NASCAR REDUCING TO 2 MEN.

Byline: BILL SCHLOTTER Motor Sports

Figures.

If anybody was going to stop Jeff Gordon's four-race win streak, it had to be Mark Martin, who did just that with his victory in last Saturday's Goody's 500 at Bristol, Tenn. After all, one or the other of the Winston Cup Tour's top two drivers has won six of the past seven races.

With the victory, Martin narrowed the gap between himself and points leader Gordon to 67 points. And he extended a couple of streaks of his own.

It was Martin's 13th straight top-10 finish. And he is the only driver among the top 14 to not have suffered a DNF (Did Not Finish) so far in 1998.

Gordon finished fifth in the race after battling an ill-performing car all day long. But Martin was the only driver to make a significant gain on him. The season points race has thus become essentially a two-man battle with 11 races remaining.

Dale Jarrett, running third, 223 points behind Gordon, said it's time to step up the pressure on the leaders or start thinking about next year.

``We've got to catch those two before it's too late,'' Jarrett said. ``What we need is some wins and for them to have some trouble. If not, we might as well forget about this championship.''

Giving back: Like many racers, Valencia product Bryan Herta got his start racing go-karts.

Herta, who drives on the FedEx CART circuit for Team Rahal, announced this week that he has purchased an interest in the Las Vegas Karting Center in Sloan, Nev., with the intent of helping young drivers get started.

``The center will host a number of national karting events as well as establishing a first-class karting school,'' said Herta, who began racing go-karts at 12. ``We want to help develop more young racing talent at our center.''

Musical chairs: Max Papis became the third driver to depart the Arciero-Wells CART race team this year when he announced this week he won't return in 1999.

Papis, who replaced La Canada's Jeff Krosnoff with the team following Krosnoff's fatal crash in 1996, is rumored to be a leading candidate to take over driving duties for Bobby Rahal, who is retiring at the end of this season.

Papis' departure follows those of Hiro Matsushima, who has retired, and Robby Gordon, who will pursue other driving opportunities next year. Scott Pruett recently signed with Arciero-Wells to fill one of the vacancies.

Starting over: His once-intimidating lead gone, Granada Hills' M.K. Kanke heads to Saturday's NASCAR Southwest Featherlite Tour NAPA 125in Colorado in second place.

Kanke, the victim of three straight DNFs, now trails Steve Portenga by 43 points (1,458-1,415) with six races remaining. Despite his recent run of ill fortune, he remains optimistic about winning this season's Southwest title.

``By the end of the season, we'll be back up there,'' Kanke said. ``The reason we did so well at the beginning is all the other guys had problems. We all have our ups and downs.''

Kanke is also encouraged by returning to Colorado National Speedway (Erie, Colo.). The track is home to his team, Bonicelli Racing of Colorado Springs, and is the site of previous Kanke victories.

``We won last year's race there,'' Kanke said. ``I think we can win again.''

Father vs. son: With Dale Earnhardt Jr. leading the NASCAR Busch Grand National tour, there is a pretty good chance he and his racing icon father, Dale Sr., could face off against each other as members of next year's International Race of Champions tour.

If that comes to pass, their first IROC event will likely not be the first time they have raced against each other. That day is supposed to come Nov. 22 in Japan, when the two Earnhardt's run in the NASCAR Thunder Special Coca-Cola 500.

``It might be really weird the first time I try to pass him on the track - if I get a chance to pass him,'' the younger Earnhardt said. ``But it is something that will be exciting for both of us, I'm sure.''

Earnhardt Sr. said he has fond memories of his only time racing his father, Ralph Earnhardt.

``I got one exciting time racing with my dad and it was pretty neat,'' he said. ``It is exciting to see Dale Jr. grow into the sport and it will be a great experience to race him in Japan. However, it wouldn't look very good for him to beat his old dad now, would it.''

Nuts and bolts: La Canada's Tommy Kendall was part of a three-man team that claimed fifth place last weekend at the First Union Six Hours at the Glen road race at Watkins Glen, N.Y. Kendall's team started 10th. . . . Canyon Country's Jay Drake won the 50-lap USAC sprint car EMGE Joe James/Pat O'Connor Classic at Salem, Ind., Sunday.

COMING UP

NASCAR WINSTON CUP

Sunday: CMT 300, New Hampshire International, Loudon, N.H.

NASCAR BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL

This week: Off.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK

Saturday: Kroger 225, Louisville Motor Speedway, Louisville, Ky.

FEDEX CART CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

This week: Off.

INDY RACING LEAGUE 

Saturday: Atlanta 500 Classic, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Ga.

FORMULA ONE

Sunday: Belgian Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps road course, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium.

NHRA 

This week: Off.

LOCAL

Glen Helen Raceway (San Bernardino): Sunday: SRA Grand Prix.

Mesa Marin Raceway (Bakersfield): This week: Off.

Perris Auto Speedway: Saturday: SCRA sprint cars.

Ventura Raceway: Saturday: IMCA sprint cars, IMCA modifieds, go-karts, CDCRA dwarf cars.

Victorville Speedway: Saturday: Street stocks, hobby stocks, mini stocks, late models.

Willow Springs Raceway (Rosamond): Saturday-Sunday: Drive Tech stock car racing school. Alfa Romeo Owners of Southern California.

CAPTION(S):

Box

BOX: COMING UP (see text)