All Times EDT

NASCAR SPRINT CUP

NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge

Site: Concord, N.C.

Sprint Showdown Schedule: Today, race (Speed Channel, 7:30 p.m.).

All-Star Challenge Schedule: Friday, qualifying (Speed Channel, 6:15 p.m.); Saturday, race (Speed Channel, 9 p.m.).

Track: Lowe’s Motor Speedway (quad-oval, 1.5 miles, 24 degrees banking in turns).

Sprint Showdown Race distance: 60 miles, 40 laps.

All-Star Race distance: 150 miles, 100 laps.

Last race: Kyle Busch won the battle of attrition, overcoming a pit-road penalty and several scrapes with the wall to win at Darlington Raceway. The third Cup victory of the season for NASCAR’s least popular driver hardly thrilled the crowd, which booed him lustily in prerace introductions and hadn’t softened by the time he took the checkered flag. He led a race-high 169 of the 367 laps en route to his eighth victory of the season spanning NASCAR’s top three series.

Fast facts: The Sprint Showdown will consist of 40 laps, 60 miles, and will be run in two 20-lap segments. The top two finishers in the Sprint Showdown will earn starting spots in the All-Star Race. A third driver will also advance as determined by a fan vote. . . . The All-Star race is run in four segments of 25 laps each. . . . This weekend does not count in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Kyle Busch leads the standings with 1,690 points, 79 ahead of Jeff Burton.

Next race: Coca-Cola 600, May 25, Concord, N.C.

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

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

North Carolina Education Lottery 200

Site: Concord, N.C.

Schedule: Yesterday, qualifying & race (Speed Channel)

Track: Lowe’s Motor Speedway (quad-oval, 1.5 miles, 24 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 201 miles, 134 laps.

Last race: Ron Hornaday Jr.’s fuel gamble with 59 laps paid off thanks to five of the record 12 cautions at Kansas Speedway, helping him win the wreck-filled O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 on April 26. Hornaday started at the pole and led 136 of the 167 laps around the 1.5-mile oval. But when Andy Lally slammed into the wall on lap 108, crew chief Rick Ren quickly calculated fuel mileage and took a gamble by sending Hornaday out with four new tires, but no gas.

Fast facts: Kyle Busch, a two-time winner in 2008, returns to the series after missing the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway. Busch gave up the points lead when he missed Kansas because of a scheduling conflict. He is in sixth-place, 130 points out of the lead. . . . Ron Hornaday holds a 61-point lead over Rick Crawford (775-714). . . . In late April, New England wide receiver Randy Moss announced the formation of Moss Motorsports, LLC with its intended participation to begin in the second half of the 2008 Truck Series season. . . . Dennis Setzer is the only North Carolina-born driver to win the 201-mile race at Lowe’s.

Next race: Ohio 250, May 24, Mansfield, Ohio

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

NHRA

Thunder Valley Nationals

Site: Bristol, Tenn.

Schedule: Today, qualifying, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN2, 6:30 p.m., tape); Tomorrow, eliminations, noon (ESPN2, 6:30 p.m., tape).

Track: Bristol Dragway.

Last event: John Force cemented his position as the most prolific Funny Car driver in NHRA history on May 4, becoming the first to reach 1,000 round wins with a first-round victory over Ron Capps in the O’Reilly Midwest Nationals at Madison, Ill. Tim Wilkerson denied one of John Force Racing’s other drivers, Mike Neff, his first career win and took Pro Stock on his home track. Rod Fuller (Top Fuel), Kurt Johnson (Pro Stock), and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also claimed victories.

Fast facts: Ron Capps beat John Force by a hundredth of a second to win the 2006 event. . . . Tony Schumacher has a 68-point lead over Antron Brown in Top Fuel (608-540). . . . Tim Wilkerson, off his victory last week, leads the Funny Car division with 497 points, 24 ahead of Ashley Force. Jason Line (527) holds a seven-point lead over Jeg Coughlin (520) in Pro Stock. . . . Bristol Dragway is known as “Thunder Valley” because it cuts a path between mountains.

Next event: O’Reilly Summer Nationals, June 1, Topeka, Kan.

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

NASCAR NATIONWIDE

Last race: Tony Stewart was dominant throughout in gliding to victory at Darlington Raceway. Stewart led 90 of 147 laps for his fourth Nationwide victory this year and Joe Gibbs Racing’s sixth straight. It was the sixth win for his No. 20 Toyota and the eighth for Gibbs’ racers. JGR teammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch have also won. The two-time Sprint Cup champion had never won at Darlington in 19 previous races.

Next race: Carquest Autoparts 300, May 24, Concord, N.C.

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

FORMULA ONE

Last race: Felipe Massa of Ferrari has won his third straight Turkish Grand Prix. Massa finished ahead of McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen in the 58-lap event at Istanbul Speed Park.

Next race: Monaco Grand Prix, May 25, Monte Carlo

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

INDY RACING LEAGUE

Last race: Dan Wheldon won at Kansas Speedway, his first victory since taking the checkered flag at the track a year ago. It was the 14th career victory for Wheldon, a former series champion, giving him some momentum heading into this month’s Indianapolis 500. Wheldon won Indy in 2005.

Next race: Indianapolis 500, May 25

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