The stretch drive for the Chase is in full swing and that's where the attention should be focused as we race through this final month of summer.

But usually at this time of the year we get a sneak peek of next season in the way of new team-driver combinations and even some tweaks to the schedules.

There hasn't been much to report on that front.

Martin Truex, Jr.'s move to Michael Waltrip Racing and the subsequent semi-retirement of Watlrip is about the only major change that's taken place so far.

Truex's old ride at Earnhardt Ganaasi Racing remains open and Roush Fenway's sponsor shuffle has made Jamie McMurray the leading candidate to slide to that car as he's now the odd man out at RFR.

But that's about it.

Tony Stewart quieted speculation over the weekend at Watkins Glen that his team would expand to three or four cars next season, a scenario many felt was a slam dunk and the next career move for Brad Keselowski.

Sponsorships are scarce and Stewart, who has to be commended for building his team into a contender in year one, is reluctant to grow too big too soon.

Keselowski remains in limbo and as maybe the hottest commodity in the Sprint Cup garage area is pretty limited in his options to move into NASCAR's top series as s full-time driver in 2010. If Hendrick Motorsports and Roush are having problems finding financial support for next year, it's understandable other teams are coming up dry in their quest for sponsors.

Keselowski's current Nationwide Series employer JR Motorsports isn't going to graduate its operation to the Cup level without some heavy sponsorship behind such a move. Right now that's a long shot at the very best.

The 2010 schedule situation also appears to be pretty much status quo with Dover's Sprint Cup date shifting back to mid-May, more a result on the way next year's calendar falls with Easter and Memorial Day.

There won't be any big changes on the Nationwide and Truck Series slates with Milwaukee's future still very much up in the air. The trucks will return to Darlington in the Spring and there's a report Pocono will also be added to its schedule.

So all's quiet on the western front so to speak with nothing major expected to be announced anytime soon.

I guess we'll just have to concentrate on who makes it into the Chase.

And that's not that bad an option come to think of it.

Tony Stewart's amazing first season as an owner-driver continued on Monday with his fifth career Watkins Glen win and third victory of the season. Stewart is nearly unbeatable at the twisting road course and carried a great deal of confidence into the weekend, understandably after his performance on Monday.

Unfortunately we had to endure another rain-soaked original race day this weekend when torrential storms wiped out Sunday's scheduled start. The last time the Cup Series was rained out back-to-back was 1997. Let's hope it's at least that long before it happens again.

The violent crash involving Jeff Gordon, Sam Hornish, Jr. and Jeff Burton brought out the red flag and thankfully didn't cause severe injuries to any of the trio. Hornish's car looked like it had been involved in a Daytona or Talladega wreck after being hit three different times. Hopefully the impact won't set Gordon's back problems back any further.

Lots of harsh words by many drivers over the weekend in both the Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup Series. It's typical of road course racing to see some aggressive racing and subsequently angry drivers. Best of the weekend might have been Joey Logano's instant classic in his description of Robby Gordon after their tangle in the Nationwide Series race; " Stupid is forever." I may have to get the t-shirt license for that one.

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