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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, October 21, 2009

This week's top auto races


Associated Press

All Times EDT

NASCAR

SPRINT CUP

Tums Fast Relief 500

Site: Martinsville, Va.

Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.), qualifying (ESPN2, 3-4:30 p.m.); Saturday, practice (ESPN2, 10-10:45 a.m., 6:30-7:30 p.m.); Sunday, race, 1 p.m. (ABC, 1-6 p.m.).

Track: Martinsville Speedway (oval, 0.526 miles).

Race distance: 263 miles, 500 laps.

Last year: Jimmie Johnson led 339 laps and won the sixth of his seven victories en route to his third straight season title. Johnson also won at Martinsville in March, his fifth victory in the last six races at NASCAR's smallest track.

Last week: Johnson raced to his second straight victory and third in five Chase events, dominating at Lowe's Motor Speedway to open a 90-point lead with five races left. The Lowe's-sponsored driver led every practice session and started from the pole in his sixth career victory at the Charlotte track. Johnson has six wins this season and 46 overall, matching Buck Baker for 13th on the career list.

Fast facts: Mark Martin is second in the standings and Jeff Gordon (135 points behind Johnson) is third, all three driving for Hendrick Motorsports. Tony Stewart is fourth, 155 points behind, and his first-year Stewart-Haas Racing team uses Hendrick engines. ... Gordon leads active drivers with seven Martinsville victories. He swept the 2005 races for his last wins at the track.

Next race: AMP Energy 500, Nov. 1, Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Ala.

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

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NATIONWIDE

Kroger On Track for the Cure 250

Site: Memphis, Tenn.

Schedule: Friday, practice (ESPN2, 4:30-6 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying (ESPN2, 10:45 a.m.-noon), race, 3 p.m. (ESPN2, 3-6:30 p.m.)

Track: Memphis Motorsports Park (oval, 0.75 miles).

Race distance: 187.5 miles, 250 laps.

Last year: Carl Edwards won the fifth of his seven victories, holding off fellow Sprint Cup driver David Reutimann. Kenny Wallace was third.

Last week: Kyle Busch, still dealing with flu that developed into walking pneumonia, raced to his seventh series victory of the year, leading 137 of 200 laps at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He has 28 career Nationwide victories.

Fast facts: Busch has a 195-point lead over Edwards with four races left. Casey Atwood will stand in for Busch — racing at Memphis for the first time since 2004 — during practice and qualifying because of conflicts with the Sprint Cup event at Martinsville. ... Sprint Cup driver Matt Kenseth is making his first Memphis start since the inaugural series race at the track in 1999. ... Landon Cassill, the 2008 Nationwide rookie of the year, will drive the No. 1 Miccosukee Resort Chevrolet in his first series appearance of the year. ... Wallace is making his 450th series start.

Next race: O'Reilly Challenge, Nov. 7, Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas.

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

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CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS

Kroger 200

Site: Martinsville, Va.

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

Track: Martinsville Speedway (oval, 0.526 miles).

Last year: Johnny Benson won the last of his five 2008 victories en route to the season title, twice holding off Ron Hornaday Jr. on restarts in the final 20 laps.

Last race: Johnny Sauter raced to his first career Trucks victory Sept. 26 in Las Vegas, taking the lead from Matt Crafton with 16 laps left.

Fast facts: Hornaday has a 197-point lead over Crafton with five races left. The 51-year-old Hornaday won five straight races this summer and has a series-high six victories. He has 45 career wins and three season titles, both records. ... Mike Skinner is making his 200th series start. The 1995 champion has three victories at Martinsville, matching Dennis Setzer for the lead. Hornaday has three wins this year and is third in the standings, 255 points behind Hornaday. ... Benson lost his ride in June when Red Horse Racing failed to find sponsorship, then was injured a week later in a Supermodified event at his home track in Michigan.

Next race: Mountain Dew 250, Oct. 31, Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Ala.

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

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FORMULA ONE

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Site: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Schedule: Nov. 1.

Last week: Brawn GP's Jenson Button wrapped up his first season title with one race to go, finishing fifth in the Brazilian Grand Prix. Brawn is the first team to win the constructors' crown in its initial season. Red Bull's Mark Webber won the race at Interlagos.

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

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NHRA FULL THROTTLE

NHRA Las Vegas Nationals

Site: Las Vegas.

Schedule: Oct. 29-Nov. 1.

Last event: Mike Edwards went wire-to-wire at the NHRA Virginia Nationals on Oct. 11, earning the maximum 150 points to nearly clinch his first Pro Stock title with two races left. Del Worsham (Funny Car) and Brandon Bernstein (Top Fuel) also won.

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

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OTHER RACES

WORLD OF OUTLAWS: Sprint Cars, Saturday, Lonestar Speedway, Kilgore, Texas. On the Net: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com