crafton, second in Texas, leads the season standings with 1,202 points, followed by Ron Hornaday Jr. (1,172), Mike Skinner (1,163) and Bodine (1,136). ... Bodine also won the season-opening race at Daytona. ... Defending series champion Benson, from Grand Rapids, won the 2006 race.

Next race: Copart 200, June 19, The Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wis.

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

NHRA FULL THROTTLE

United Association NHRA SuperNationals

Site: Englishtown, N.J.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying; Saturday, qualifying (ESPN2, 7-8 p.m., 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.; Sunday, final eliminations (ESPN2, 10 p.m.-1 a.m.).

Track: Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.

Last year: Scott Kalitta was killed after his Funny Car burst into flames and crashed at the end of the track during the final round of qualifying. Tony Schumacher beat Brandon Bernstein in the Top Fuel final, and Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Chip Ellis (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won.

Last week: Top Fuel rookie Spencer Massey raced to his first career victory, beating points leader Antron Brown in the NHRA Route 66 Nationals. Tony Pedregon (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Matt Guidera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won.

Fast facts: As a safety measure following Kalitta's death, the NHRA cut the length of Top Fuel and Funny Car races from the traditional quarter-mile to 1,000 feet — a reduction of 320 feet. ... Ron Capps, a three-time winner this season, tops the Funny Car standings with 760 points, followed by Pedregon (702) and Ashley Force Hood (700). ... Brown leads the Top Fuel standings with 770 points, followed by Schumacher (752) and Bernstein (701). Coughlin has the Pro Stock lead.

Next event: Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, June 26-28, Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio.

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

INDYCAR SERIES

Next race: Iowa Corn Indy 250, June 21, Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa.

Last week: Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves won for the third time at Texas Motor Speedway, beating Penske teammate Ryan Briscoe off pit row on the final stop and holding on for the final 46 laps.

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

FORMULA ONE

Next race: British Grand Prix, June 21, Silverstone circuit, Silverstone, England.

Last week: Brawn GP's Jenson Button won the Turkish Grand Prix for his sixth victory in seven races this season. Button passed pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel on the first lap and held on for a 6.7-second victory over Mark Webber. Vettel was third.

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

OTHER RACES

AUTOMOBILE CLUB DE L'OUEST: 24 Hours of Le Mans, Saturday-Sunday (Speed, Saturday, 8-8:30 a.m., 4:30-10 p.m.; Sunday, midnight-9:30 a.m.), Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France. On the Net: http://www.lemans.org

ARCA RE/MAX SERIES: Racing For Wildlife 200, Friday (Speed, 5-7 p.m.), Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Michigan. On the Net: http://www.arcaracing.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CARS: Boot Hill Showdown, Friday-Saturday, Dodge City Raceway Park, Dodge City, Kan. On the Net: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com/sprint