Avoiding mistakes, consistency, and a little luck are all ingredients to win a Championship in NASCAR. Over the second half of the year we've talked about that in the Cup Series.  For much of the 2026 season, it looked like Denny Hamlin had the magic. Once the playoffs hit, it all but disappeared.  Others tried to rise to the top: Christopher Bell, William Byron, and Chase Briscoe.  None could fully get it done.  One driver has and will likely be crowned 2026 NASCAR Cup Champion. Kyle Larson and his Hendrick Motorsports team just haven't shown up every week. They've had it all together. Sure there were bumps in the road. But the team rebounded. Paving the way for Larson to win his 3rd Cup title. He also won in 2021 and is the defending Cup Series Champion (2025).  Martinsville and Homestead-Miami remain.  The Paper Clip at Martinsville could shuffle the points. But not Homestead to any degree.  Kyle Larson has a 73 point advantage.  

   

      Louisville's Ben Rhodes just didn't have it this year. Knowing Ben, he jumped in after a down 2025 season hoping to win races and compete strongly for a third NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship.  Rhodes is sitting 8th in points and can move up a few spots. But mathematically, he simply cannot win the 2026 Truck Series Championship.  Both the trucks and the O' Reilly Auto Parts Series compete at Martinsville and Miami-Homestead before the season ends.   ​

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  ​   ​  The NHRA wraps up its season November 12-15 in Pomona, California.  Like NASCAR, regular season champions were crowned in September.  With only a handful of events left, no driver has secured a 2026 World Championship in NHRA.  The top 3 leaders look strong and have been consistent. They are Shawn Langdon in Top Fuel, Matt Hagan in Funny Car, and in Pro Stock it is Greg Anderson. The Pro Stock Motorcycle leader Gaige Herrera only has a 50 point advantage over the rest of the field.  Before the season ending event in California,   drivers will race side-by-side Halloween weekend in Las Vegas.  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.      

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  Locally, track championships are 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!