Eyes on the Prize

October 24, 1999 - Hello Everyone. I can't believe it's been almost a month since I last wrote. Wow, time flies, even when you are not having fun. October is almost behind us now and we are fast approaching the end of the season. The end could bring triumph or heartbreak depending on where a driver ends up in the championship hunt.

In Winston Cup, Dale Jarrett is still hanging on to the points led with a 246-point margin over Bobby Labonte. Both Jarrett and Labonte have visited victory lane four times this season, with Jarrett having two more top-fives and three more top-tens. Once again, Jeff Gordon has the most wins in the season, with seven, putting him in fourth place overall in the point standings. Ward Burton is the driver highest in the points who is still looking for a win this season, but is solidly in the ninth spot.

Last season the top ten drivers were the same key players with the exception of Tony Stewart and Mike Skinner. Also, we had the Labonte brothers on stage in New York along with Jeremy Mayfield, this season we should be seeing the Burton brothers instead. Both Mayfield and Terry Labonte are just outside of the top-ten this year. All Jarrett needs to do is to hang on for three more races so that he may claim the 1999 Winston Cup championship and center stage in New York.

Of course, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth are still duking it out for the Busch Grand National championship, just like last year. Earnhardt is leading that battle with six wins this season, three of those coming consecutively, 18 top-tens, and 15 top-fives. With an average starting spot of ninth and an average finish of 10th.

Kenseth has also had a decent year, racking up four wins to his name along with 19 top-tens, 14 top-fives, averaging 11th for both starting and finishing spots. With three races left, Kenseth has cut the points deficit down to 81 points. Should make for an interesting end to the 1999 BGN series.

The Craftsman Truck series witnessed Greg Biffle pick up nine wins thus far. Biffle lost his big advantage in the points when NASCAR gave him a penalty for a technical infraction at Las Vegas in mid-September. Heading into the season finale at California Speedway, Jack Sprague has 21 points to gain on Biffle. Still not out of sight for the crown is Dennis Setzer, who is trailing Sprague by only four points. The series finale will not only decide the championship but also serve as a farewell for the series only repeat champion, Ron Hornaday, who is making the transition to the Busch circuit next season.

In the world of open wheel racing, CART rookie Juan Montoya has blown away almost all rookie records previously held in that division. Including besting 1993 rookie Nigel Mansell's record of seven poles, by one, and five wins, by two. Montoya even has the possibility of winning the CART championship this season. Montoya's closest threat is Dario Franchitti, who is trailing by nine points. The championship, unlike last season, will come down to the final race at California.

The IRL championship was clenched by Tony Stewart's replacement, Greg Ray, by 40 points over last year's champion Kenny Brack. Ray accumulated three wins along with three poles this season, but remember that IRL only runs one-fourth of the races that NASCAR does. In Formula One, Eddie Irvine's winning appeal has put him on the brink of winning the championship. Now all Irvine has to do is finish ahead of Mika Häkkinen at next weekend's Japanese Grand Prix to win the crown. The PPG-Dayton Indy Lights Championship has all but been secured by Oriol Servia, who, interestingly enough, has not won a race thus far but has had five podium finishes. If Servia fails to win the season finale next weekend, he will be the first Indy Lights champion lacking a win. Casey Mears, Servia's teammate, is trailing by 14 points.

What a great season of racing so far. So much racing, yet so little time. Well race fans, I will be off to watch three great finales at California Speedway (CART, CTS, Indy Lights) so be sure to send in any questions that you may want answered. I will do my best.

Nikki

If you have a question for a driver or crew member that you would like to see answered 'In the Pits,' send your question(s) here.