It’s time for our weekly Friday tour around the racing world. From hot laps to the main event, here’s what’s on our mind this week.
Hot Laps: Predictions
Three predictions for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway — chaos, crashes and an unexpected winner
Qualifying: 8 Hours
If you like endurance racing and you like watching a diverse group of drivers in GT-style cars, the Indy 8-Hour featuring GT America is for you. IndyCar Series drivers, celebrities and renowned international sports car racers will all compete in the endurance test Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Watch it on SPEED SPORT 1.
First Heat: East Bay Finale
The Grand Finale Weekend for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at East Bay Raceway Park was canceled because of wet grounds created by Hurricane Helene. But it will not be the last race at the legendary Florida third-mile dirt track that is scheduled to be redeveloped after this season.
The Rusty Dixon Memorial that was scheduled for Oct. 5 has been reset for Nov. 2 and will serve as the final event at East Bay. Late models will lead a five-division card.
Second Heat: Schedules
The NASCAR Cup Series, NTT IndyCar Series and NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing schedules were all released in late summer. We have to credit NASCAR for continuing to change up the schedule by adding new races and shuffling the dates of existing events.
The IndyCar and NHRA slates are pretty much the same year after year.
Third Heat: Buzz Word
Charter is a popular word in today’s racing world. This week the NTT IndyCar Series announced a charter system, which awarded 25 charters to 10 teams in the series. The NASCAR Cup Series has had a similar system for a decade and a renewal of that agreement is currently being negotiated. As well, the High Limit Racing sprint car series is creating its own charter system.
I understand the premise of a charter system, but am not convinced they are the best thing for the sport.
Fourth Heat: Deserving
While it wasn’t a surprise that second-generation stock car racer Carson Kvapil was named to drive the No. 1 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series next season, it was certainly a deserving choice.
The son of Truck Series champion Travis Kvapil has won in everything he’s raced, including the JR Motorsports late models, including the recent late model stock classic at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. He’s been impressive in limited Xfinity Series runs this season.
Dash: Sore Loser?
Three-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen hasn’t been winning lately, and he’s not taking it well. Verstappen hasn’t visited victory lane in the last eight grands prix and has become grumpy about it. He’s been sanctioned for using improper language during press conferences and openly talked about retiring. He’s 26 years old.
B Main: Bridesmaid No More?
Daryn Pittman, the 2013 World of Outlaws sprint car champion who races only part time these days, has finished second in the National Open at Williams Grove Speedway on six occasions, including last year.
Pittman, who has won a feature at the Pennsylvania half-mile this year, will try again this weekend aboard Don Kreitz Jr.’s speedy No. 69k sprint car.
Feature: The Best?
Earlier this year, we asked the question, who is the best 410 winged sprint car driver in the country this season?
As the season enters its final six weeks, that question continues to be up for debate. The key players in this debate are David Gravel, Brad Sweet, Carson Macedo, Tyler Courtney, Rico Abreu, Corey Day and Anthony Macri.
Gravel, who leads the World of Outlaws standings, has won 15 races, including the Joker’s Jackpot and the Kings Royal. Sweet (eight wins) has been among the most consistent and is close to the High Limit title, which would be his sixth straight in a national touring series.
Abreu and Courtney have each won 11 features, with triumphs with both High Limit and the World of Outlaws.
Macedo has been hot down the stretch and has won nine World of Outlaws features. Day captured the Dirt Cup and the Gold Cup among his 10 triumphs.
Macri has won 15 features.
It’s your call.