Three races remain in the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires title chase. Six drivers hold a mathematical chance of winning the championship, but in all probability the winner will come from among the current top three -- Gabby Chaves, Jack Harvey and Zach Veach -- who are separated by 24 points going into the Aug. 17 final oval race of the season, the Milwaukee Mile 100.
NBCSN's race telecast is at 6 p.m. (ET) Aug. 17. Live Timing & Scoring complemented by the IMS Radio Network broadcast of all on-track sessions is on IndyCar.com.
Each of them will be anxious to get a little breathing space prior to the title-deciding doubleheader one week later at the Sonoma Raceway road course in Northern California. Chaves leads the way following an impressive sophomore Indy Lights season with Belardi Auto Racing. The 21-year-old from Miami has won four times, including both previous oval races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway, and holds an 18-point advantage over Harvey. Veach is six points further back.
Prior to the pair of races two weeks ago at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, it seemed as though Chaves and Veach, a two-time winner this season, would be fighting it out for the title. Except no one told Harvey, a 21-year-old rookie, who swept both races.
Harvey, from Lincoln, England, does not have the advantage of any prior experience on the historic Milwaukee Mile but he does have momentum. The former British Formula 3 champion also can draw on the depth of knowledge of his team, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports with Curb-Agajanian, which has won each of the past three Milwaukee events with Sage Karam (2013), Tristan Vautier (2012) and Esteban Guerrieri (2011).
Veach, 19, from Stockdale, Ohio, has high expectations after displaying good form on the ovals, finishing third at Indianapolis and second at Pocono from the pole. Veach also enjoyed a strong run at Milwaukee last year, qualifying on the pole and leading a race-high 56 laps before having to settle for second place behind eventual series champion Karam.
With his two wins and six additional podiums, Harvey currently holds an 88-point advantage in the Rookie of the Year standings over Andretti Autosport's Matthew Brabham and a 101-point spread over teammate Luiz Razia.
The team championship also is finely poised. Schmidt Peterson currently leads the way on 314 points, followed by Belardi Auto Racing on 291 and Andretti Autosport on 283. Schmidt Peterson has won the past four championships.