KERCHNER: The Heat Race

CONCORD, N.C. — It’s Friday. Let’s take a quick tour around the motorsports world.

• The IZOD IndyCar Series visits Iowa Speedway Saturday evening for some good old-fashioned short-track racing. However, we’re not as interested in the racing as we are seeing what IndyCar officials will do to shoot themselves in the foot this week. Since Indianapolis, it’s been one debacle after another.

• It is road-racing weekend for NASCAR with the Sprint Cup Series at Sonoma in California and the Nationwide Series taking to the scenic Road America road course in Wisconsin. If you can look past the crashing and rough driving, they should be two of the most interesting races of the season. The added strategy and the participation of road-racing ringers add to the intrigue.

• Formula One is back on the track this weekend in Valencia, Spain. Will there be an unbelievable eighth winner in the first eight races of the season? There are still a couple drivers including Michael Schumacher capable of cracking victory lane, but we say the streak ends here.

• One of the most competitive seasons in World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series history continues this weekend with a two-night stand at Dodge City (Kan.) Raceway Park. Donny Schatz, who is back on top the standings, takes a 19-point advantage over 20-time champion Steve Kinser into the weekend. Eight drivers have won multiple features this season, led by Sammy Swindell with five victories.

• Josh Hayes takes the AMA Pro Road Racing Daytona SuperBike point lead into this weekend’s doubleheader at Alabama’s Barber Motorsports Park.

• Summer Speedweeks for sprint cars hit full stride this weekend. The final two rounds of the Lucas Oil ASCS Speedweek take the series to Salina, Okla., and Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.

Meanwhile, the 30th annual Ohio Speedweek, sanctioned by the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions, kicks off tonight at Attica Raceway Park.

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Posted by Mike Kerchner on Jun 22 2012 Filed under Columns, Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.