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Fort Worth area local racing schedule (April 2-5)

NASCAR fans in town should check one of more of these local tracks to enjoy even more racing this weekend:

Dirt tracks
Cowtown Speedway (Kennedale)
April 4 (Saturday): ASCS Lone Stars Sprint Car Series opener for 2009; Limited Modifieds, Winged 600s, Street Stocks and Bombers also on the program. Last year 41 ASCS sprint cars competed in this event and a similar field is expected this year.
Schedule: Grandstands open at 5:30 p.m.; hot laps at 6:30 p.m.; first race scheduled for 7 p.m.
Tickets: $15 for adults; $5 for ages 6-11; $2 for ages 3-5; children under 3 are free with adult ticket; pit pass $30. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the track Web site at no additional cost.
Driving distance from TMS: 31 miles
More info: www.cowtownspeedway.com; www.ASCSRacing.com
Phone: 817-478-9952

Kennedale Speedway Park
April 4 (Saturday): Full racing program
Schedule: Gates open at 5 p.m., races start at 7 p.m.
Tickets: $10 for adults; $3 for children 6-11; children under 6 are free; $25 for pit passes
Driving distance from TMS: 31 miles
More info: www.kennedalespeedwayprk.com

Grand Prairie Speedway
April 3 (Friday): Autograph night; Outlaw Modifieds, Limited Modifieds, Street Stocks, Bombers and Mini Stocks
Schedule: Grandstands open at 6:30 p.m., racing starts at 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: $10 for adults; $5 for children 6-11; children under 5 are free;  $25 for pit passes
Driving distance from TMS: 36 miles
More info: www.gpspeedway.com
Phone: 972-264-5800

Boyd Raceway
April 3 (Friday): $1,000 to win Modifieds; regular program featuring IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Southern Sport Mods, IMCA Hobby Stocks & Mini Stocks
Schedule: Gates open at 6 p.m.; racing starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets: $10 for adults; $5 for children 6-11; children under 6 are free; $25 for pit passes
Driving distance from TMS: 20 miles
More info: www.boydraceway.net
Phone: 940-433-5587

Heart O’ Texas Speedway (Elm Mott)
April 3 (Friday): ASCS Lone Star Sprint Car Series. Heats and features for IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportsMods and IMCA Hobby Stocks. Features only for Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Cruisers, Junior Mini Stocks and Twisters.
Schedule: Racing begins at 8 p.m.
Tickets: $15 for Adults; $10 for Seniors (age 60 and above) and students (12 and over or college ID); $3 for children 6-11; children under 6 are free; $25 for pit passes
Driving distance from TMS: 99 miles 
More info: www.heartotexspeedway.com
Phone: 254-829-2294

Abilene Speedway
April 4 (Saturday): IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Hobby Stocks, IMCA Southern Ltd. Sportsmods and Late Models
Schedule: Gates open at 5 p.m., races start at 8 p.m.
Tickets: $10 for adults; $8 for military members; $5 for children 6-12; children under 6 are free; $25 for pit passes
Driving distance from TMS: 167 miles
More info: www.abilenespeedway.com
Phone: 325-692-8800 or 325-537-4494

Asphalt track
Red River Speedway (Wichita Falls)
April 4 (Saturday): NASCAR star Greg Biffle and his No. 16 Roush Fenway pit crew will be at the track to meet fans and sign autographs from 6:30 p.m.-7:15 p.m. Race lineup features Chargers, Mod 4s, Thunderstocks and Super Trucks
Schedule: Gates open at 5 p.m., racing starts at 7:20 p.m.
Tickets: $10 for adults; $8 for seniors, military and students (HS or college ID); $5 for children 7-14; children under 7 are free
Driving distance from TMS: 110 miles
More info: www.redriverspeedway.net
Phone: 972-221-3200

Dragways
Texas Raceway (Kennedale)
April 2 (Thursday): Speedtek Performance Street Legal cars and bikes
April 3 (Friday): Texas Back Half Outlaws, Fun and Grudge
April 4 (Saturday): Junior dragsters and Bracket Races
April 5 (Sunday): Street Wars and Run What You Brung
Driving distance from TMS: 31 miles
More info: www.texasraceway.com
Phone: 817-483-0356, metro 817-572-3580

North Star Dragway (Denton)
April 3 (Friday): Fun N Grudge
April 4 (Saturday): Texas True 10.5
Saturday event info: Gates open a 6 p.m., general admission is $15, pit admission is $20
Driving distance from TMS: 22 miles
More info: www.northstar-dragway.com
Phone: 940-482-9998

Texas Motorplex (Ennis)
April 3 (Friday)- April 5 (Sunday): NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series
Event info: South Central Division event featuring Top Alcohol Dragsters and Funny Cars, plus seven other categories.
Tickets
Adult: $15 Friday, $20 Saturday or Sunday, $40 for two-day pass, $50 for three-day pass
Child (ages 6-15): $5 Friday, $10 Saturday or Sunday, $20 for two-day pass, $25 for three-day pass.
Parking: $5/day
Driving distance from TMS: 76 miles
More info: www.texasmotorplex.com
Phone: 972-878-2641

Texas Motor Speedway: by the numbers

A statistical and historical look at the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday:

16 Sprint Cup races held at Texas Motor Speedway. The first race was April 6, 1997.

4 Drivers who have competed in all 16 races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin.

1 Driver who has swept the Cup races at TMS in one season -- Carl Edwards, right, in 2008. Edwards and Jeff Burton are the only Cup drivers to win more than one Cup event at the track.

12 Span of races before there was a repeat winner at TMS. Jeff Burton won the first race in 1997 and won the Samsung 500 on April 15, 2007.

13 Drivers have won Cup races at TMS: Carl Edwards (3 wins), Jeff Burton (2), Mark Martin, Terry Labonte, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Dale Jarrett, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler, Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson.

31 Matt Kenseth's starting spot when when won in 2002. It's the deepest in the field a race winner has started.

9.1 Average finish for Jimmie Johnson at TMS. He is the only active driver who has averaged a top-10 finish at the track.

11 Drivers who have won poles at Texas. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bobby Labonte and Ryan Newman each have earned two.

0.028 Closest winning margin (in seconds) in a Cup race at TMS -- Elliott Sadler over Kasey Kahne in 2004

8.310 Largest winning margin (in seconds), by Carl Edwards over Jeff Gordon in the Dickies 500 last fall.

278 Laps led by Tony Stewart when he won the Dickies 500 in November 2006, most by a race winner.

1 Driver who has won from the pole -- Kasey Kahne, Samsung/RadioShack 500 in spring 2006.

7 Races won by cars fielded by Roush Fenway Racing.

467 Laps led by Carl Edwards in his eight starts at TMS, most all-time at the track.

341 Laps led by Jeff Gordon in 16 starts, sixth overall and most by a driver who has not won at TMS.

Note: All facts and numbers courtesy of NASCAR media services and the Texas Motor Speedway media guide.

-- Michele Vincze 
Photo: Star-Telegram/Sharon M. Steinman 

Franchitti, Vickers to appear on ESPN shows, chat on espn.com

Straight off a release from ESPN  (all times CDT):

Drivers Dario Franchitti and Brian Vickers will visit the ESPN campus in Bristol, Conn., this week and will appear on various ESPN platforms Tuesday and Wednesday.

Franchitti, who drives in the IndyCar Series and raced in NASCAR last year, will be at ESPN on Tuesday. Franchitti will be on First Take on ESPN2 at approximately 10:40 a.m. and will then conduct a chat on ESPN.com at 11:30 a.m. He will do a live interview on ESPNEWS at 1:40 p.m. and appears on ESPN2’s NASCAR Now at 4 p.m. The IndyCar Series season opens this weekend in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Vickers, who races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series, will be at ESPN on Wednesday. He appears on First Take at approximately 10:40 a.m., and then does a chat on ESPN.com at 1 p.m. before appearing on ESPNEWS at 1:40 p.m. Vickers does an interview on NASCAR Now at 4 p.m.

Local racing schedule (March 26-29)

UPDATED! Local dirt track and drag racing events in the North Texas area this weekend. Bad weather could postpone or cancel more events, so please check Web sites and/or call ahead to make sure the track hasn't changed its schedule.

Dirt tracks
Cowtown Speedway (Kennedale)
March 28 (Saturday): Racing has been canceled because of inclement weather.
More info: www.cowtownspeedway.com
Phone: 817-478-9952

Kennedale Speedway Park
March 28 (Saturday): Racing has been canceled because of inclement weather.
More info: www.kennedalespeedwayprk.com

Boyd Raceway
March 27 (Friday): XTO Energy employee night; regular program featuring IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Southern Sport Mods, IMCA Hobby Stocks & Mini Stocks
Tickets: $10 for adults; $5 for children 6-11; children under 6 are free; $25 for pit passes
More info: www.boydraceway.net

Heart O’ Texas Speedway (Elm Mott)
March 27 (Friday): Races canceled due to weather.
More info: www.heartotexspeedway.com
Phone: 254-829-2294

281 Speedway (Stephenville)
March 28 (Saturday): Test and tune, 4 p.m. until dark.
Opening night is April 18
More info: www.281speedway.com
Phone: 254-965-3092

Abilene Speedway
March 28 (Saturday): IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Hobby Stocks, IMCA Southern Ltd. Sportsmods and Late Models
Tickets: $10 for adults; $8 for military members; $5 for children 6-12; children under 6 are free; $25 for pit passes
More info: www.abilenespeedway.com
Phone: 325-692-8800 or 325-537-4494

Dragways
Texas Raceway (Kennedale)
March 26 (Thursday): Speedtek Performance Street Legal cars and bikes
March 27 (Friday): Racing canceled due to weather
March 28 (Saturday): Racing canceled due to weather
March 29 (Sunday): Street Wars and Run What You Brung
More info: www.texasraceway.com
Phone: 817-483-0356, metro 817-572-3580

North Star Dragway (Denton)
March 27 (Friday): Racing canceled due to weather.
March 28 (Saturday): Racing canceled due to weather.
March 29 (Sunday): Jr. Dragster Challenge
More info: www.northstar-dragway.com
Phone: 940-482-9998

Texas Motorplex (Ennis)
March 27 (Friday): Test and tune has been canceled due to weather.
March 28 (Saturday): National Hot Rod Diesel Drags, NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Challenge
March 29 (Sunday): SW Championship VW Bug-In
More info: www.texasmotorplex.com
Phone: 972-878-2641

-- Michele Vincze

TMS to discount merchandise during Samsung 500 weekend

Texas Motor Speedway announced Thursday that race fans will be greeted with some big discounts on track apparel and souvenir items during the upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Samsung 500 weekend. Prices will be slashed from 18 to 55 percent on more than 40 items.

Fans can find the discounted items -- t-shirts, jackets, caps, novelty items -- at any of the 40 Speedway World souvenir trailers in the TMS fronstretch midway. There will also be a special clearance tent located outside Gate 1 during the race week. The tent will offer TMS, race event and driver items, some discounted to as low as $1.

Also, fans who spend $25 or more on merchandise in the Speedway World Gift Shop on April 3, will receive a poster of the Samsung 500 program cover created by NASCAR artist Sam Bass, who will be on hand to sign each poster. The gift shop opens at 9 a.m. and posters will be available while supplies last.

-- TMS release
Photo: Courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway

F1 stewards reject protest over questionable bodywork

Race stewards rejected a protest Thursday against the bodywork on the cars of three teams racing at this weekend's Formula One season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
Ferrari, Renault and Red Bull lodged protests after pre-event inspections approved the cars of Williams, Toyota and Brawn. The protest alleged the teams had broken new aerodynamic laws restricting the size of the rear diffuser.
After hours of hearings late into the night, the race stewards rejected the protest and cleared the three teams to race with “their designs unchanged.”
“Following lengthy discussions with the various parties, stewards reiterated their belief that the cars are legal,” FIA said in a statement. “That decision is expected to be appealed, which would require a hearing of the FIA's International Court of Appeal. That would be unlikely to take place until after next weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix.”
Even before the stewards' hearing, the protesting teams had signaled their intention to appeal if the verdict went against them.
Williams, Toyota and race favorites Brawn will compete in Australia and Malaysia with their current bodywork design but with the fear that any points gained may be wiped out if the appeal succeeds.

Read more here.

-- The Associated Press

Texas Motor Speedway Samsung 500 weekend driver appearances, show car schedule

UPDATED April 2 with several more appearances 

Courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway and team releases
(All times Central)

Thursday (April 2)
Nationwide driver Eric McClure, Brookshires' Campground Store at TMS (outside Turn 3 near the Lone Star Circle Reserved campgrounds), 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

No. 27 Kleenex Racing Ford (Nationwide Series), Brookshires, 1201 N. Saginaw Blvd., Saginaw, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

No. 27 Kleenex Racing Ford (Nationwide Series), Alberstons, 6308 Lake Worth Blvd., Lake Worth, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
No. 31 Prilosec OTC Chevy (Sprint Cup), Texas Motor Speedway, 11 a.m.

Friday (April 3)
Nationwide driver Eric McClure, Wal-Mart, 1515 South Loop 288, Denton, 10 a.m.-noon

Nationwide driver Eric McClure, Wal-Mart, 800 South US Hwy 81/287, Decatur, 2 p.m.-4 p.m.

Sprint Cup driver Clint Bowyer, Brookshire's campground store near Turn 3 at Texas Motor Speedway, 5 p.m.-6 p.m.

Sprint Cup driver Mark Martin, Wal-Mart Supercenter, 3060 FM 407, Highland Village, 5 p.m.

Nationwide Series driver Justin Allgaier, Verizon Wireless store, 12550 South Fwy, Ste 100, Burleson, 6 p.m.-7 p.m.

Sprint Cup driver David Ragan, SpeedZone, 11130 Malibu Drive, Dallas, 6 p.m. For info here.

Sprint Cup driver Kurt Busch, Wal-Mart, 1228 Northwest Hwy. 377, Roanoke, 7 p.m.

No. 27 Kleenex Racing Ford (Nationwide Series), Brookshire's, 9300 Clifford St., Fort Worth, 9 a.m.-11 a.m.
No. 27 Kleenex Racing Ford (Nationwide Series), Albertsons, 6700 West Freeway, Forth Worth 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
No. 31 Prilosec OTC Chevy (Sprint Cup), Texas Motor Speedway, 11:30 a.m.
No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevy (Sprint Cup), Brookshires, 3601 Texas 114, Fort Worth, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Saturday (April 4)
Sprint Cup driver Ryan Newman, Aaron's Fish and Fun at the Races (Speedway Children's Charities), lake at TMS, 3545 Lone Star Circle, Fort Worth, 9 a.m. It's a fishing tournament open to families. Free and open to children 16 and under. 

Nationwide driver Eric McClure, Nationwide display on TMS midway, 10:30 a.m.-11 a.m.

Sprint Cup driver Greg Biffle, Red River Speedway, 7300 Kiel Lane, Wichita Falls, 6:30 p.m.-7:15 p.m. More info here.

No. 27 Kleenex Racing Ford (Nationwide Series), Texas Motor Speedway, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

No. 27 Kleenex Racing Ford (Nationwide Series), Albertsons, 10800 N. Beach, Fort Worth, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
No. 27 Kleenex Racing Ford (Nationwide Series), Albertsons, 4400 Western Center Blvd., Fort Worth, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.
No. 31 Prilosec OTC Chevy (Sprint Cup), Texas Motor Speedway, 10 a.m.
No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevy (Sprint Cup), Super Save, 904 W. 1st St., Justin, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Sunday (April 5)
Sprint Cup driver David Stremme, Penske Racing souvenir trailer, TMS midway, 8:30 a.m.

Sprint Cup driver Kurt Busch, No. 2 Miller Lite merchandise trailer, TMS frontstretch midway, 9 a.m. Tickets for the autograph line will be distributed at a time TBD.

Sprint Cup driver AJ Allmendinger, Richard Petty Motorsports merchandise trailer, TMS frontstretch midway, 9 a.m.

Sprint Cup driver Casey Mears, Jack Daniel's souvenir trailer, TMS frontstretch midway, 9:15 a.m. A limited number of tickets will be available on a first come, first served basis.

Sprint Cup driver Kevin Harvick, Chevy stage, Texas Motor Speedway souvenir midway, 9:30 a.m.

Sprint Cup driver Ryan Newman, Chevy stage, Texas Motor Speedway souvenir midway, 9:45 a.m.

Sprint Cup driver Tony Stewart, Chevy stage, Texas Motor Speedway souvenir midway, 10:10 a.m.

Sprint Cup driver Brian Vickers, Red Bull merchandise hauler, Texas Motor Speedway souvenir midway, time TBA

Sprint Cup drivers Jeff Gordon, Elliott Sadler and David Ragan, PRN Up To Speed Fan Forum, SPEED stage located outside of Gate 3 on the Texas Motor Speedway midway, 9:30 a.m.-10:15 a.m.

Clint Bowyer's No. 33 Richard Childress Racing over-the-wall crew will be signing autographs, Chevrolet display on the TMS frontstretch midway, 10 a.m.-10:20 a.m.

Sprint Cup driver Clint Bowyer, Prilosec OTC BBQ Shootout Series display, TMS frontstretch midway, Q&A session at 10:45 a.m.

No. 27 Kleenex Racing Ford (Nationwide Series), Albertsons, 8428 Denton Hwy., Watauga, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
No. 27 Kleenex Racing Ford (Nationwide Series), Albertsons, 1108 N. Hwy. 377, Roanoke, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.
No. 31 Prilosec OTC Chevy (Sprint Cup), Texas Motor Speedway, 9 a.m.

This week's racing schedule

Courtesy of The Associated Press
All times Central (U.S.)

NASCAR Sprint Cup
Goody’s Fast Relief 500
Site: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (oval, 0.526 miles, 12 degrees banking in turns)
TV schedule: Friday, qualifying (Speed Channel, 2:30 p.m.); Sunday, race (Fox, 12:30 p.m.)
Race distance: 263 miles/500 laps
2008 winner: Denny Hamlin
Fast facts: A Busch brother has won the past three races. Kyle Busch won at Las Vegas earlier this month, and Kurt followed it with a win at Atlanta and then Kyle won last weekend at Bristol. Kyle Busch has now won a race in at least one of NASCAR’s top three series every weekend this season. ... Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson have combined to win nine of the last 12 Cup events at Martinsville. They finished 1-2 in the Spring 2007 event, with Johnson edging Gordon. ... Travis Kvapil finished 18th at Bristol in what was likely his final race for Yates Racing. The No. 28 team probably will be closed down due to a lack of sponsorship, making it the first casualty this year of the recession. ... Dale Earnhardt Jr. has three top-10 finishes in his last four starts at Martinsville. ... This weekend’s event marks the first in which drivers who are not in top 35 in the 2009 owner standings must qualify for a starting position.
www.nascar.com

NASCAR Camping World Trucks
Kroger 250
Site: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (oval, 0.526 miles, 12 degrees banking in turns)
TV schedule: Saturday, qualifying (Speed Channel, 8 a.m.), race (Fox, 1 p.m.)
Race distance: 131.5 miles, 250 laps.
2008 winner: Dennis Setzer
Fast facts: Kyle Busch won the most recent truck event at Martinsville on Oct. 18. ... Mike Skinner swept both Martinsville events in 2007. ... HT Motorsports is still seeking its first truck win since entering the series in 2001. Team newcomer David Starr took the 2006 event, but is winless since. ... This is the first short-track race of the Truck Series season. ... Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with six Martinsville wins, but none since April 2005. ... Martinsville is one of four tracks still remaining from the inaugural 1995 schedule.
www.nascar.com

NHRA
O’Reilly Spring Nationals
Site: Baytown, Texas, Houston Raceway
TV schedule: Saturday, qualifying (ESPN2, 7 p.m., taped); Sunday, eliminations (ESPN2, 3:30 p.m., taped)
2008 winners: Antron Brown (Top Fuel); Del Worsham (Funny Car); Greg Anderson (Pro Stock); Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle)
Fast facts: Tony Pedregon won his first elimination race of the season at the Gatornationals two weeks ago and advanced to the Funny Car final before losing to Bob Tasca, the best man at his wedding. ... Jason Line has won two of the first three Pro Stock events. ... Hector Arana, the winner in Gainesville, Fla., two weeks ago, is atop the Pro Stock Motorcycle standings for the first time in his career. His only other win came at Norwalk, Ohio, on June 29. ... Larry Dixon recorded the first-ever sub-4.5 Top Fuel run during the 1999 event.
www.nhra.com

Formula One
Australian Grand Prix
Site: Melbourne, Albert Park Circuit (3.30 miles, 16 turns)
TV schedule: Saturday, qualifying (Speed Channel, 1 a.m.); Sunday, race (Speed Channel, 12:30 a.m.)
Race distance: 191.4 miles, 58 laps
2008 winner: Lewis Hamilton
Fast facts: Formula One’s ruling body backed down and agreed to put off a new points system for the sport until next season, responding to objections from teams and top drivers. FIA says awarding the championship based on wins rather than points would improve the racing. ... Red Bull says it will lodge a protest if cars from rival teams Toyota, Brawn and Williams pass scrutiny. The three teams are at the center of a dispute over their rear diffusers, the part of the bodywork that comes up from the undertray to disperse air from under the car. ... The winner in Melbourne has gone on to win the title in three straight years. Hamilton won last year, Kimi Raikkonen won in 2007 en route to the title and 2006 champion Fernando Alonso also won, though the Melbourne was the third race that year.
www.formula1.com