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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, June 18, 2009

This week's top auto races


Associated Press

All Times EDT

NASCAR

SPRINT CUP

Toyota/SaveMart 350

All Times EDT

NASCAR

SPRINT CUP

Toyota/SaveMart 350

Site: Sonoma, Calif.

Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 3-4:30 p.m.), qualifying (6:30-8:30 p.m.), Saturday, practice (Speed, 12:30-3 p.m.); Sunday, race, 5 p.m. (TNT, 3:30-8:30 p.m.).

Track: Infineon Raceway (road course, 1.99 miles).

Race distance: 218.9 miles, 110 laps.

Last year: Kyle Busch raced to the fifth of his eight 2008 victories, winning for the first time in Cup competition on a road course. David Gilliland was second, followed by Jeff Gordon. Busch also won on the road course in Watkins Glen in August.

Last week: Mark Martin won for the third time this year, saving just enough gas at Michigan International Speedway. 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 of gas on the final lap. The 50-year-old Martin has 38 career Cup victories.

Fast facts: Tony Stewart leads the season standings with 2,189 points, followed by Gordon (2,142), Johnson (2,047), Kurt Busch (1,961) and Ryan Newman (1,934). ... Gordon has a Cup-record nine road-course wins, five at Sonoma and four at Watkins Glen. ... Juan Pablo Montoya won the 2007 race for his lone Cup victory. Before joining NASCAR, the Colombian star won seven Formula One races, the 1999 Champ Car title and 11 open-wheel races, including the 2000 Indianapolis 500. ... Canadian Patrick Carpentier will drive the No. 55 NAPA Toyota in place of owner-driver Michael Waltrip. Fellow road-racers Boris Said, Ron Fellows and Max Papis will attempt to qualify.

Next race: Lenox Industrial Tools 301, June 28, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H.

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

NATIONWIDE

NorthernTool.com 250

Site: West Allis, Wis.

Schedule: Saturday, practice, qualifying (ESPN2 6:30 p.m., same-day tape), race (ESPN2 8:30 p.m.).

Track: The Milwaukee Mile (oval, 1.0 miles).

Race distance: 250 miles, 250 laps.

Last year: Carl Edwards raced to the first of his seven 2008 series victories, shoving Clint Bowyer aside with 25 laps to go and holding off Joey Logano.

Last week: Logano cruised past Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch with 10 laps to go and held on to win at Kentucky Speedway for the second straight year. The 19-year-old Logano has two Nationwide victories this year and three overall.

Fast facts: Busch, a four-time winner this season, tops the standings with 2,211 points, followed by Edwards (2,074) and Brad Keselowski (2,003). ... Busch and Edwards also are racing in the Sprint Cup event in California. Johnny Sauter, the 2005 race winner, will be in Busch's car while he's absent. Colin Brain, the trucks winner last week in Michigan, will prepare Edwards' car.

Next race: Camping World RV Sales 200, June 27, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H.

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


CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS

Copart 200

Site: West Allis, Wis.

Schedule: Friday, practice, qualifying, race, 9 p.m. (Speed, 8:30-11:30 p.m.).

Track: The Milwaukee Mile (oval, 1.0 miles).

Race distance: 200 miles, 200 laps.

Last year: Johnny Benson won the race for the third straight year, the first of five 2008 victories in his championship season. Matt Crafton finished second.

Last week: Colin Braun raced to his first series win, giving team owner Jack Roush his 50th trucks victory and third in a row at Michigan International Speedway. Kyle Busch was second, followed by pole-winner Brian Ickler.

Fast facts: Days after losing his trucks ride when Red Horse Racing failed to find sponsorship, Benson was injured in a fiery crash Saturday in a Supermodified event at his home track in Michigan. The 45-year-old Benson broke three ribs, his right wrist, left-side scapula and collarbone and sustained minor burns in the wreck at Berlin Speedway. He was released from a hospital Tuesday. ... Crafton leads the season standings with 1,362 points, followed by Ron Hornaday Jr. (1,323) and Mike Skinner (1,318). Crafton has a series-leading eight top-10 finishes in nine starts this year.

Next race: MemphisTravel.com 200, June 27, Memphis Motorsports Park, Millington, Tenn.

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

INDYCAR SERIES

Iowa Corn Indy 250

Site: Newton, Iowa.

Schedule: Saturday, practice, qualifying; Sunday, race, 1:30 p.m. (ABC, 1-3:30 p.m.).

Track: Iowa Speedway (oval, 0.875 miles).

Race distance: 218.75 miles, 250 laps.

Last year: England's Dan Wheldon raced to the second of his two 2008 victories for Target Chip Ganassi, driving the final 90 without pitting. Hideki Mutoh was second.

Last race: Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves won for the third time at Texas Motor Speedway, holding off Penske teammate Ryan Briscoe on June 6.

Fast facts: Briscoe leads the standings with 199 points, followed by Scott Dixon (196), Dario Franchitti (188), Castroneves (186) and Danica Patrick (167). ... Briscoe won the season-opening race at St. Petersburg and is the only driver to complete every lap this year. ... Franchitti won the inaugural Iowa race in 2007. ... Former NASCAR star Rusty Wallace designed the track.

Next race: SunTrust Indy Challenge, June 27, Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Va.

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

FORMULA ONE

British Grand Prix

Site: Silverstone, England.

Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 9-10:30 a.m.); Saturday, practice, qualifying (Speed, 8-9:30 a.m.; Sunday, race, 8 a.m. (Fox, 3-5 p.m.)

Track: Silverstone circuit (road course, 3.19 miles).

Race distance: 191.6 miles, 60 laps.

Last year: McLaren's Lewis Hamilton raced to the third of his five 2008 victories en route to the season championship, beating Nick Heidfeld by more than a minute and lapping all but two cars in rainy conditions.

Last race: Brawn GP's Jenson Button won the Turkish Grand Prix on June 7 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.

Fast facts: Button is the first British driver to win four straight races since Nigel Mansell in 1992. He leads the season standings with 61 points, followed by teammate Rubens Barrichello (35) and Red Bull's Vettel (29), the Chinese GP winner. ... Hamilton, 13th in Turkey, is 10th in the points race.

Next race: German Grand Prix, July 12, Nuerburgring, Hockenheim, Germany.

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

NHRA FULL THROTTLE

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

Last week: Tony Pedregon raced to his second straight Funny Car win, beating Ashley Force Hood in the NHRA SuperNationals final in Englishtown, N.J. Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Craig Treble (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won.

OTHER RACES

ARCA RE/MAX SERIES: Tim Richmond Memorial ARCA RE/MAX 200, Saturday, Mansfield Motorsports Park, Mansfield, Ohio. On the Net: http://www.arcaracing.com

GRAND-AM ROLEX SPORTS CAR SERIES: EMCO Gears Classic, Saturday (Speed, 5-8 p.m.), Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio. On the Net: http://www.grand-am.com

FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS: Miller Lite 100, Saturday, Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa. On the Net: http://www.indycar.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SERIES: Friday, River Cities Speedway, Grand Forks, N.D.; Saturday, Red River Valley Speedway, West Fargo, N.D.; Sunday, Nodak Speedway, Minot, N.D. On the Net: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com/sprint

WORLD OF OUTLAWS LATE MODEL SERIES: Thursday, Ohsweken Speedway, Ohsweken, Ontario; Saturday, Autodrome Drummond, Drummondville, Quebec; Sunday, Cornwall Motor Speedway, Long Sault, Ontario; Monday, Can-Am Motorsports Park, LaFargeville, N.Y. On the Net: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com/latemodel

USAC SPRINT CAR SERIES: Saturday, Kalamazoo Speedway, Kalamazoo, Mich. On the Net: http://www.usacracing.com