THIS WEEK'S RACE

NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge

Lowe's Motor Speedway

Concord, N.C.

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

TV/Radio: Speed/WXTU (92.5-FM), WNPV (1440-AM)

Race course: 1.5-mile oval

Last year's race winner: Jimmie Johnson

Track facts: The All-Star Challenge is a non-points event. The winner collects a tidy $1,011,125 . . . Johnson also won in 2003. Other winners since 2000 are Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin . . . Twenty-one drivers are in the field. Denny Hamlin and Casey Mears are first-time challengers. Mears is in, because he's now in the No. 25 Chevrolet. Brian Vickers won in the No. 25 at Talladega. Vickers also is in the race . . . Michael Jordan is the grand marshal.

Wins: Jimmie Johnson, 4; Jeff Gordon, 3; Matt Kenseth, Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, 1 each.

Up next: Coca-Cola 600, May 27, Lowe's Motor Speedway; 5:30 p.m.; TV: Fox.

NEXTEL CUP SCHEDULE

Saturday: *Nextel All-Star Challenge, Concord, N.C.

May 27: Coca Cola 600, Concord, N.C.

June 3: Dover 400, Dover, Del.

June 10: Pocono 500, Long Pond, Pa.

June 17: Michigan 400, Brooklyn, Mich.

June 24: Dodge/Save Mart 350, Sonoma, Calif.

July 1: LENOX Industrial Tools 300, Loudon, N.H.

July 7: Pepsi 400, Daytona Beach, Fla.

July 15: USG Sheetrock 400, Joliet, Ill.

July 21-22: No race.

July 29: Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, Indianapolis.

Aug. 5: Pennsylvania 500, Long Pond, Pa.

Aug. 12: NEXTEL Cup at The Glen, Watkins Glen, N.Y.

Aug. 19: Performance 400, Brooklyn, Mich.

Aug. 25: Sharpie 500, Bristol, Tenn.

Sept. 2: TBA, Fontana, Calif.

Sept. 8: Chevy Rock-and-Roll 400, Richmond, Va.

Sept. 16: Sylvania 300, Loudon, N.H.

Sept. 23: Dover 400, Dover, Del.

Sept. 30: Kansas 400, Kansas City, Kan.

Oct. 7: UAW-Ford 500, Talladega, Ala.

Oct. 13: Bank of America 500, Concord, N.C.

Oct. 21: Subway 500, Martinsville, Va.

Oct. 28: Georgia 500, Hampton, Ga.

Nov. 4: Dickies 500, Fort Worth, Texas.

Nov. 11: Checker Auto Parts 500, Avondale, Ariz.

Nov. 18: Ford 400, Homestead, Fla.

*Non-points event.

NEXTEL CUP STANDINGS

Last WeekSeason

StandingPoints Margin

1. Jeff Gordon. . . 11881-

2. Jimmie Johnson. . . 21650-231

3. Matt Kenseth. . . 31582-299

4. Denny Hamlin. . . 41539-342

5. Jeff Burton. . . 51486-395

6. Tony Stewart. . . 71375-506

7. Kurt Busch. . . 91325-556

8. Kevin Harvick. . . 81315-566

9. Clint Bowyer. . . 101302-579

10. Carl Edwards. . . 111291-590

11. Kyle Busch. . . 61281-600

12. Jamie McMurray. . . 131214-667

13. Ryan Newman. . . 191163-718

14. Dale Earnhardt Jr.. . . 121160-721

15. Mark Martin. . . 141159-722

16. Greg Biffle. . . 151155-726

17. Elliott Sadler. . . 161127-754

18. Martin Truex Jr.. . . 201117-764

19. Bobby Labonte. . . 181107-774

20. J.J. Yeley. . . 221086-795