Brian Collins is on a roll and it doesn't matter to him that he's a little dusty after barrelling through deserts in Mexico and Nevada.
Collins of Las Vegas and teammate Larry Ragland of Cave Creek, Ariz., have won the past two major desert races and they will start Saturday's 11th annual SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300 as the defending overall race champions.
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They won the June 3 SCORE Baja 500 in their Trophy-Truck and drove it victory in the Las Vegas to Reno race a few weeks ago in the Best in the Desert Series.
His Collins Motorsports company also maintains the Trophy-Truck driven by overall SCORE points leader B.J. Baldwin of Las Vegas.
Collins is expected to be the fourth driver to start the 1 p.m. race, which is the third of five points races in the SCORE series. The starting area is around 2.5 miles northeast of the back parking lot at Buffalo Bill's Resort in Primm.
About 200 race teams are expected to start the four laps-74-mile course race. Class 1 entries will compete with Trophy-Trucks in the afternoon race with other classes starting at 6 a.m. Saturday.
Pre-race activities are noon-6 p.m. today at the resort.
• FORMULA ONE -- Rookie Heikki Kovalaninen, 24, of Finland will replace reigning Formula One champion Fernando Alonso next year on the Renault F1 team. Alonso, the series' points leader, will move to the McClaren team next year.
Renault also hired Nelson Piquet Jr. as a test driver. The 21-year-old Brazilian is the son of three-time F1 champion Nelson Piquet.
• DRAG RACING -- Motor sports legend Kenny Bernstein has hired Ray Alley to be the crew chief for the new Funny Car Bernstein will drive next year.
Alley worked for Bernstein before joining NHRA seven years ago as its director of the nitro categories. Alley was relieved of his duties last weekend due to a possible conflict of interest after taking the new job.
• NASCAR -- Slugger Labbe is the new crew chief for Sterling Marlin in the No. 14 MB2 Motorsports Chevrolet beginning with this weekend's Nextel Cup race at Richmond International Raceway in Virginia. ...
David Gilliland will replace Stephen Leicht as driver of the No. 60 Busch Series Ford for Robert Yates Racing in today's race at Richmond. ...
Casey Atwood has replaced former Busch champion David Green in the Brewco Motorsports No. 27 Ford.
NASCAR Chase for the Cup Standings
Season Points
Points Over 11th
CLINCHED ...
1. Matt Kenseth
3,638
489
2. Jimmie Johnson
3,629
480
CONTENDING ...
3. Kevin Harvick
3,296
147
4. Jeff Gordon
3,251
102
5. Kyle Busch
3,244
95
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
3,226
77
7. Denny Hamlin
3,225
76
8. Tony Stewart
3,194
45
9. Mark Martin
3,181
32
10. Jeff Burton
3,179
30
Behind 10th
11. Kasey Kahne
3,149 30
NEEDED TO CLINCH
Drivers in positions three through 10 in the Nextel Cup standings will clinch a Chase for the Cup berth with the following finishes Saturday at Richmond, Va., regardless of how other competitors finish:
Harvick -- 40th
Gordon -- 25th
Busch -- 22nd
Earnhardt Jr. -- 16th
Hamlin -- 16th
Stewart -- seventh
Martin -- fourth
Burton -- fourth
POINTS
The winner receives 180 points. Drivers also earn five points for leading one lap. The driver who leads the most laps is awarded five points.
