1. Lewis Hamilton -- Victory in Grand Prix of Russia not only all-but locks up another world championship, it puts him one ahead of Ayrton Senna with 42 career GP wins. Hamilton is now tied with Sebastian Vettel in that category. Next up: U.S. GP at Circuit of the Americas.
2. Joey Logano -- Charlotte victory guarantees he'll move on to the third round of the Sprint Cup championship Chase.
3. Patrick Dempsey -- Actor -- and serious racer -- achieves his first-ever FIA World Endurance Championship win in the rain at Japan's Fuji circuit. He co-drove with Patrick Long and Marco Seefried in a GTE-Am class Porsche 911 RSR in the six-hour event.
4. Donny Schatz -- Season-win No. 31 for the already-clinched World of Outlaws champion. That ties Steve Kinser's mark for third-most in an Outlaws' season. Schatz should be Driver of the Year.
6. Mark Miles -- We're still waiting for the 2016 IndyCar schedule from the CEO. Phoenix? Pocono? Milwaukee? Gateway? 2. Joey Logano -- Charlotte victory guarantees he'll move on to the third round of the Sprint Cup championship Chase.
3. Patrick Dempsey -- Actor -- and serious racer -- achieves his first-ever FIA World Endurance Championship win in the rain at Japan's Fuji circuit. He co-drove with Patrick Long and Marco Seefried in a GTE-Am class Porsche 911 RSR in the six-hour event.
4. Donny Schatz -- Season-win No. 31 for the already-clinched World of Outlaws champion. That ties Steve Kinser's mark for third-most in an Outlaws' season. Schatz should be Driver of the Year.
5. Kody Swanson -- Wins the farewell USAC Silver Crown race at the New York State Fairgrounds as the Syracuse Mile fades into history. Swanson has four victories and a second consecutive series title.
7. Lee Spencer -- Reports on Motorsport.com that NASCAR may change its green-white-checker rule for Talladega. That's what the drivers, but likely not the fans, want.
8. Tony Schumacher and Jack Beckman -- Halfway through NHRA's Countdown they are second in the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes, respectively, and need wins this weekend in Texas to close on Antron Brown and Del Worsham.
10. Jeff Gordon -- Still in contention to finish his Hall of Fame career with a fifth NASCAR championship, he's among the tire testers this week at Phoenix International Raceway.
[ more next week . . . ]
