NASCAR NEXTEL CUP

Banquet 400

Site: Kansas City, Kan.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying (Speed Channel, 3:30 p.m.); Sunday, race (NBC, 1:230 p.m.).

Track: Kansas Speedway (tri-oval, 1.5 miles, 15 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 400 miles, 267 laps.

Last race: Jeff Burton found his way back to Victory Lane at Dover International Speedway after a thrilling late battle with Matt Kenseth. The win parked Burton in the lead of NASCAR’s Chase for the championship and ended his 175-race winless streak.

Last year: Mark Martin held off a late charge from teammate Greg Biffle and won the Banquet 400, his first victory since June 2004. Martin and Biffle led a team sweep of the top three spots and another Roush driver, Kenseth, finished fifth.

Fast facts: Burton is atop the standings for the first time since May 1999. … Jeff Gordon is the only driver to record top-five finishes in both Chase races this season. He won consecutive events in Kansas in 2001-02 and finished among the top 15 in all five of his starts at the track. … Martin is the only driver in the Chase that has yet to record a victory this season. … All five Kansas events have been won from a driver that has started among the top 20.

Next race: UAW-Ford 500, Oct. 8, Talladega, Ala.

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

NASCAR BUSCH

Yellow Transportation 300

Site: Kansas City, Kan.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying, 11:05 a.m., race (TNT, 2 p.m.).

Track: Kansas Speedway (tri-oval, 1.5 miles, 15 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 300 miles, 200 laps.

Last race: Clint Bowyer won a green-white-checkered flag finale at Dover International Speedway for his first victory of the year after four runner-up finishes.

Last year: Greg Biffle elected not to nudge Kasey Kahne out of contention during their late side-by-side duel, and Kahne edged ahead just yards from the finish line for the victory at Kansas Speedway. The margin of victory – .03 seconds – was the fifth closest since the series implemented electronic timing in 1993.

Fast facts: Bowyer, a native of Emporia, Kan., failed to finish in the top 10 in his previous six races. … Biffle is the only driver to finish in the top 10 in all five Busch races at Kansas. … Harvick has a commanding 699-point lead over Carl Edwards with six races remaining.

Next race: Dollar General 300, Oct. 13, Concord, N.C.

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

FORMULA ONE

Chinese Grand Prix

Site: Shanghai.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying (Speed Channel, 1 a.m.) Sunday, race (Speed Channel, 12:30 a.m.).

Track: Shanghai International Circuit (road course, 3.387 miles, 16 turns).

Race distance: 189.672 miles, 56 laps.

Last race: Michael Schumacher will retire from Formula One after the season, announcing his decision moments after the seven-time world champion won the Italian Grand Prix on Sept. 10. The 37-year-old Ferrari driver, who holds every major record in the sport, moved within two points of season leader Fernando Alonso. Three races remain – in China, Japan and Brazil – for Schumacher to gain an eighth title before he walks away.

Last year: Alonso won the season-ending Chinese Grand Prix to clinch Renault’s first Formula One constructors title. The Spaniard started from the pole and held off McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen for his seventh title of 2005 and eighth overall.

Fast facts: Schumacher has recorded 27 points over the last four races, compared to 12 for Alonso. Alonso hasn’t won since the Canadian Grand Prix on June 25 – which capped a four-race winning streak. … Juan Pablo Montoya has been released from his contact with McLaren and has begun his transition to NASCAR. Team owner Chip Ganassi said he wants Montoya to run in ARCA, Busch and Nextel Cup races by the end of the season. … Olivier Panis is leaving Formula One after this season, ending a 10-year racing career. … Turkish sports officials and organizers of the Turkish Grand Prix were fined $5 million by Formula One racing’s governing body on Sept. 19 for allowing the Turkish Cypriot leader to present the winner’s prize at last month’s race.

Next race: Japanese Grand Prix, Oct. 8, Suzuka.

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

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

Last race: Mike Skinner raced to his first victory of the year, passing Ted Musgrave with 20 laps to go and holding on to take the Smith’s Las Vegas 350. Series leader Todd Bodine finished 12th and has a 91-point lead over Johnny Benson with six races left.

Next race: Talladega (Ala.) 250, Oct. 7.

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

CHAMP CAR WORLD SERIES

Last race: A.J. Allmendinger passed Sebastien Bourdais with seven laps to go, then held onto the lead after an extended red-flag delay to win the Grand Prix of Road America. Allmendinger prevented Bourdais from clinching his third straight series title. With two races remaining, Bourdais holds a commanding 58-point lead over Allmendinger but has not yet clinched the title.

Next race: Lemark Indy 300, Oct. 22, Gold Coast, Australia.

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

NHRA

Last event: Brandon Bernstein and Robert Hight made up ground in the their championship chases with convincing victories in the O’Reilly Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex. In Pro Stock, Richie Stevens raced to his first victory in more than five years.

Next event: Toyo Tires Nationals, Oct. 1, Reading, Pa.

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

INDY RACING LEAGUE

Last race: Dan Wheldon beat Target Chip Ganassi teammate Scott Dixon by 0.1897 seconds to win the PEAK Antifreeze Indy 300 at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 10, but Sam Hornish Jr. was 0.2323 seconds behind and clinched the championship.

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