Published: August 11, 2009 11:25 pm      

de la BASTIDE: IRL laps NASCAR in drama

IndyCar Series has a revolving door at top of points standings

Quietly, without a lot of media fanfare, the championship points race for the IndyCar Series is loaded with drama with four races remaining.

NASCAR had to establish a 10-race chase to the championship to bring some excitement to the season-ending events. The Indy Racing League is accomplishing the same goal through competitive racing.

Hoosier native Tony Stewart leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup point standings in his first year as an owner/driver and has been adding to his advantage in recent weeks.

If not for the Chase format, Stewart would be the odds-on favorite to capture the title. He leads three-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson by 260 points with four races remaining before the Chase.

At that point, the standings are shuffled with drivers scoring bonus points for wins. The driver that puts together a strong run over the course of the final 10 races will be declared champion.

Meanwhile, the IndyCar Series has seen the points lead change 12 times in 13 races with four drivers taking a turn at the top.

Scott Dixon moved back to the points standings lead with a win last Sunday at Mid-Ohio. He leads Ryan Briscoe by three points with Dario Franchitti holding down the third spot only 20 markers out of first.

Just about every weekend the IndyCar Series competes, there has been a change at the top. The series runs at the Infineon road course in California on Aug. 23 and then finishes out the season on ovals.

“It’s the IndyCar Series so, obviously, it will come down to the wire and it’s going to be tough,” Dixon said. “It’s been a strange season in the fact that it doesn’t seem like anybody really wants to lead the championship.”

The championship will likely be decided at the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“I’m really excited to be in the championship,” Briscoe said. “It’s definitely intense and can get frustrating at times.”

Three drivers separated by 20 points with four races remaining — now that should be entertaining.

Speaking of the Sprint Cup’s Chase, it appears most of the field has been established. Kyle Busch is currently 13th, only 58 points behind Matt Kenseth and 91 points out of the 10th spot held down by Greg Biffle.

Brian Vickers and Clint Bowyer are 14th and 15th after the Watkins Glen race and need to gain almost 100 points to make the Chase field.

It seems that the final three spots for the championship battle will include either Busch, Kenseth, Mark Martin or Biffle. The other nine drivers appear to have spots locked down unless disaster strikes several times over the next four races.

As things stand presently, Hendrick Motorsports has three of its four drivers in the Chase, as Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not a factor. The Stewart-Haas team of Stewart and Ryan Newman will both make the field driving Chevrolets powered by Hendrick engines.

Roush Racing has Kenseth, Biffle and Edwards in the mix. Denny Hamlin would be the lone representative from Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing will be left out in the cold.

• Ken de la Bastide is the Kokomo Tribune enterprise editor. He may be reached at ken.delabastide

@kokomotribune.com or (765) 454-8580.