Auto Racing Glance

By The Associated Press | Clanton Advertiser

Published Wednesday, October 1, 2008

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

Site: Talladega, Ala.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, 12:15 p.m. (Speed Channel, 1 p.m.); Sunday, race (ABC, 2 p.m.).

Track: Talladega Superspeedway (tri-oval, 2.66 miles, 33 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 500 miles, 188 laps.

Last race: Jimmie Johnson barely held off a strong challenge from Carl Edwards in the Camping World RV 400 at Kansas Speedway, winning the race and vaulting into first place in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. Edwards overcame a poor starting position and two pit lane incidents to catch and pass Johnson for the lead, but lost the top spot to Johnson on a pit stop with 47 laps to go. He finally caught him again on the last lap, shooting past Johnson on the low side of the banked 1.5-mile oval in turn three — but just a little too fast. Edwards slid up the track and bounced off the wall as Johnson drove back past and on to his fifth victory of the season, with Edwards holding on for second.

Last year: Jeff Gordon surged into the lead on the final lap of the UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway then held off teammate Jimmie Johnson. Gordon's win put him back on top of the points standings, a nine-point lead over Johnson, with six races remaining in the Chase for the championship.

Fast facts: Kyle Busch, 12th in the points race, won the Aaron's 499 at this track on April 27. ... Johnson holds a 10-point lead over Carl Edwards and a 30-point lead over Greg Biffle. ... Paul Menard reached an agreement to drive for Yates Racing in the Sprint Cup Series beginning in 2009. ... AJ Allmendinger will not finish the season with Red Bull Racing, giving up his seat to Mike Skinner and Scott Speed for the final seven races of the year.

Next race: Bank of America 500, Oct. 11, Concord, N.C.

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

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NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES

Site: Talladega, Ala.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying (Speed Channel, Noon); Saturday, race (Speed Channel, 4 p.m.).

Track: Talladega Superspeedway (tri-oval, 2.66 miles, 33 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 250.4 miles, 94 laps.

Last race: Mike Skinner raced to his first Craftsman Truck Series victory of the year and 25th overall, beating Erik Darnell by 0.02 seconds in the Qwik Liner Las Vegas 350. The 51-year-old Skinner, the 1995 series champion and 2005 Las Vegas winner, took the lead from Darnell on a green-white-checker restart. Darnell reclaimed the top spot on the final lap, but Skinner's Toyota was back in front at the finish line.

Last year: Todd Bodine barely held off Rick Crawford and Johnny Benson in a three-wide finish at Talladega Superspeedway. Bodine was out front for a restart with two laps to go on the 2.66-mile oval, with Crawford and Benson close behind in a single-file line of competitors. It stayed that way until the final corner of the 94-lap race, when Crawford drove high on the steeply banked track and Benson ducked below Bodine. That's the way they drove across the finish line, with Bodine beating Crawford by 0.014 seconds — about the length of a hood.

Fast facts: With six races remaining, Johnny Benson holds a one-point lead (2,858-2,857) over Ron Hornaday Jr. in the standings. ... Camping World may become the new sponsor of the truck series, replacing Craftsman when it leaves at the end of this season. ... The pole-sitter has won the previous two truck races (Mark Martin in 2006 and Todd Bodine in 2007) at Talladega.

Next race: Kroger 200, Oct. 18, Martinsville, Va.

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

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FORMULA ONE

Last race: In Formula One's first night race, Renault's Fernando Alonso captured the Singapore Grand Prix after starting 15th on the grid while McLaren's Lewis Hamilton extended his championship lead. Alonso won for the 20th time in his career, his first victory since last year's Italian Grand Prix. Williams' Nico Rosberg was second, his best Grand Prix finish, and Hamilton was third.

Next race: Japanese Grand Prix, Oct. 12, Fuji

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

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NHRA

Last event: Tony Schumacher increased his Top Fuel points lead after many Countdown contenders fell early in the O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals. Tim Wilkerson, Mike Edwards and Craig Treble joined Schumacher in the winner's circle with three races remaining in the NHRA POWERade Series Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Wilkerson got his sixth win of the year in Funny Car. Edwards kept his playoff hopes alive in Pro Stock with his second win of the season. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Treble got his first win of the season in three final-round appearances and first win since joining Don Schumacher Racing.

Next event: Torco Racing Fuels Nationals, Oct. 12, Richmond, Va.

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

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NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

Last race: Denny Hamlin took advantage of a fast pit stop near the halfway point and held off Nationwide Series points leader Clint Bowyer to win the Kansas Lottery 300. Hamlin started 19th and gradually worked through the field, moving in behind pole sitter Kevin Harvick for second. Hamlin got out of the pits faster than Harvick after Bobby Hillin Jr. spun out on the 93rd lap and built the lead to nearly 3 seconds to win his fourth Nationwide race this year.

Next race: Dollar General 300, Oct. 10, Concord, N.C.

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

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INDYCAR SERIES

Last race: Helio Castroneves won at Chicagoland Speedway in the closest finish in the history of the IndyCar Series, but it wasn't enough to stop Scott Dixon from taking his second championship. Castroneves came from last place to win the PEAK Indy 300, but Dixon, who knew coming in he only had to finish eighth or better to win the title, took the lead with a perfect pit stop late in the race and then nearly held off Castroneves for the victory, crossing the finish line inches behind the winner.

Next race: Indy 300, Oct. 26, Surfers Paradise, Australia (non-points race)

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

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OTHER RACES

WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR: Saturday, Chemung Speedrome, Chemung, N.Y.

WHELEN SOUTHERN MODIFIED TOUR: Sunday, Caraway Speedway, Asheboro, N.C.

MEXICO SERIES: Sunday, Chipas Autodrome, Tuxtla Gtz, Chiapas, Mexico

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