This week's NASCAR race

Race distance: 400 miles/267 laps

Race forecast: partly cloudy, high 90s

Last year's winner: Kyle Busch

Last year's pole winner: none, inclement weather; starting lineup determined by points.

Track facts: Last year's inaugural race at the track was marred by a monumental traffic mess. Speedway officials have taken steps to assure traffic will flow much better this weekend … In winning last year's race Kyle Busch led six times for 125 laps, including the last 11. David Reutimann was runner-up; Jimmie Johnson was third … Johnson has two wins and three other top-five finishes in the season's last six races … Denny Hamlin's season has sputtered in the last two races with 34th and 35th place finishes … Starting with a 29th place finish at Dover four races ago, Kyle Busch has fallen from eighth in points to 12th.

STANDINGS

 ?1. Matt Kenseth 596

?2. Greg Biffle. 585

?3. D. Earnhardt Jr. 582

?4. Jimmy Johnson 571

?5. Tony Stewart 533

?6. Kevin Harvick 532

?7. Clint Bowyer 529

?8. Denny Hamlin 523

?9. Martin Truex Jr. 520

10. Brad Keselowski 490

11. Carl Edwards 479

12. Kyle Busch* 459

13. R. Newman* 453

* wild card seeds

Wins: Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, 2 each; Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer 1 each.

Up next: Coke Zero 400, July 7, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla., 7:30 p.m.; TV: TNT; last year's winner: David Ragan.

?— Bill Fleischman