rpm.espn.com: Drivers to Watch

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Wednesday, August 8
Drivers to Watch
ESPN.com news services

Check out a short list of drivers to keep an eye on this weekend at Kentucky.

Buzz Calkins
Has the longest active streak of running at the finish, completing the last 11 races dating to August 2000 at Kentucky Speedway; top result in that span was third on April 28 at Atlanta Motor Speedway; up to seventh in the standings with 178 points; finished 12th here last year.

Eddie Cheever Jr.
His 50 consecutive starts matches Buddy Lazier for the circuit record; a rather disappointing season, despite victory at the Ameristar Casino Indy 200 at Kansas Speedway; has been among the fastest cars since the Indianapolis 500; eighth in the standings with 173 points; was fourth in this inaugural race last year.

Sarah Fisher
Recorded the highest finish (second) for a woman in an Indy-style race in April at the Grand Prix of Miami; also qualified second for the SunTrust Indy Challenge in Richmond for the best starting spot for a woman; in just her second full IRL season, the 20-year-old is 14th in the overall standings with 147 points; finished an impressive third here last year.

Felipe Giaffone
Dominating the Rookie of the Year standings with 241 points and is fourth in the overall standings; the next highest rookie is Didier Andre with 119 points; has finished no lower than 11th in all nine races this year; best effort was second place in Texas; also had finishes of sixth at Phoenix, fourth at Miami, 10th at both Atlanta and Indianapolis, seventh at Pikes Peak, fourth in Kansas City and eighth in the last race at Nashville; one of three drivers to be running at the finish of all nine races this season, joining Buzz Calkins and Sam Hornish Jr.

Sam Hornish Jr.
The 21-year-old holds a 40-point lead over reigning IRL champion Buddy Lazier with four races to go; finished ninth as a rookie at Kentucky Speedway last year; a tremendous season with only one finish outside the top 10, a 14th at the Indianapolis 500; has finished in the top six in every other race, including wins in Phoenix and Miami to start the season and three consecutive second-place finishes; tops the board in laps led with 551 and has earned over $1 million; running at the finish in all nine races this year.

Buddy Lazier
His victory July 21 at Nashville was his seventh career Indy Racing League checkered flag, the most of any driver; it was also his third win in the last four races and fifth straight top-five finish; is 40 points behind Sam Hornish Jr. in the standings with four races remaining; has led 352 laps this season, good for third in the circuit, and is just shy of $1 million in earnings; defending champion of the Belterra Casino Indy 300.

Eliseo Salazar
The experienced racer from Chile has performed well this season; top finish was second at Phoenix, followed by a third in Miami; also posted a fifth in Atlanta and seventh at both Texas and Kansas City; his seventh-place finish in the Indianapolis 500 was the highest for a driver from the Indy Racing Northern Light Series; his 236 points places him fifth in the standings; competed three years in Formula One, scoring points in a handful of races; won three IMSA sports car races before moving to open-wheel racing.

Scott Sharp
Top-eight finishes in seven races has him third in the IRL standings with 244 points; a distant 55 points behind Buddy Lazier and 98 back of leader Sam Hornish Jr.; won the Casino Magic 500 in Texas; has started the pole twice and from the front row in two other races; finished in the top eight in six races; has recorded at least one victory in five successive seasons.

Al Unser Jr.
The 1992 and 1994 Indianapolis 500 champion has finished in the top 10 in just three races this year, with a third at the SunTrust Indy Challenge in Richmond his best result; slipped out of the top 10 in the standings after finishing outside the top 10 the past two races; has 153 points.

	Viewer's Guide: Aug. 10-12