Just when you think the NASCAR Cup Series is slowly getting out of reach for everyone but 2-time champion Kyle Larson, it suddenly changes.  Thanks to an awful performance at Phoenix, challenger Christopher Bell is now just a  five points behind Larson going into Talladega. And a half dozen others, are less than 50 points behind Larson.  Tyler Reddick took the checkered flag at Phoenix. Larson finished 34th after a tire issue put him into the wall early.  He earned just 3 playoff points. Others loaded up on as many points as possible.  With Talladega next, it's anyone's guess who will be leading after the huge superspeedway event this weekend at Talladega!  Expect tensions to be strong!  

   

      Louisville's Ben Rhodes will need a miracle to even have a shot at winning another NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title. Like Larson he had tire issues at Phoenix, ending up with a 21st place finish. His team at ThorSport Racing has just had an off year. In the O' Reilly Auto Parts Series, Jesse Love led a majority of the laps to take the victory at Phoenix. Love leads the points. Justin Allgaier is 36 points behind him, and Corey Day is a handful of points right behind Allgaier. Those three have the best shot at taking home the 2026 Championship crown. 
 

    In ARCA, we know Thomas Annunziata took the 2026 season Championship.  There's still some ACRA racing left.  Louisville's Landon Brown battled in the ARCA West Series at Phoenix.  Max Reaves won. Brown ended up 17th.  Brown had a part-time schedule this year running for both Kimmel Racing in Southern Indiana and more recently (Phoenix) Nitro Motorsports. ​

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  ​   ​  The NHRA wraps up its season in mid-November at Pomona, California.  Some of the points battles are close. A split second at an event can make the difference in someone being crowned a 2026 champion. Many events remain!  Lucas Oil is a longtime sponsor of the NHRA and Kentuckiana Motorsports. It's main manufacturing facility is located in Corydon, Indiana.  Watch the action on Fox Sports. 

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   The next INDY Car event is in March 2027.  Already there have been driver swaps and teams changing things up in an effort for stronger competition for 2027.  Alex Palou claimed the Indy Car Series Championship this year.      

​​​​​​   Locally, track championships are all but over. Take note: tracks in the region continue to hold some other events through late October. Congrats to all the competitors, drivers, and teams. And the fans too!  The Sportsdrome Speedway, just off I-65 in Jeffersonville, Indiana is a small flat track full of fun and excitement. It is just 10 minutes from the bridges in downtown Louisville.  The Salem Speedway is only an hour from Louisville in Southern Indiana (One of its biggest  fall races in the region is the Halloween 200 . Health Helton took that win. Brett Hudson finished second). Other area tracks include the Ponderosa Speedway (the Baddest Bullring in the Bluegrass state) located in central Kentucky at Junction City near Danville (About an hour and fifteen minutes southeast of Louisville). The 2026 event schedule may be the best in years!  Just south in Bowling Green (KY) and you'll enjoy Beech Bend. There is an amusement park, camping, and racing. The Beech Bend dragstrip brings in the fans and has a wide range of events. And if you like local drag racers, one fun place to witness side-by-side battles is in West Point Kentucky, the Ohio Valley Dragway. It is a 1/8th mile track on Dixie Highway, less than a half-hour from downtown Louisville.  A reminder, be sure to check out track websites and social media for the latest news and information, and that includes any late schedule changes and potential weather issues.   

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  ​  We always thank our sponsors and supporters, including our main sponsor, Lucas Oil Products!  Also, Herrings Outdoor Sports!  It is a great place for all of your summer, fall, and year round attire. They carry the most famous and best clothing beach-lake outdoor brands. & accessories!  They ship throughout the US!  Other sponsors include locally owned Bright Pest Control and Bright Retail in Louisville, (Offering Do-It-Yourself Professional Pest Products with a retail store), PNC Bank (Sponsor of Scott Dixon's Indy Car Series Car), Sportsdrome Speedway  (Celebrating nearly 80 years of Racing!), VoiceTel Kentucky (Offering consulting, telephone service, security, and network installation to businesses throughout Louisville and Southern Indiana. When experience counts: Call VoiceTel, locally owned and operated (502-493-3200), Jim Ellis/Attorney-At-Law [Personal Injury, Criminal Defense, and Contract Law (502) 58-Ellis], ICA Dumpsters, Dynamic Chiropractic Louisville, Lyndon Mower Repair, Temco Roofing, and Apple Appliance Repair Service in Louisville.  

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   We also thank our media connections in all series, NASCAR/NASCAR Media, Indy Car, Monster Jam, ARCA, Google Images, media directors, other contributors, and NHRA for helping us bring the sport to the fans!  ​​ 

  Check out the Lucas Oil Online Race Report !  2-Time NASCAR Champion Ben Rhodes talks about what it takes to win races and championships!