Louisville's Ben Rhodes has made the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series playoffs. He squeaked in after a not so good team performance in New Hampshire. Out of the 10-drivers who make the playoffs, Ben came in 9th in points.  The 2-Time NASCAR Truck Series Champion does not have a win this year. His ThorSport Race Team lacked consistency.  It will take everything Ben has to possible get a shot to make it to the Championship 4.  Layne Riggs has been the hot driver all year with six truck series wins.  The first playoff race for the trucks is Bristol on September 17th.  Stay tuned!  Louisville's Ben Rhodes talks about the pressure of  being in the playoffs and winning a title next week!   ​

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  As for the NASCAR Cup Series and the O' Reilly Auto Parts Series only one race remains: Daytona!   The O" Reilly racers battle on Friday. The Cup stars this Saturday! In the Cup series only 3 playoff slots remain, as 13 other drivers have locked in to the post season.  Anything can happen at anytime at Daytona. Should be exciting to watch a handful of drivers try and work their way into the playoffs.

  

   In the INDY Car series, Alex Palou lost some valuable points after a terrible day in the Freedom 250 in Washington, DC. Kyle Kirkwood took the top podium spot. There will be two events in Milwaukee on August 29th and 30th, followed by the season finale in California. Palou holds a 91 point lead over Kirkwood.  It is unlikely anyone can beat Palou given his massive points lead.  Stranger things have happened. 

 

  The NHRA returns to action during the long week leading up to Labor Day weekend.  Some races remain tight. Many races remain in the 2026 season. But things should get sorted out a little after the upcoming event, the NHRA US Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.  Lucas Oil is a longtime sponsor of the NHRA.

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​​​​​​   With school back in session, that means local tracks will be concluding races for those season long championships. But after the champions are known, many tracks have other events through October. The Sportsdrome Speedway, just off I-65 in Jeffersonville, is a small flat track full of fun and excitement. It is just 10 minutes from the bridges in downtown Louisville.  They usually end the season schedule in late September.   The half-mile high banked track at the Salem Speedway is only an hour from Louisville in Southern Indiana. They race into late October including the legendary Halloween 200!   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 supporters, including our main sponsor, Lucas Oil Products!  Also, Herrings Outdoor Sports!  It is a great place for all of your summer and fall 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 !