Sportsman competitors in seven categories earn points leading to 2003 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series championships.

WHERE: Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif. The track is located at Highways 37 and 121.

WHEN: Friday through Sunday, Aug. 1-3.

PURSE: Cash and contingency awards of more than $1.9 million.

SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Aug. 1 -- Sportsman qualifying and eliminations begin at 8 a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3 and 6 p.m.

SATURDAY, Aug. 2 -- Sportsman eliminations begin at 8 a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

SUNDAY, Aug. 3 -- Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at noon.

TELEVISION:
Saturday, Aug. 2, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 8 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Aug. 3, ESPN will televise one hour of early eliminations at 5 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Aug. 3, ESPN2 will televise three hours of final eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).

2002 EVENT WINNERS: Doug Herbert, Top Fuel; John Force, Funny Car; Larry Morgan, Pro Stock; Craig Treble, Pro Stock Bike.

WHAT TO EXPECT: The final event of a pivotal three-races-in-three-weeks, which has become known as the West Coast Swing, the FRAM-Autolite Nationals will conclude a grueling stretch of competition which will separate the contenders from the pretenders. Doug Kalitta has had success at Infineon Raceway, having the distinction as being the only Top Fuel driver to win consecutive events at Infineon Raceway with three consecutive wins between 1998-'00. Kalitta will need another victory in wine country to aid his quest toward the POWERade crown. Kalitta and the Mac Tools team have dreams of denying Larry Dixon and the Miller Lite team back-to-back championships. Funny Car's Tony Pedregon has been dominant all season but his first win at Infineon Raceway would be ideal as rivals Whit Bazemore, who won at Sonoma in 1999, and 2001 winner Del Worsham, make their push toward the top of the standings. The past few seasons have produced some surprise winners in Pro Stock, but as the second half of the 2003 schedule begins, Greg Anderson and Kurt Johnson will face stiff competition from six-time champion Warren Johnson, and defending NHRA POWERade champ Jeg Couglin Jr., who won eight of the last 12 events in 2003 en route to the crown. The Pro Stock Bike category will make its second appearance at Infineon Raceway. Current points leader Geno Scali and three-time champ Angelle Savoie continue their season-long battle toward the title in the two-wheel category. Defending event winner Craig Treble figures to break out of his slump while the Harley-Davidson duo of GT Tonglet and Andrew Hines continue to improve atop their bikes.

FAST FACTS: Infineon Raceway is one of four tracks where Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon has yet to win an event in the Miller Lite dragster. Team-owner Don 'The Snake' Prudhomme is the only driver to win at Sonoma in both Top Fuel (1992) and Funny Car (1989)...Doug Kalitta is the only Top Fuel driver to win consecutive events at Infineon Raceway (1998-'00)...John Force's six career victories at Sonoma leads all NHRA competitors...Darrell Alderman is the last repeat winner at Sonoma in Pro Stock (1990-'91).

ABOUT THE TRACK: In 1968, a twisting 12-turn, 2.53-mile road course and quarter-mile drag strip were carved into the scenic Sonoma Valley and Sears Point Raceway was born. Over the past 34 years, the facility has developed into one of the premier motorsports and entertainment venues in the world, hosting events from NHRA POWERade Drag Racing to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. The raceway completed a comprehensive $50 million modernization plan in 2002 that included a new concrete launch pad (660 feet), separation of the drag strip from the road course and creation of a new permanent grandstand that offers sweeping views of the racing action. More than 9,000,000 cubic yards of dirt was moved during the two-year project, which began in September, 2000. The drag strip opened to rave reviews in 2002 as three track records were set at the FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals, and the Pro Stock Bike class recorded the second quickest elapsed time in NHRA history. The facility also reached another milestone in 2002 when it partnered with Infineon Technologies, giving the Munich (Germany)-based company naming rights to the raceway. The facility is now called Infineon Raceway and the strategic partnership will span 10 years. Infineon Technologies is one of the world's leading semiconductor manufacturers and has its North American base in the Silicon Valley.

TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel - 4.552 seconds by Bob Vandergriff, Aug. 1999; 320.74 mph by Tony Schumacher,
Aug. 1999.
Funny Car -- 4.850 seconds by Del Worsham, Aug. 2002; 310.84 mph by Tony Pedregon, Aug.
2001.
Pro Stock - 6.780 seconds by Greg Anderson, July. 2002; 203.52 mph by Anderson, Aug. 2002.
Pro Stock Bike - 7.073 seconds by Angelle Savoie, Aug. 2002; 192.52 mph by Savoie, Aug.
2002.

NATIONAL RECORDS:
Top Fuel-- 4.477 seconds (June 2001, Joliet, Ill.) by Kenny Bernstein; 332.75 mph (April
2002, Las Vegas) by Larry Dixon.
Funny Car-- 4.721 seconds (May 2003, Joliet, Ill.) by John Force; 328.06 mph (June 2003,
Joliet, Ill.) by Gary Scelzi.
Pro Stock-- 6.670 seconds (May 2003, Englishtown) by Greg Anderson; 207.18 mph (May 2003,
Englishtown) by Anderson.

TICKETS: For tickets call (800) 870-RACE (7223). Tickets also are available at ticketmaster.com and nhra.com.

GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $30; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Saturday: Adult, $40; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Sunday: Adult, $45; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Child (5 years and under), free in general admission and pit areas each day

RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $40; Junior (6-12 years), $20; Child (5 years and younger), $10. Saturday: Adult, $50; Junior (6-12 years), $20; Child (5 years and under), $10. Sunday: Adult, $60; Junior (6-12 years), $25; Child (5 years and under), $15.

Courtesy of NHRA Communications