This Week’s Races

WINSTON CUP

Subway 400

* When: Today, qualifying (Fox Sports Net, noon); Sunday, race (Channel 11, 9:30 a.m.)

* Where: North Carolina Speedway (tri-oval, 1.017 miles, 22 degrees banking in turns 1-2, 25 degrees in turns 3-4); Rockingham, N.C.

* Race distance: 399.681 miles, 393 laps.

* Last race: Ward Burton survived a late 18-car crash and took advantage of a penalty assessed to Sterling Marlin to win his first Daytona 500.

* Last year: Steve Park honored his late boss by driving a Dale Earnhardt car to victory in the Dura Lube 400. Park held off Bobby Labonte by two car-lengths in the rain-delayed race.

* Fast facts: Park and Jeff Gordon combined to lead 347 of the 393 laps in last year’s race. Park led 167 of those, including the final 55.... Mark Martin earned his 30th Winston Cup victory in the 1999 race.... Bill Elliott made his Winston Cup debut in the 1976 race, finishing 33rd.... Only Richard Petty and Gordon have gone on to win at The Rock after taking the Daytona 500.... Gordon owns the record for fastest winning speed, 128.423 mph in 1998. He has won the event three times, including the 1995 and ’97 races.

Next race: UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400, March 3, Las Vegas.

On the Net: www.nascar.com.

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BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL

1-866RBCTERM.com 200

* When: Today, qualifying, 10:30 a.m.; Saturday, race (Channel 11, 10 a.m.).

* Where: North Carolina Speedway.

* Race distance: 200.349 miles, 197 laps.

* Last race: Dale Earnhardt Jr., making his return to the Busch Series, led the final 47 laps and held off Michael Waltrip and Matt Kenseth to win the rain-delayed EAS/GNC Live Well 300 at Daytona.

* Last year: Todd Bodine gambled on a late stop and made it pay off with a victory in the then-named Alltel 200. Bodine was leading when Scott Wimmer’s car hit the wall on the 183rd of 197 laps. Bodine pitted for four tires, while several other drivers stayed on the track.

* Fast facts: The last five events at the North Carolina Speedway have been won by Fords.... Mark Martin holds the track record for victories (11), top-five finishes (16), top-10 finishes (20), fastest winning speed (124.397 mph in 1996), widest margin of victory (13.4 seconds in 1998) and pole positions (6).

* Next race: Sam’s Town 300, March 2, Las Vegas.

* On the Net: www.nascar.com.

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NHRA

Checker Schuck’s Kragen Nationals

* When: Today, qualifying, 12:30 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN2, 6 p.m.); Sunday, eliminations, 11 a.m. (ESPN2, 4 p.m.).

* Where: Firebird International Raceway; Chandler, Ariz.

* Last event: Larry Dixon beat series champion Kenny Bernstein on Feb. 10 in the top fuel finals, and John Force got his 99th Funny Car victory at the K&N; Filters Winternationals at Pomona, the opening event of the NHRA season.

* Last year: John Force raced to his 93rd career funny car victory, beating Bruce Sarver in the final round. Doug Kalitta (top fuel) and Warren Johnson (pro stock) won their divisions.

* Fast facts: Dixon was eliminated by Bernstein six times on race day last season, including two finals, before last event’s win.... Force, the winningest driver in NHRA history, is looking for his 100th victory. He has seven wins in his last eight trips to Firebird Raceway.... Tony Schumacher recorded the sport’s first 330-mph run (330.26 mph) in 1999 at Firebird.

* Next event: Mac Tools Gatornationals, March 17, Gainesville, Fla.

* On the Net: www.nhra.com.