Qualifying, race date changes for Brickyard 400.

The Brickyard 400 weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will have a different look in 2001 due to changes in the race date, race starting time and qualifying format.

The Speedway previously announced that the 160-lap Brickyard 400 is scheduled for a Sunday for the first time and will start 1 hour, 15 minutes later than before, due to NASCAR's television agreement with NBC Sports. The Brickyard will get underway at 1:30 p.m. (EST) Aug. 5 and will be broadcast live on NBC.

NBC is televising 13 Winston Cup races, including the Brickyard 400, during the second half of the 2001 season.

NASCAR has changed qualifying procedures at most Winston Cup events for the 2001 season by eliminating second-round qualifying. As a result, qualifying for the eighth annual Brickyard 400 will take place Saturday, Aug. 4.

Other activities scheduled for Aug. 4 include the 40-lap IROC at Indy, which is the final event of the year for the 20th anniversary season of the True Value International Race of Champions (IROC) series, and final practice for the 43-car NASCAR starting field.

Friday will be reserved for NASCAR and IROC practice.

IROC organisers annually invite 12 of the world's top drivers to compete against one another in equally prepared Pontiac Firebird stock cars.

The 2001 Brickyard 400 schedule (all times local, subject to change):

Friday, Aug. 3
9 a.m. Public gates open
Noon-1:45 p.m. IROC practice
2-3 p.m. NASCAR practice
3:15-4:15 p.m. IROC practice
Saturday, Aug. 4
7 a.m. Public gates open
8-9 a.m. NASCAR practice
10:15 a.m. NASCAR qualifying (best of two laps, all positions
2 p.m. IROC at Indy (40 laps)
After IROC race NASCAR final practice (90 minutes)
Sunday, Aug. 5
8 a.m. Public gates open
1 p.m. NASCAR driver introductions
1:30 p.m. Eighth annual Brickyard 400 (160 laps)