Chicagoland: Series season finale preview

CHAMPIONS TO BE CROWNED AT CHICAGOLAND

SunRichGourmet.com 100

Date / Time
12:30 (EDT)
Sunday, Sept. 7

Track
Chicagoland Speedway
(1.5-mile oval)

Distance
67 laps/100 miles

TV
ESPN2 (LIVE)
12:30 (EDT)
Sept. 7

Radio
IMS Radio Network

2007 Winner
Logan Gomez

2007 Polesitter
Alex Lloyd

SunRichGourmet.com 100 Race Notes:

Familiar names race in Chicagoland

The SunRichGourmet.com 100 entry list features several drivers hoping to emulate their family's success in open-wheel racing

* Richard Antinucci, the nephew of 1998 Indianapolis 500 winner Eddie Cheever Jr., drives the No. 7 Lucas Oil/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car. Antinucci will try to capture his first Firestone Indy Lights title in his first start at Chicagoland Speedway.

* Sean Guthrie, driver of the No. 4 Carcrafters Guthrie Racing car, is the son of three-time Indianapolis 500 starter Jim Guthrie. Guthrie will make his third start at Chicagoland Speedway in search of his first win.

* Arie Luyendyk Jr., driver of the No. 26 Andretti Green Racing/AFS Racing car, also seeks his first series win at Chicagoland. The second-generation driver, who makes his fifth start at Chicagoland Speedway, is the son of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk.

Sweet Home Chicago

Several drivers racing this weekend consider Chicagoland Speedway their hometown track. Defending Chicagoland race winner Logan Gomez, who will defend his title with Guthrie Racing,is a native of Crown Point, Ind., while Jonathan Klein and Brent Sherman both call the northern suburbs of Chicago home. Klein, who drives for Team Moore Racing, is from Long Grove, Ill., while Sherman, who drives for Panther Racing, lives in Wauconda, Ill.

Season To Date:

* A record-setting nine drivers have won races this year - Dillon Battistini, Raphael Matos, Richard Antinucci, J.R. Hildebrand, Bobby Wilson, Ana Beatriz, James Davison, Franck Perera and Pablo Donoso. Battistini has the most wins with four (Homestead, Indianapolis, Iowa and Kentucky). Matos (three ) and Antinucci (two) are the only other drivers with multiple wins.

* A record-tying six drivers have won the SWE Pole Award this season - Raphael Matos, Dillon Battistini, Pablo Donoso, Arie Luyendyk Jr.., Franck Perera and James Davison. Matos is the only driver to win more than one pole (Homestead, St. Pete, Mid-Ohio and Kentucky).

* Richard Antinucci has finished on the podium in eight of the 15 races this season. He won St. Petersburg 2 and Watkins Glen 2 and finished second at Homestead, St. Petersburg 1, Indianapolis and Watkins Glen 1. Antinucci was third at Mid-Ohio 1 and Infineon 1.

Milestones:

* Arie Luyendyk Jr. will attempt to make his 62nd Firestone Indy Lights start at Infineon Raceway, which would extend his series record.

Schedule (local time):

Sept. 6
8-9 a.m. - Firestone Indy Lights practice
11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. - Firestone Indy Lights practice (two groups)
2-3 p.m. - SWE Pole Qualifying

Sept. 7
11 a.m. - SunRichGourmet.com 100 pre-race
11:30 a.m. - SunRichGourment.com 100 (67 laps/100 miles)

-credit: irl