IROC Cars to Lead Today’s Practice Parade at Speedway

Winston Cup, Winston West and International Race of Champions cars will take turns practicing on the new California Speedway’s two-mile banked oval today. It will be the first time cars will test on the track, except for Paul Tracy in an Indy car and seven Winston Cup drivers who conducted a tire test last month.

Garages open at 7 a.m., with the Pontiac Firebirds of IROC the first cars on the track at 8. They will be followed by Winston Cup cars at 9 and Winston West at 10. Another set of practice sessions is scheduled in the afternoon, concluding at 5:30 p.m.

Qualifying for Sunday’s Winston Cup and Saturday’s Winston West races will be Friday. IROC starting positions are determined by their finishing positions in the first two races, at Daytona and Charlotte.

The Auto Club 200 for Winston West cars will start at noon Saturday, with the IROC at 5 p.m. The late start is necessitated by several drivers having to qualify earlier in the day for the Budweiser/GI Joe’s 200 CART race in Portland, Ore.