Fontana Storylines

As the IZOD IndyCar Series season winds down to its frenzied finale, all eyes are on the championship, naturally. The title is more Dixon's to lose, since he holds a fairly comfortable 25-point lead over Helio Castroneves. But as we saw last year, anything can happen. And there are plenty of other storylines to follow in Fontana. I can't wait!

Of course, not only is Dixon gunning for another IndyCar championship, but he and Tony Kanaan are also seeking another leg of the Triple Crown and a $250,000 bonus. So don't think that Dixie will just settle for a top ten, even if it guarantees him the overall title. Thanks to IndyCar for bringing back the Triple Crown and the added intrigue that accompanies it.

There are also extra financial incentives and bragging rights for being one of the top five overall drivers for the year. And if you look at fourth through seventh in the standings, this fight gets pretty heated. Justin Wilson looks to put a cap on a highly impressive year and finally receive his due, and reigning champ Ryan Hunter-Reay wants to show that he's still one of (if not the) the best drivers in the series. He'll have to beat his teammate Marco Andretti to secure that top-five overall finish.

To me, the most intriguing storyline concerns the manufacturer competition. Chevy and Honda have each won 9 races this year, and this race is anyone's to take. I think that adds some extra drama and motivation for all teams, especially those not named Penske or Ganassi. Honda will be looking to prove that Pocono was no fluke and they can be counted on to win a 500-mile race. And after Chevy snatched Ganassi from Honda's clutches, you can bet they will be looking for even more bragging rights and IndyCar domination.

This race kind of has an all-star feel to it (or a family reunion perhaps), as it brings back some of the IndyCar stars from this year and years past: A.J. Allmendinger racing for Team Penske. Alex Tagliani taking Dario Franchitti's spot. Both of these drivers are strong on ovals, and will be helping their teammates try to secure the championship title, so this will be fascinating to watch. We will also see the return of J.R. Hildebrand, driving for Tagliani's former employer, Barracuda Racing, and the popular, likable Pippa Mann, who will reunite with Dale Coyne Racing. With the exception of Allmendinger, who already has a full-time ride in NASCAR next year, all of these drivers are also essentially auditioning for next season, so they will want to make a good impression.

This also marks the final race for the IZOD IndyCar Series, although I don't expect we'll see much of a farewell party for that title sponsor. It's also National Guard's last collaboration with Panther Racing, so can you say awkward? It would be most ironic if either Allmendinger or Oriol Servia wins the race, as an ode to these two sponsors.

There's much more to watch for I'm sure, but above all else, and especially after what happened in Houston, I know we all hope for a clean, safe race. Dario and Dan will be on everyone's minds in this finale, and I hope all drivers, crews, and fans are treated to an enjoyable, safe night of entertainment and good racing action.