Mark your calendars.

The 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup schedule was released earlier this week, with only minor changes from this year’s race lineup.

In two cases, tracks swapped weeks on next year’s schedule. One swap involved Kansas Speedway, which will host its Nextel Cup event on the first Sunday in October next year.

This year’s Banquet 400 at Kansas is set for Oct. 9.

The entire 2006 Kansas Speedway schedule includes ARCA /RE-MAX and NASCAR Truck Series events on Saturday, July 1, and the IndyCar Series running on the 1½-mile oval on July 2.

The NASCAR Busch Series race will precede the “Chase for the Championship” Nextel Cup race on Saturday, Sept. 30. Plans are in the works to add a USAC Silver Crown Series event at Kansas that weekend.

Alley wins at Knoxville

Lincoln sprint-car driver Billy Alley captured his first feature win in Knoxville Raceway’s prestigious 410 division Saturday night.

Alley, who finished sixth in Knoxville’s season points standings, led every lap of the feature.

This weekend, Alley is virtually a lock to wrap up the points title in the ASCS Midwest Region.

Alley carries a 93-point advantage into tonight’s season finale at U.S. 36 Raceway in Cameron, Mo. The battle for second place involves Toby Chapman of Lincoln, Rick Ideus of Roca, Brian Brown of Higginsville, Mo., and Jake Peters of Sioux Falls, S.D.

SuperNationals update

Three regulars at Beatrice Speedway were the first area drivers to earn spots in feature races Saturday at the IMCA SuperNationals in Boone, Iowa.

In the hobby stocks, Tim Fralin of Beatrice scored a fourth-row starting spot in qualifying earlier this week. In the stock cars, Brandon Johnson of DeWitt will start sixth and Eric Bartels of Jansen will start 15th in the 30-lap feature race.

Qualifying in the modified division began Wednesday with nearly 340 cars attempting to make it into Saturday’s A feature.

Of the eight drivers to qualify Wednesday, none were from Nebraska. The highest area finishers were Rik Gropp of Lincoln and Johnny Saathoff of Beatrice. Both were seventh in twin qualifying events.

Last lap

n Part-time ARCA/RE-MAX Series driver Josh Krug of Omaha came from the 17th starting spot to win last weekend’s 100-lap late model feature at I-70 Speedway in Missouri.

n Tickets are still available for the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame reception on Friday, Oct. 14, at Firefighters Hall. Advance tickets are $15. For information, call (402) 733-3117.

n Rained out in two prior attempts, the NCRA sprint cars will try again Saturday to race at Mid-Nebraska Speedway near Doniphan.

Other special events this weekend include two nights  of NCRA modified racing at Junction Motor Speedway near McCool Junction and the one-night Fall Jamboree on Saturday at Eagle Raceway.