COMPETITION WON'T SUFFER TOP RACERS GO IN TRUCK SERIES FINALE.

Byline: Louis Brewster Staff Writer

FONTANA - The suspense of a championship points battle that has accompanied the last two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races at California Speedway will be missing from Saturday's Motorola 200.

But don't believe that means the competition will be less.

Newly crowned champion Greg Biffle will lead a field of 40 trucks into Fontana for the series season finale, a fact that cries competition since only 36 will take the green flag for the 100-lap race.

And because it is the last event in the 24-race series, the field will represent an unusual mix. Biffle is among the drivers who will depart the series after the race. That group includes Roush Racing teammate Kurt Busch; Andy Houston, winner of the last two poles at Fontana, and Steve Grissom. Busch and Houston are headed for Winston Cup.

Biffle, who gave owner Jack Roush his first NASCAR title in Texas 11 days ago, will compete in the Busch Grand National series in 2001, as will Grissom under the Petty Enterprises banner.

The Killer Bees, as the Roush drivers have come to be called, are thoroughly enjoying their final season in the series. They have combined for eight wins (Biffle has five) and are one-two in points, although Busch is getting a severe challenge from Houston and Mike Wallace for the runner-up spot.

Wallace is perhaps the lone truck driver whose future is cloudy. He's been rumored to have a Winston Cup ride next year for current team owner Jack Smith, but there has been no official announcement by Smith or Wallace for 2001.

Also at Fontana are series veterans who will remain. Jack Sprague, who's won the past two NCTS events, leads the seasoned group that includes Joe Ruttman, Dennis Setzer, Randy Tolsma and Bryan Reffner, all in the top 10 in points.

In the 1999 race, fastest in the six-year history of the series at 141.844 mph, Sprague took advantage of contact between Ron Hornaday and Mike Bliss two laps from the finish to slip into the lead and edge Ruttman for the flag. The Hendrick Motorsports driver was one of a record-setting 11 drivers to lead a lap.

Sprague has competed in every truck race in the six-year history of the series and is the only driver to have led all three previous events at Fontana. Sprague will also reach the $100,000 mark in total winnings at the track with a start.

Additionally, there will be some new faces at Fontana, including one with a familiar last name. Third generation driver Ronnie Hornaday III, who made five NCTS starts in 1999, will race a Chevrolet truck owned by father Ron Hornaday. That name should ring a bell since the former Palmdale resident has competed in five races at the speedway in three classes (Busch, NCTS and Winston West).

The younger Hornaday had planned on racing the ARCA Series this season, but was sidelined by lack of funds. It was enough for his father to put together his own team.

``So many teams came to us and said we want your son to drive our car or truck, but we need your help finding us `x' amount of money,'' said Hornaday, a two-time truck champion. ``I finally said to (wife) Lindy, `If we have to find the money, let's do it ourselves, as a family, and make sure it's done right.' ''

Matt Crafton, on the verge of winning the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series, will make his debut in the SealMaster Racing entry, according to Monday's announcement by the team.

Terry Cook was released from his contract for the SealMaster ride at his request last week and landed a one-race deal to drive the K-Automotive Dodge owned by Bob Keselowski.

Also new to the series will be Chuck Hossfeld, who will drive an unsponsored Ford out of the Roush stable.

``My plan is to just go and have a good run through the race,'' said Hossfeld. ``Hopefully I'll be happy with what goes on and carry that momentum through the winter and get geared up for next season.''

Hossfeld and Nathan Haseleu were selected from among 400 entries by Roush to replace Biffle and Busch. But one fresh face will be missing. Ricky Hendrick, son of Cup team owner Rick Hendrick, will skip the Fontana race after crashing Saturday in the Busch race at North Carolina Speedway. He's been ordered to spend time at home this weekend.

CART/NASCAR RACES

When: Friday-Sunday

Where: California Speedway, Fontana

Tickets: Friday - $10; Saturday - $45 and $35; and Sunday - $100, $85, $ 70 and $50. To order, call [phone] or purchase them on line at www.tickets.com

Schedule:

Friday: 7 a.m. - Gates open; 8 a.m. - Truck Series practice; 9:25 a.m. - Indy Lights Series practice; 10:10 a.m. - CART Series practice; 12:45 p.m. - Truck Series qualifying; 2 p.m. - CART Series practice; 3:15 p.m. - Indy Lights Series practice; 4:15 p.m. - Truck Series final practice.

Saturday: 7 a.m. - Gates open; 8 a.m. - CART Series practice; 9:15 - Indy Lights Series practice; 10:45 - CART Series qualifying; 1 p.m. - NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series California 200; 4 p.m. - Indy Lights Series qualifying.

Sunday: 7 a.m. - Gates open; 9:30 a.m. - Dayton Indy Lights 100; 11:30 a.m. - CART FedEx Marlboro 500.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo: Greg Biffle, who won the NASCAR Trucks title in Texas last week, has his farewell truck race Saturday at Fontana before he moves on to Busch Series.

LM Otero/Associated Press

Box: CART/NASCAR RACES (see text)