No. 1 Tony Schumacher

U.S. Army Dragster, NHRA Top Fuel
Schumacher may own every significant NHRA Top Fuel record before he’s done. He eclipsed Joe Amato’s record of 52 career victories at the inaugural Carolinas Nationals, while extending his record class-round winning streak to 28 en route to his seventh-straight Wally.

2. Scott Dixon

No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Dallara-Honda, IndyCar Series
Dixon’s second IndyCar Series title came with six victories and a near miss in the season finale at Chicagoland.

3. Kyle Busch

No. 18/51 Toyotas, NASCAR Sprint Cup/Craftsman Truck Series
A part failure cost Busch dearly as The Chase got under way. The former points leader finished 34th and is now eighth in the standings.

4. Jimmie Johnson

No. 48 Chevrolet, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Johnson is peaking once again as The Chase begins, starting it with a second-place finish after leading the most laps at New Hampshire.

5. Carl Edwards

Nos. 99/60 Fords, NASCAR Sprint Cup/Nationwide Series
Edwards’s third-place finish left him in a tie atop The Chase standings along with Johnson, 30 points ahead of race-winner Greg Biffle.

6. Donny Schatz

No. 15 J&J Sprint Car, World of Outlaws
Schatz captured his 14th victory of the season Sept. 10 and followed that up with a runner-up finish at Lucas Oil Speedway Sunday.

7. Johnny Benson

No. 23 Toyota, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Benson finished second at New Hampshire and now has three wins, a second, a third and a fourth in his last six races.

8. Jason Meyers

No. 14 KPC Sprint Car, World of Outlaws
Meyers is back to his steady run of top-five finishes, taking a third and a fourth during a rainy week of competition.

9. Helio Castroneves

No. 3 Team Penske Dallara-Honda, IndyCar Series
Castroneves ended his season without the elusive IndyCar Series title, but won two of three races to end the season on a high note.

10. Shane Clanton

No. 25 Rocket, World of Outlaws Late Model Series
With a victory Saturday at the Pepsi Nationals, Clanton has won two straight and three of four races, including the prestigious World 100.

Honorable Mention
With F-1 heavyweights struggling, Sebastian Vettel delivered a stunning victory at Monza for Toro Rosso...With controversy swirling around him, Ron Hornaday, Jr. won a second straight in NASCAR Trucks.

Last Week
Kyle Busch’s woes dropped him to third in this week’s rankings. Meanwhile, Donny Schatz moved up to sixth, and dirt-late-model racer Shane Clanton enters the countdown at No. 10.