Times wires
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Up next | Races on major circuits
Sprint Cup
What: Subway 500
When/where: Today, practice (Speed, 2:30-4 p.m., 6 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying (Speed, 3:30 p.m.); Sunday, race (Ch. 13, 3 p.m.); Avondale, Ariz.
Fast facts: The Phoenix International Raceway track will be resurfaced after the race. … Carl Edwards won the November race at the track to end a 70-race losing streak. He also won the Nationwide race. … Five-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson has a record four victories at the track. … Forbes magazine's annual rankings show that Hendrick Motorsports is the most valuable team in NASCAR for the third consecutive year. Forbes' report shows NASCAR's top team is worth $350 million. But the report finds the average team value declined 5 percent over the past year because of declining sponsorships. Roush Fenway Racing is again ranked second at $224 million. Forbes says the average team is valued at $136 million and generated an average of $89 million in revenue last year.
Standings: 1. Carl Edwards, 42; 2. David Gilliland and Bobby Labonte, 41; 4. Kurt Busch, 40; 5. Juan Montoya, 39; 6. Regan Smith, 38; 7. Kyle Busch, 37; 8. Paul Menard, 36; 9. Mark Martin and A J Allmendinger, 34; 11. Bill Elliott, 32; 12. Tony Stewart and David Ragan, 31
Nationwide
What: Bashas' Supermarkets 200
When/where: Today, practice (Speed, 1-2:30 p.m., 4 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying (Speed, 2 p.m.), race (ESPN2, 5:30 p.m.); Avondale, Ariz.
Fast facts: Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne is driving the No. 16 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing. He finished 10th in last week's Nationwide opener at Daytona. … Danica Patrick is coming off a career-best 14th-place finish in the series.
Standings: 1. Landon Cassill, 41; 2. Reed Sorenson, 39; 3. Jason Leffler, 38; 4. Ricky Stenhouse, 36; 5. Trevor Bayne, 35
Trucks
What: Lucas Oil 150
When/where: Today, practice (Speed, 11 a.m.), qualifying (Speed, 5 p.m.), race (Speed, 8 p.m.).
Standings: 1. Clay Rogers, 42; 2. Miguel Paludo, 40; 3. Jeffrey Earnhardt, 37; 4. Ricky Carmichael, 37; 5. James Buescher, 37
NHRA
What: Winternationals
When/where: Today-Saturday, qualifying (ESPN2, 11 p.m. Saturday, taped); Sunday, final eliminations (ESPN2, 7 p.m., taped); Pomona, Calif.
Fast facts: This is the opener for the 60th season in the series. … John Force won his NHRA-record 15th Funny Car season championship last year. Larry Dixon won his third Top Fuel championship, and Greg Anderson took Pro Stock. … Antron Brown raced to the qualifying lead Thursday in Top Fuel, and Johnny Gray and Erica Enders also clocked fast times. Brown powered his dragster to a leading run of 3.804 at 319.98 mph. Gray moved to the top of the Funny Car order with a 4.079 at 306.33 mph in a Dodge Charger. Force was third in his Ford Mustang with a 4.093 at 305.84 mph. Enders led Pro Stock with a performance of 6.553 at a track-record speed of 211.69 in a Chevy Cobalt.