UPDATED: What a busy race weekend ahead! Keep up with all the action with our racing schedule
As we reach the height of summer, the racing this weekend will be hotter than ever.
The NASCAR Truck and Xfinity teams race at Pocono Raceway for the CRC Brakleen 150 and Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 on Saturday and the NASCAR Cup guys take the M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400 green flag on Sunday.
This is the last Camping World Truck race of the regular season with the first round of the Truck Playoffs commencing next weekend at Indianapolis Raceway Park in their seven-race format. Right now, Matt Crafton is 10th holding an +19 points edge over Derek Kraus in the swing spot. Tyler Ankrum is -46 and Matt DiBenedetto is -63 points behind from entering the Playoffs.
In the Cup series, Christopher Bell secured his place in the playoff after his New Hampshire win, which was bad news for Kevin Harvick as the latter now finds himself 68 points behind Martin Truex Jr. for the final 16th playoff position with only six races remaining in the regular season.
Graphic courtesy Dylan Bauerle Racing
While the F1 teams move on to the Circuit Paul Ricard for the Grand Prix de France in Le Castellet, it’s the resurgence of Ferrari that has brought Charles LeClerc back to prominence in the hunt for the F1 Championship.
Now with LeClerc’s victory in Austria, the ‘Prancing Horse’ group now find themselves in a paradox having to contend with teammate Carlos Sainz as to who will be the lead driver of the team with Sainz winning in Silverstone.
That's not to mention Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez and the Oracle/Red Bull team holds down the first and third positions in the F1 standings. Verstappen is 38 points ahead of LeClerc, and LeClerc is 19 points ahead of Perez. And Perez is ahead of Sainz by just 18 points as we just reached the halfway point of the season. Tune in Sunday on ESPN.
The IndyCar series is back to doing double duty this weekend at Iowa Speedway with races on NBC on Saturday and Sunday. Qualifying is unique with each of the two laps determining the starting positions in both races. The first lap for the Saturday Hy-VeeDeals.com 250 race and the second lap will be your recorded lap to start the Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 on Sunday.
The NHRA Drag Racing crews just packed up from Denver and will move this nitro show to the pleasant vineyard grounds of Sonoma Raceway for the Denso Sonoma Nationals. The big names of the sport fell by the wayside at the Mile-High Nationals, giving Tony Stewart his first Top Fuel win as an owner and wife, Leah Pruett, her first win of the season in convincing style.
Funny Car is coming down to four drivers with Robert Hight, Matt Hagan, Ron Capps, and Bob Tasca exchanging rounds regularly on Sunday. After the Mile-High air, the near sea level conditions at Sonoma will be a refreshing change on Friday night, as seen on NHRA.TV. Records could fall if the cool evening air rolls in. The final eliminations are on at 4:00 p.m. EDT this Sunday on FOX.
Lastly, the Superstar Racing Experience reaches its 2022 summer conclusion at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio. Tony Stewart attempts to win his second straight SRX championship, but will have a tough battle against points leader Marco Andretti, Ryan Newman and Bobby Labonte.
The 3/8-Mile dirt track will also feature Blaney vs. Blaney as NASCAR Cup regular,Ryan Blaney will race against his father, Dave on CBS on Saturday night.
Follow Jay Wells on Twitter @JayWells500
