While the Sprint Cup Series sits idle this weekend for the final time of the season, the rest of the motorsports world is in high gear.
Virtually every other major form of racing is in action this weekend and with the Cup boys enjoying vacation, it's a perfect time to check in on the rest of the motorsports scene:
Nationwide Series
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| Clint Bowyer is sitting pretty in the Nationwide Series race. (Getty Images) |
A strong group of young drivers like Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Landon Cassill, Kelly Bires, Colin Braun and Steven Wallace are starting to make names for themselves. However, Joe Gibbs Racing has completely dominated the series with Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Logano combining to find Victory Lane 14 times in the year's 20 races.
Craftsman Truck Series
The trucks continue to put on some of the best races in NASCAR. A tight battle finds five drivers separated by a mere 74 points as the circuit heads to Kentucky Speedway on Saturday night. Veterans Ron Hornaday, Todd Bodine, Johnny Benson and Rick Crawford are locked into the championship fight with young Matt Crafton also in the picture. Oh yeah, that Kyle Busch guy has a pair of truck wins and will be in the Kentucky field as well, but the series regulars are the ones putting on the show this season.
Indy Racing League
Year one of the IRL-Champ Car merger has gone pretty much as predicted, with the established Indy Car teams dominating while the CART imports struggle to understand new cars and tracks. The IRL "Big Three" of Chip Ganassi Racing, Andretti-Green Racing and Team Penske have again been the dominant forces, a trend that has gone on for about the past five years.
The Ganassi duo of Scott Dixon, who leads the series point standings by 63 over Helio Castroneves heading into this weekend's visit to Mid-Ohio, and teammate Dan Wheldon has been especially impressive, combining to win six of the season's first 11 races. Dixon's four wins includes his Indianapolis 500 victory. The New Zealander looks poised to redeem himself after losing last year's championship on the last turn of the last lap of the last race. The season has seen first-time winners Graham Rahal, Ryan Briscoe, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Danica Patrick shine and the unified IndyCar circuit continues to have a bright future.
Formula One
It can't get much tighter in the race for the World Driving Championship than it is right now. Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen are tied atop the F1 standings as the series returns to Hockenhein for Sunday's German Grand Prix after a one-year hiatus.
Though off-track news has overshadowed much of the Formula One racing action this season with FIA head Max Mosley's "personal" life grabbing the headlines, the battle for this year's title should be very compelling heading down the stretch. And although it won't be part of the 2009 calendar, look for the United States Grand Prix to return to Indianapolis in 2010.
NHRA
Scott Kalitta's tragic death has stained the drag racing season. Kalitta was the third high-profile driver to lose his life in the past three seasons and the NHRA thankfully took steps in the name of safety a few weeks ago, shortening the tracks to allow more time to slow down.
Tony Schumacher, Greg Anderson and Tim Wilkerson lead their respective divisions as the NHRA continues its western swing this weekend at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash.
Best of the rest
- Former open wheel short track racer Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is atop the ARCA RE/MAX Series point standings coming into this week's stop at Kentucky Speedway. Stenhouse is one more weapon in the Roush Fenway Racing stable of young drivers.
- Veteran Donny Schatz has a 130-point lead over Jason Meyers in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series as the first tracking specialists' schedule nears the prestigious Knoxville Nationals in August.
- Tony Stewart-owned cars lead two of the three USAC National Division point standings as Smoke tries to become the first owner in history to sweep titles in the Silver Crown, Sprint Car and National Midget circuits.
- Minnesota's Dan Fredrickson leads the ASA Midwest Tour late model stock car standings with an Iowa doubleheader on tap this weekend.
- NASCAR team owner Richard Childress' grandson Austin Dillon is on top of the NASCAR Camping World East stock car division while Eric Holmes leads the West series.
- Chuck Hossfeld and L.W. Miller lead NASCAR's two modified tours.
