Auto Racing Glance
Thursday, July 2, 1998 | 8:20 a.m.
By JOHN NICHOLSON
Associated Press Writer
All Times EDT
NASCAR
WINSTON CUP
Pepsi 400
Site: Daytona Beach, Fla.
Schedule: Thursday, first-round qualifying, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN2, 9 p.m.); Friday, second-round qualifying, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, race, 8 p.m. (CBS).
Track: Daytona International Speedway (tri-oval, 2.5 miles, 31 degrees banking in corners, 18 degrees in tri-oval).
Race distance: 400 miles, 160 laps.
Last year: John Andretti raced to his lone Winston Cup victory, holding off Terry Labonte by 0.029 seconds. Andretti led 113 of 160 laps, and averaged 157.791 mph in the race slowed by four caution periods.
Last week: Jeff Gordon won the Save Mart-Kragen 350k at Sonoma, Calif., for his fourth victory of the season and 33rd overall. Gordon, who started from the pole, charged back from 20th place to beat Bobby Hamilton by about 15 car-lengths. The two-time Winston Cup champion moved 40 points ahead of Jeremy Mayfield in the season standings.
Fast facts: Dale Earnhardt won the Daytona 500 in February, his first victory in 20 tries in NASCAR's premier race. The seven-time Winston Cup champion also ended a 59-race winless streak. He has a record 31 victories in all forms of racing at the speedway, including the 1990 and 1993 Pepsi 400s. ... The race is the first at night at Daytona, and the first auto race in prime time on network TV. ... Gordon won the 1995 Pepsi 400 and the 1997 Daytona 500. ... Sterling Marlin has five restrictor-plate race victories, three at Daytona and two at Talladega, Ala. For safety purposes, carburetor restrictor plates are used to reduce speeds at Daytona and Talladega. ... Ricky Craven, returning from post-concussion syndrome, finished ninth last week in the Grand National race at Watkins Glen, N.Y. He plans to return to the Winston Cup circuit next week.
Next race: Jiffy Lube 300, July 12, Loudon, N.H.
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BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL
Diehard 250
Site: West Allis, Wis.
Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, noon; Sunday, race, 2 p.m. (CBS).
Track: The Milwaukee Mile (oval, 1.0 miles, 9.25 degrees banking in corners).
Race distance: 250 miles, 250 laps.
Last year: Randy LaJoie won the fourth of five 1997 victories, beating Elliott Sadler in the race that ended under caution. LaJoie, the two-time defending series champion, is winless this year.
Last week: Ron Fellows, subbing for Winston Cup driver Joe Nemechek, won the Lysol 200 at Watkins Glen, N.Y. Fellows beat 1997 winner Mike McLaughlin by 2.941 seconds in the series' lone road-course race.
Fast facts: Tony Stewart won the Indy Racing League's New England 200 on Sunday at Loudon, N.H. He also won the IRL's season-opening Indy 200 on Jan. 24 at Orlando, Fla. ... Matt Kenseth, 17th last week at Watkins Glen, leads McLaughlin by 20 points in the series standings. ... Buckshot Jones won the 1996 race for his first series victory.
Next race: Myrtle Beach 250, July 11, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
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CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS
Diehard 200
Site: West Allis, Wis.
Schedule: Friday, qualifying, 3:30 p.m.; Saturday, race, 1:30 p.m. (CBS).
Track: The Milwaukee Mile (oval, 1.0 miles, 9.25 degrees banking in corners).
Race distance: 200 miles, 200 laps.
Last year: Ron Hornaday took advantage of a late caution period to catch Jack Sprague, then held off Jay Sauter by 1.055 seconds.
Last race: Hornaday raced to his series-record 20th victory, successfully defending his title in the Loadhandler 200 on June 20 at Bristol, Tenn. Hornaday, a three-time winner this year, beat Sprague by 0.854 seconds in a two-lap duel following the 10th caution period.
Fast facts: Hornaday finished 14th last week in the Winston Cup series' Save Mart-Kragen 350k. He drove the Tyler Jet Motorsports Chevrolet. ... Sprague, the NAPACARD 200 winner in May at Monroe, Wash., has a 67-point lead over Hornaday in the season standings. ...
Next race: NAPA AutoCare 200, July 12, Nazareth, Pa.
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CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING TEAMS
Next race: Grand Prix of Cleveland, July 12, Cleveland.
Last week: Alex Zanardi won the Budweiser-G.I. Joe's 200 at Portland, Ore., the Italian star's third victory in a month and fourth this year. He has won 12 of 33 races dating to his first victory at Portland in 1996.
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INDY RACING LEAGUE
Next race: Pep Boys 400K, July 19, Dover, Del.
Last week: Tony Stewart won the New England 200 at Loudon, N.H., beating Scott Goodyear by 1.788 seconds. Stewart also won the IRL's season-opening Indy 200 on Jan. 24 at Orlando, Fla.
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FORMULA ONE
Next race: British Grand Prix, July 12, Silverstone, England.
Last week: Michael Schumacher won the French Grand Prix, beating Ferrari teammate Eddie Irvine by nearly 20 seconds. The German star, a two-time series champion, has three victories this year and 31 overall.
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NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
Next event: Mopar Parts Mile-High Nationals, July 16-19, Denver.
Last week: Gary Scelzi raced to his first Top Fuel victory of the year, beating Kenny Bernstein in the Sears Craftsman Nationals with a run of 4.711 seconds at 300.60 mph. Frank Pedregon won his second straight Funny Car victory, and Kurt Johnson took the Pro Stock division.
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