TV: FOX, 1:00 p.m. EST

Laps: 334
Track length: 1 1/2 miles
Race length: 500 miles

Qualifying record: Terry Labonte, 192.137 mph, 2000
Race record: Terry Labonte, 144.276 mph, 1999

DRIVERS TO WATCH

Johnny Benson -- Good performances early this year, with four top-10 finishes, including fourth in Las Vegas; fourth in the points table is highest ranking of his six years on the Winston Cup series; co-owns the Valvoline-sponsored car.

Jeff Burton -- An awful slump after the season's first six races; 40th place finish at Bristol was lowest mark thus far; perhaps will manage to turn fortunes around at Texas Motor Speedway, the track where he recorded his first career Winston Cup win in the inaugural 1997 race; runner-up to Dale Earnhardt Jr. last year could also be a boost of confidence.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- Recorded his first career Winston Cup win at Texas Motor Speedway last year in just his 12th start (third quickest in the modern-era); the defending champion moved to the front of the field after the first of several incidents; late in the race he elected to change four tires, while other drivers changed just two; the choice helped him to the checkered flag; has been struggling since the death of his father at the season-opening Daytona 500 where he finished second.

Jeff Gordon -- Expressed no surprise to Tony Stewart's retaliatory post-race move at Bristol Speedway for a late race incident; Gordon nudged Stewart, who spun while battling for top positions; Stewart then tracked Gordon down in the cool-down lap and spun him sideways on pit lane; Gordon finished fourth, while Stewart dropped to 25th; top four finishes in four of the six races puts him second in the Winston Cup standings, 45 points behind Dale Jarrett; won in Las Vegas; does not seem to have figured this speedway out, posting finishes of 30th (1997), 31st (1998), 43rd (1999) and a slightly better 25th in 2000.

Dale Jarrett -- The leading racer in the standings has four top 10 finishes, including a win at Darlington, the first for new sponsor UPS; has 45 points edge over Jeff Gordon; finished second in Texas in 1997 and again 1999; captured his first Winston Cup championship in 1999.

Bobby Labonte -- This is a homecoming of sorts for the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup champion, a native of Corpus Christi; always fared well at his home state track since competition commenced in 1997; has finished third the last two years including last season and in three of four events (lowest finish was eighth in 1998); drove better in last two races, finishing 11th and 13th, respectively; top finish of year was second in the Dura Lube 400 at North Carolina Speedway.

Terry Labonte -- Holder of qualifying (2000) and race (1999) speed records at the Texas oval; race winner in 1999 and posted eighth last year after starting from the pole; comes off a sixth-place finish at Bristol, TN; highest finish was fifth in Atlanta.

Sterling Marlin -- Just missed his fifth top-10 finish of the year at Bristol, finishing 12th; third place in Las Vegas was top finish, with fifth at Darlington another good run; is 48 points out of first place Dale Jarrett in the standings.

Mark Martin -- Struggling early this year with finishes of 20th or lower in three straight races and five of six this season; only top-10 was a sixth in Las Vegas; just missed a top-10 finish at Texas Motor Speedway last year (11th); has had some success at the oval, winning the Winston Cup race in 1998 and Busch races in 1997 and 1999.

Jeremy Mayfield -- Solid effort the last two races at Darlington and Bristol, both third-place finishes; also posted a ninth at the Daytona 500; moved further up in the standings to 22nd after a low 40th three races ago; good showing at Texas, with fifth in 199 and sixth last year.

Steve Park -- Maintained fifth place in the standings following a ninth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway; it was his fourth top-10 in six races, including victory in the Dura Lube 400 at North Carolina Speedway.

Tony Stewart -- His temper got the best of him again last Sunday at Bristol, TN; fined $10,000 and placed on probation Monday for intentionally crashing into Jeff Gordon's car at the conclusion of Sunday's Food City 500; Gordon ran into the back of Stewart, who spun and then hunted Gordon down and spun him out on pit road; Stewart placed 25th and was summoned to the NASCAR trailer; the Indiana natives have had similar run-ins last year at Watkins Glen, New York and again at Michigan Speedway; finished sixth at Texas in his 1999 rookie season and ninth last year.

Rusty Wallace -- Finished fourth in the last two races at Texas Motor Speedway; finished in the top-10 in four of six races this season, with third at the Daytona 500 as top results; led series with nine poles last year and added four wins to his list; tied with Jeff Gordon for eighth on the all-time win list (53); won at least one race in 15 consecutive seasons.