Labor Day weekend might have meant one last chance to savor summer for many, but across baseball, it signals that the home stretch has officially arrived, and it is go time for those chasing a spot in the postseason field.

With that in mind, we asked ESPN's Bradford Doolittle, Sam Miller, Buster Olney and Jeff Passan to take a look at the standings and let us know what stands out to them with less than a month of regular-season baseball to play.

1. What's the first thing that jumps out to you in the standings right now?

Doolittle: In the NL, we have two divisions still in play, both because the deficits faced by the second-place teams are manageable and because those teams (Cubs and Nationals) have better run differentials than the teams they are chasing. These races are more interesting to me than the NL wild-card race because even though there are a lot of teams hovering in the four-to-six-games-behind range, none of them has shown that it is likely to get far enough above .500 to challenge the Cubs or Nationals. Both of those teams should have win totals at least in the high 80s, and I don't see the Phillies, Mets, etc. getting there.

Passan: The binary nature of the American League standings vs. the relative across-the-board mediocrity of the National League. There are almost no average teams in the AL, by record or run differential. Teams are good or bad. Only two teams -- the Rangers and Angels -- are on pace to win between 71 and 86 games. The NL, in the meantime, is a parade of 71-to-86-win teams -- seven at the moment, with two or three others threatening. It is the year of two distinct leagues.

Olney: It's incredible how bad the bottom of the American League is. The Seattle Mariners dumped a bunch of salary and have devoted themselves to a rebuilding/tanking strategy; they might finish the year with a run differential of minus-150 -- and there are four teams below them in the standings. The Detroit Tigers' run differential could end up at minus-300 or worse. Too much of the AL schedule is just not competitive, and a lot of baseball executives think it's a problem.

Miller: It's how great the best records are. There are four teams on pace to win 100 games (and a fifth, the Atlanta Braves, on pace for 99), and three are on pace to win 104. The latter has happened only once (in 1942), and the former has never happened, which gives this whole season a mere-prelude-to-the-postseason feel to it.

2. Which pennant race are you most excited to watch over the final month?

Doolittle: The NL Central race should be the best of the bunch. Unless the Cubs or Cardinals collapse between now and Sept. 19, it's going to go down to the wire. Beginning that day, Chicago and St. Louis will play four games at Wrigley Field, then meet again at Busch Stadium for three games to finish the season. It's two old rivals, and though both will likely make the playoffs, the race to avoid the wild-card game will keep the stakes high.

Olney: I'll jump on the NL Central bandwagon because there's nothing better than to see two rivals fighting for the same crown -- and in this case, the Cardinals and Cubs play each other in seven of the final 10 games, meaning that a second-place team can quickly reverse a deficit -- and the first-place team will apply pressure immediately. The year kicked off with Kris Bryant joking about how boring St. Louis is, a quote that will be repeated many, many times this month, no matter what happens.

Passan: Does a wild-card race count? Because the teams in the only clear pennant race to speak of, the National League Central, have spent the last five months fighting as much to show who doesn't want to win the division as who does. The AL wild card, on the other hand, is a wholesome bit of baseball fun. Three teams, in Tampa Bay, Cleveland and Oakland, that share the build-from-within ethos on account of low payrolls. All deadlocked today with 58 losses. And only two spots to be had, with the winner of that tussle moving on to face whoever prevails in the Yankees-Astros fight for home-field advantage, which has a chance to be a doozy of its own.

Miller: The choices are awfully few, so the answer has to be the AL wild card -- especially if the Boston Red Sox could rip off eight in a row and really make this thing fun. But I've started paying attention to the Dodgers, Astros and Yankees bidding for the best record. Home field doesn't shift that many postseason series, but these are three incredibly good teams that have been playing historically great seasons under the tepid stakes of 10- and 15-game division leads. I'd like to think these 162 games had them racing against somebody other than themselves.

3. How many playoff spots would you consider locked up right now?

Doolittle: I don't know about locked, but the five NL teams that are currently in playoff position are the five I think we'll be seeing in October. They are the five best teams in that league. In the AL, we can bank on the Yankees, Astros and Twins, but there is plenty of drama left in the wild-card race. Any combination of the Athletics, Indians and Rays could get in and it wouldn't surprise me, and I think the Red Sox have one more run in them, though the teams they are chasing are probably too good to catch from five-plus games behind.

Olney: Five in all: the Yankees and the Astros in the AL, and the Braves, Dodgers and Nationals -- Washington as a wild-card team in the NL.

Passan: Locked up, as in stone-cold, wouldn't-dare-bet-against-it, send-it-to-the-bank locks? Four: Yankees, Astros, Dodgers, Braves. I'm also exceedingly confident that the Twins, Nationals and Cardinals will play in October, but "lock" is a touch strong.

Miller: I think seven of the 10 teams -- the division leaders plus the Nationals -- are essentially certain to make it, and of those seven teams, six -- all but the Cardinals -- are essentially certain to win the playoff spot they currently hold. There's a small possibility that the Cardinals lose the NL Central and a slightly larger possibility that the Cubs lose the wild card, but the tension has whoopee cushioned out of those races. Just two spots -- the AL wild cards -- are wide open.

4. Which team currently in the playoff hunt do you think is most likely to miss the postseason?

Passan: Cleveland. Losing Jose Ramirez to a broken hamate bone for the remainder of the regular season hurt. Likewise, Tyler Naquin, who was having a sneaky-good season, was lost to a torn UCL. This is not to say the Indians aren't making the playoffs. On the contrary, not only do they have a good shot at the wild card, they've got an advantage over Tampa Bay and Oakland: They're still within striking distance in their division. But if it's a question of the Twins, Rays and A's beating the Indians, or the Phillies, Diamondbacks, Mets or Brewers topping the Cubs -- well, sorry, Cleveland.

Doolittle: Take your pick from whoever is holding on to the AL wild-card spots at the time this piece goes to press. They will have a really good third team bearing down on them. Whether it's the Rays, Indians or Athletics, you can just pick one of those clubs out of a hat.

Olney: It would be too easy to pick one of the AL wild-card contenders, so I'll say the Cubs. They've been so erratic this season, and given the concern about Anthony Rizzo and all of the games remaining against the Cardinals, I think there will be some drama as they try to fend off the pack of second wild-card wannabes -- the Brewers, Phillies, Mets and Diamondbacks.

Miller: The Phillies' final 26 games include 17 on the road and 20 against winning clubs. They aren't a good enough team to overcome that.

5. Who will get home-field advantage in the AL: Astros or Yankees?

Doolittle: Astros. They are simply the better team. The Yankees will probably land the second seed, but don't sleep on the Twins challenging them for that slot.

Olney: The Astros. Jeff Luhnow got some attention in other front offices for saying that he expects Houston to beat the Dodgers and Yankees for the No. 1 overall seed, but everything he said is right on the money. Their rotation is that good.

Miller: The Astros, who have the tiebreaker. Because they have the tiebreaker.

Passan: Astros. The teams' records are the same, at 90-49, a 104-win pace. They've got the same number of off-days left. The extenuating factor in favor of the Astros: home games and competition. Both of these teams are otherworldly at home, with 51 wins apiece there. Houston plays 13 of its final 23 games at Minute Maid Park. New York plays eight of its 23 at Yankee Stadium. And outside of a four-game slate against Oakland at home, the Astros don't play a single game against an over-.500 team from this Thursday through the end of the season.

6. Who will be the first to 100 wins, and when will the team get there?

Doolittle: I'll rule out the Dodgers because their September swoon from a couple of years ago is still embedded in my mind. It's still one of the most inexplicable slumps I've ever witnessed, and I prefer to have no stakes in their current game. I actually think the Yankees might have a tepid September. You'd figure that if they get healthier and start to get the roster they envisioned up and running before October, they might keep it rolling. But I think returnees such as Giancarlo Stanton, Dellin Betances, Luis Severino and Edwin Encarnacion will have an acclimation period, and some of the overachievers are due for regression. Houston's upcoming schedule is fairly soft, so the Astros seem like a good bet to hit 100 first -- say, Sept. 18 against the Rangers.

Olney: The Dodgers. They had a rough weekend in Arizona, but I think they'll be reenergized by their return this week to Dodger Stadium, where they never lose, and after six games against the Rockies and Giants, they'll have a series in Baltimore. I'll say Sept. 20 against Colorado (in a pick sure to go wrong).

Miller: The Yankees have six more games against winning teams. The Dodgers and Astros have just five apiece. Which means they could all get there in about two weeks, with two weeks to spare. I'll go with the Yankees to be first, on Sept. 18.

Passan: This is a fun one. The Yankees sandwich two games against Texas and three at Detroit around four at Boston. You know the Red Sox want to play spoiler -- and preserve their thin playoff hopes. The Astros have it pretty easy, as their only potential roadblock is Oakland. The Dodgers' schedule doesn't look bad -- they host Colorado and San Francisco, travel to Baltimore and the Mets, return home for Tampa Bay and Colorado -- but the cross-country flight can be a drain. Head says Houston ... but heart says Dodgers. The perks of private air travel.

7. Who will be first to 100 losses, and how quickly will the team get there?

Olney: If this makes sense ... the bad teams in baseball are closer to being terrible than the best teams are to being great. The Tigers could lose their 100th within a week, but let's say Sunday in Oakland. Detroit has been losing about three-quarters of its games since the All-Star break.

Passan: Detroit. It feels like the Tigers are there already, and while the next few days against Kansas City could provide a slight respite, they'll hit the magic number Sept. 12 at home against the Yankees.

Doolittle: The Tigers aren't there already? Give 'em 10 days.

Miller: Oh, yes, the flip side to the four 100-win teams: Four teams are going to lose 100 for only the second time in history. (And quite likely all will lose at least 102 or 103). The Tigers will get there first; they won't make it out of their Yankees series on Sept. 12.

8. Who will be the first player to 50 home runs, and when will he get there?

Doolittle: The momentum seems to be slowing for some of the leaders, and the hottest of the 40-homer guys is actually the Reds' Eugenio Suarez. He has gone deep more than anyone else since the All-Star break. But the current big league leader is Mike Trout, and when he's leading in something, you have to anticipate that he will retain the lead. Trout will hit 53 homers this year and knock his 50th circuit clout on Sept. 19 at Yankee Stadium. He'll get there first.

Olney: Mike Trout. Because he's Trout. And it'll be on Sept. 19 at Yankee Stadium. He'll go oppo.

Passan: Pete Alonso, on Sept. 18, in the final game of his first trip to Coors Field, where he will hit No. 50 with a swing that breaks the space-time continuum, or at least prompts the question: If Pete Alonso were a Rockie, would Barry Bonds' single-season record be in trouble?

Miller: I want to stretch and say Ronald Acuna Jr. will have a huge September -- 14 isn't at all unprecedented for the month! -- but even in the unlikely event that he does, he won't be first. It'll be Cody Bellinger, who has three games in Baltimore and that aforementioned run of bad opponents; he'll get there Sept. 21.

9. Which individual award or stat race are you most excited to watch over the final month?

Olney: Easy: the teammates competing against each other for the AL Cy Young Award, Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander. The pitcher who will be the most coveted free agent in the upcoming offseason vs. a guy who could retire today and earn unanimous election to the Hall of Fame. And if the voting in recent seasons provides some precedent, it'll probably come down to who is trending better in the second half. Right now, that's Cole, though some voters might lean toward Verlander because of his no-hitter, if their statistics are close.

Passan: There are plenty. Verlander and Cole in the teammate duel for the AL Cy Young. Christian Yelich and Cody Bellinger duking it out for the NL MVP. The complete question mark that is the NL Cy Young. But the most intriguing is the MLB home run crown. Forget about league titles. Practically every team and season-long home run record has fallen this year, and hitting more than everyone else crowns you king of the home runningest season in history. There are four clear candidates: Bellinger (44), Alonso (43), Trout (43) and Yelich (43). Throw Suarez (40) in the mix, especially if his hand injury after getting hit by a pitch doesn't sideline him long. Might as well add Freddie Freeman (38) too. With this ball, it's not just a race for 50. It may take 55 to capture the crown.

Doolittle: This might be a little esoteric, but Cody Bellinger has a chance to lead the National League in both runs created (the FanGraphs version based on wOBA) and defensive runs saved. I'm pretty down on defensive metrics these days, but this still strikes me as exceedingly impressive. You can't get much more well-rounded than that. The only thing bad about the pursuit is that you won't really know if he gets it while watching the game. You have to wait until the final leaderboards are published. That's one reason you can only go so far rooting for WAR, WPA, DRS, RC, etc. -- you don't know a unit of any of these things when you see it, as opposed to traditional counting measures.

Miller: Even before his no-hitter Sunday, Justin Verlander's push for a second Cy Young has been incredible to watch. He has finished second for the award three times but could arguably have won all three. Now, at 36, after his decline seemed irreversible just a few years ago, he's having the best season of his career in a wonderful twist on the inevitable story of aging.

10. What's one under-the-radar thing you'll be following the rest of the season?

Passan: The continuing marginalization of the fastball. In 2002, pitchers threw fastballs 64.4% of the time and at an average velocity of 89 mph, according to FanGraphs. Today, those numbers are 52.6% and 93.1 mph. Baseball is close to the point where a fastball is an on-speed pitch and off-speed offerings are the norm, and as the clown cars of September pitching empty on a nightly basis, it will be interesting to see whether the annual watering down of the game in the final month of the season has any effect on overall numbers that as much as anything signal baseball's rapid evolution.

Doolittle: Well, I've been following Albert Pujols' RBI count all season. Let me preface this by acknowledging that none of this would mean that Pujols' presence in the Angels' lineup for 500-plus plate appearances is helping them all that much. But I am a sucker for history, even when it involves counting stats that the dogmatic set will invariably decry. Pujols has a chance for 100 RBIs, which would mark his 15th season getting there. That would break the record he currently shares with Alex Rodriguez. He needs 18 more RBIs, and you have to assume this is his last best chance. This record might mean a little more now that it appears very unlikely that Pujols will chase down Hank Aaron for most career RBIs -- not if he's going to retire after two more seasons.

Olney: The possible staff changes -- front office or manager -- that could be looming. The Phillies have had a disappointing season, and owner John Middleton has been monitoring the organization after spending a lot of money on Jake Arrieta and Bryce Harper the past two winters. Folks around baseball wonder if the Red Sox might really consider moving on from the accomplished Dave Dombrowski, as Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy suggested last month. Also, whom will Farhan Zaidi hire to replace Hall of Fame manager Bruce Bochy after this season?

Miller: Yu Darvish's revival is not that far under the radar, as Jesse Rogers wrote about him this week and pointed out that Darvish might be in line to win Comeback Player of the Year. But the Cubs' ace (finally) is one of the big postseason stories in the rest of the regular season. Without Darvish, it's hard to take the Cubs seriously as playoff contenders or even as one-game challengers against Max Scherzer in the NL wild-card game. But we've all seen Darvish at his best before, and he's a no-hitter waiting to happen. He's also a great redemption story after two terrible starts in the 2017 World Series.

USADA withdraws charge after receiving guidance from the World Anti-Doping Agency

American sprinter Christian Coleman can return to racing after the whereabouts violation case against him was withdrawn.

The world 100m leader, who has run 9.81 this year and broke the 60m indoor world record with 6.34 last year, had been charged with a potential anti-doping rule violation for failing to properly file his whereabouts information.

But on Monday the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced that it had withdrawn the charge after receiving guidance from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on the interpretation of the current International Standard for Testing and Investigations (ISTI) concerning the date on which a failure to update an athlete’s changed whereabouts information should be considered to have occurred.

A statement from USADA adds: “As a result of this interpretation, Coleman is not considered to have three whereabouts failures in a 12-month period and is not considered to have committed an anti-doping rule violation. Three whereabouts failures in a 12-month period is an anti-doping rule violation under Article 2.4 of the World Anti-Doping Code.”

WADA rules require athletes to submit their whereabouts for one hour every day, plus overnight accommodation and training information, in case they are needed for out-of-competition testing.

According to the statement, anti-doping rules state that the date of a missed test actually relates back to the first day of the relevant quarter.

Therefore, Coleman’s three missed tests are not considered part of the same 12-month period.

“USADA recorded a Filing Failure for Coleman on June 6, 2018, when a DCO (Doping Control Officer) attempted to test Coleman and discovered that he had failed to update his Whereabouts Filing to accurately reflect his location,” reads the USADA statement in part.

“Coleman was subsequently charged with Whereabouts Failures on January 16 and April 26, 2019. Based on these three failures USADA initiated a case against Coleman for three Whereabouts Failures in a 12-month period.

“However, based on a Comment in the ISTI that states that Filing Failures relate back to the first day of the quarter, Coleman contended that his failure to update which was discovered on June 6, 2018, should relate back to April 1, 2018, which would be more than 12 months prior to Coleman’s most recent Whereabouts Failure on April 26, 2019. As a result, USADA consulted with WADA to receive an official interpretation of the relevant Comment in the ISTI. This interpretation was received on Friday, August 30, 2019, and was that the Filing Failure which USADA had recorded in June 2018, should relate back to April 1, 2018, the first day of the quarter in which the failure to update occurred.

“Given these facts, USADA has determined that under the applicable rules, and in order to ensure that Coleman is treated consistently with other athletes under the World Anti-Doping Program, Coleman should not be considered to have three Whereabouts Failures in a 12-month period. Accordingly, USADA has withdrawn its charge that Coleman committed an anti-doping rule violation and has so notified WADA and the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

“USADA has determined that the hearing is no longer necessary, and Coleman is permitted to compete immediately. However, under the applicable rules USADA’s decision not to move forward on a potential rule violation against Coleman, is subject to appeal by the IAAF and/or WADA.”

USADA CEO Travis Tygart said: “Every athlete is entitled to a presumption of innocence until their case is concluded through the established legal process. This is certainly the case for Mr Coleman, who has been found by USADA not to have committed a Whereabouts Violation and is fully eligible to compete under the rules.”

In a statement given to Ato Boldon, the commentator and 1999 world 200m champion, last month, 2017 world silver medallist Coleman protested his innocence and said he was confident that he would be able to compete at the upcoming IAAF World Championships in Doha.

A 72-strong squad has been announced for the global event in Qatar

A British team of 72 athletes has been named for the IAAF World Championships in Doha taking place from September 27 to October 6.

Dina Asher-Smith, Zharnel Hughes and Adam Gemili have all been confirmed for sprint doubles, with Gemili also joined on the 4x100m squad by his fellow reigning world relay champions Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake and CJ Ujah.

In total, 44 athletes return to the world stage after having earned selection for London two years ago, including British 1500m champion Laura Muir and world indoor hurdles champion Andrew Pozzi, while 24 athletes will make a World Championships debut for GB & NI in Doha, including European indoor silver medallists Jamie Webb and Tim Duckworth and British champions Ojie Edoburun, Neil Gourley, Harry Coppell and Ben Williams.

Kyle Langford has been handed the third men’s 800m spot, while Jake Wightman has secured a 1500m place.

Mo Farah has not yet confirmed whether he will race as the defending 10,000m champion and the team does not currently feature any male athletes in that event, but Eilish McColgan and Steph Twell have been named for the 25-lap discipline, with McColgan set to double up in the 5000m where she will be joined by Jessica Judd and Laura Weightman.

A first wave of athlete selections was announced in May, with Callum Hawkins confirmed for the men’s marathon, although Dewi Griffiths has withdrawn through injury.

Charlotte Purdue and Tish Jones run the women’s marathon.

British Athletics states that any invites for the championships will be considered “in line with the British Athletics selection policy”.

The governing body adds: “Given the timelines outlined by the IAAF as to when these invites will be received, appeals will not be considered.”

British Athletics performance director Neil Black said: “It gives me great pleasure to name the 72 athletes selected to compete for Great Britain & Northern Ireland at the IAAF World Championships in Doha, starting later this month. Given the standard of performances from British athletes this season, and the strength in depth we possess in several events, finalising the team was far from easy and there were some tough decisions to make.

“In the 72 athletes, I truly believe we have selected the strongest team possible to compete for medals on the global stage. The team is full of world-class athletes who over the past two years since we were hosts in London have proven that they belong on the global stage.

“It is great to see so many athletes return having competed in London and also see so many make the step up to the world level for the first time. We have selected more women than men once again for a major championships and special mention needs to go to Martyn Rooney, who is competing at his eighth world championships, a truly remarkable feat for a great athlete.

“The championships are going to be held in a challenging climate at the end of what has been a long season already but what pleases me the most is how our athletes have approached the challenge and are ensuring that they peak when it matters most. The next three and a half weeks are key in preparing for the championships and I look forward to watching our athletes flourish in Doha.”

British team selected for the IAAF World Championships Doha 2019

MEN
100m: Ojie Edoburun, Adam Gemili, Zharnel Hughes
200m: Miguel Francis, Adam Gemili, Zharnel Hughes
400m: Matthew Hudson-Smith, Rabah Yousif
800m: Elliot Giles, Kyle Langford, Jamie Webb
1500m: Neil Gourley, Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman
5000m: Andrew Butchart, Ben Connor, Marc Scott
3000m steeplechase: Zak Seddon
110m hurdles: Andrew Pozzi
400m hurdles: Chris McAlister
Pole vault: Harry Coppell
Triple jump: Ben Williams
Hammer: Nick Miller
Decathlon: Tim Duckworth
Marathon: Callum Hawkins
20km race walk: Tom Bosworth, Callum Wilkinson
50km race walk: Cameron Corbishley, Dominic King
4x100m: Ojie Edoburun, Miguel Francis, Adam Gemili, Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, CJ Ujah
4x400m: Cameron Chalmers, Dwayne Cowan, Toby Harries, Matthew Hudson-Smith, Martyn Rooney, Lee Thompson, Rabah Yousif

WOMEN
100m: Dina Asher-Smith, Daryll Neita, Asha Philip
200m: Dina Asher-Smith, Beth Dobbin, Jodie Williams
400m: Emily Diamond, Laviai Nielsen
800m: Alexandra Bell, Shelayna Oskan-Clarke, Lynsey Sharp
1500m: Sarah McDonald, Laura Muir, Jemma Reekie
5000m: Jessica Judd, Eilish McColgan, Laura Weightman
10,000m: Eilish McColgan, Steph Twell
3000m steeplechase: Elizabeth Bird, Rosie Clarke, Aimee Pratt
100m hurdles: Cindy Ofili
400m hurdles: Meghan Beesley, Jessica Turner
High jump: Morgan Lake
Pole vault: Holly Bradshaw
Long jump: Abigail Irozuru, Shara Proctor
Shot put: Sophie McKinna
Heptathlon: Katarina Johnson-Thompson
Marathon: Tish Jones, Charlotte Purdue
4x100m: Dina Asher-Smith, Kristal Awuah, Imani-Lara Lansiquot, Daryll Neita, Ashleigh Nelson, Asha Philip
4x400m: Finette Agyapong, Amy Allcock, Zoey Clark, Emily Diamond, Beth Dobbin, Laviai Nielsen, Jessica Turner, Jodie Williams

England wing Jack Nowell will travel to the World Cup on Sunday despite being struck down with appendicitis while also recovering from his long-standing ankle problem.

Nowell spent four days in an Italian hospital after having his appendix removed last week.

But he has now joined up with the rest of the squad at their Treviso base.

England remain confident he will be fit to play a role in Japan, with their opener against Tonga on 22 September.

"We have no worries there," said assistant coach John Mitchell.

Mitchell says Nowell "needs a good meal" after his illness, but has praised his attitude and energy after returning to camp.

"What I really admire about him is when going through his rehab and the sickness, it doesn't seem to upset him in terms of the energy that he brings to the group," he added.

"He is a good man and we really back Jack."

Nowell hasn't played since damaging ankle ligaments in the Premiership final in June, and has now suffered a series of setbacks in his recovery.

"The ankle is progressing and we expect him to be running pretty soon," Mitchell added.

"The [appendicitis] doesn't help but we still have 20 days until the tournament start and they will be extremely vital for him."

Elsewhere, fellow wing Ruaridh McConnochie "has a shot" of being fit to make his long-awaited debut against Italy in Newcastle on Friday, but centre Henry Slade remains a doubt with his knee problem.

But Mitchell says it is "no major issue" if some players board the plane to Japan without having played any competitive rugby in their warm-up schedule.

"It's all about managing players and the way we train always gives us a very good indication of whether a player can handle the threshold of a Test match," he added.

'Game getting faster and more powerful'

Meanwhile, Mitchell says the game is "constantly changing and evolving" with a number of countries dropping experienced players from their squads on the eve of the tournament.

England have dispensed with the likes of Chris Robshaw, Mike Brown and Danny Care, while New Zealand have left out Owen Franks, Ireland have overlooked Devin Toner, and Wales have jettisoned experienced props Rob Evans and Samson Lee.

"This game is getting more powerful and faster," he explained.

"It's not a personal judgment on any of those guys but unless you can evolve physically with the demands of the game then you are always going to get challenged at some point.

"One thing this game has always taught me is there is no place for self-preservation and it's a tough environment."

SPEEDWAY, Ind. – Ninety drivers are on the final entry list for the Driven2SaveLives BC39 powered by NOS Energy Drink on Sept. 4-5 at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The 90 entered drivers marks the third largest field for a USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship event in the past three decades, which includes 23 USAC National championships and 208 total USAC National Midget feature wins spread out among the 90 drivers, a stacked field from top-to-bottom who are gunning for the $15,000 prize awarded to the winner of the feature on Sept. 5.

Among the 90 drivers entered are eight drivers who have extensive experience on the famed 2.5-mile oval surrounding the dirt track located in turn three of the infield.

Conor Daly and J.J. Yeley have each finished in the top-ten at the Indianapolis 500, Daly in this past May’s race and Yeley in 1998.  Yeley has also made eight Brickyard 400 starts, with fellow Brickyard starters Kyle Larson and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ready to give the BC39 a go along with NASCAR Xfinity Series race veterans Chase Briscoe, Christopher Bell and Chad Boat, who finished as the runner-up in the inaugural BC39 in 2018.  Meanwhile, Chris Windom made a start in this year’s Freedom 100 Indy Lights race on Carb Day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Brady Bacon is the reigning BC39 race winner from a year ago, leading the final nine laps to score the popular victory.  Bacon is a two-time USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car champ in 2014 and ’16 and one of 11 past USAC National champs in the BC39 lineup, in addition to Yeley, Bell and Windom.

Tyler Courtney is the defending USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car titlist, while Logan Seavey is the reigning USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget champ. Dave Darland and Jerry Coons Jr. are among the three USAC Triple Crown champs, along with Yeley, to have won all three USAC National championships throughout their career.
Spencer Bayston, Tanner Thorson and Russ Gamester represent three more titles among eight previous USAC National Midget champions represented in the BC39 field.

The full entry list can be found below:

BC39 ENTRY LIST (90 Drivers)
00 LUKE HOWARD/Overland Park, KS (Jay Mounce)
08 CANNON McINTOSH/Bixby, OK (Dave Mac Motorsports)
1 KARSYN ELLEDGE/Mooresville, NC (Tucker/Boat Motorsports)
1BR CHASE JONES/Greenwood, IN (SFH Racing Development)
1K BRAYTON LYNCH/Springfield, IL (Rusty Kunz Racing)
1NZ MICHAEL PICKENS/Auckland, NZ (RMS LLC)
1ST ALEX BRIGHT/Collegeville, PA (Daryl Saucier)
2 RYAN HALL/Midlothian, TX (Mark Bush)
2J J.J. YELEY/Phoenix, AZ (Jeff Taylor)
2x MATT LINDER/Hoschton, GA (Mark Bush)
3 RICH DRANGMEISTER/Hobart, IN (Rich Drangmeister)
3N JAKE NEUMAN/New Berlin, IL (Jim Neuman)
4A JUSTIN GRANT/Ione, CA (RAMS Racing)
4D ROBERT DALBY/Anaheim, CA (Ken Dalby)
5 KEVIN THOMAS, JR./Cullman, AL (Petry Motorsports)
5B CHASE BRISCOE/Mitchell, IN (Chase Briscoe Racing)
5D ZACH DAUM/Pocahontas, IL (Daum Motorsports)
7 CRITTER MALONE/Pittsboro, IN (Seven LLC)
7BC TYLER COURTNEY/Indianapolis, IN (Clauson/Marshall Racing)
7s JON STEED/Rushville, IN (Steed Motorsports)
7u KYLE JONES/Kennedale, TX (Trifecta Motorsports)
7x THOMAS MESERAULL/San Jose, CA (RMS LLC)
8 RANDI PANKRATZ/Atascadero, CA (Wally Pankratz)
9 CHRIS BAUE/Indianapolis, IN (Chris Baue)
9B CLINTON BOYLES/Greenwood, MO (Jay Mounce)
9H EMILIO HOOVER/Broken Arrow, OK (James Hoover)
10 LANCE BENNETT/Aurora, CO (Olivia Bennett)
10A MICHAEL KLEIN/Elsmere, KY (Mike Wallace)
11L AARON LEFFEL/Springfield, OH (Chuck Taylor)
11m KENDALL RUBLE/Vincennes, IN (Martin Motorsports)
11T TOMMY KOUNS/Lebanon, IN (Chuck Taylor)
12 BILLY WEASE/Noblesville, IN (Amanda Wease)
15 DAVE DARLAND/Lincoln, IN (Petry Motorsports)
15DJ DAVID PRICKETT/Fresno, CA (Neverlift Motorsports)
15J JEFF WIMMENAUER/Indianapolis, IN (Jeff Wimmenauer)
15s SHANNON McQUEEN/Bakersfield, CA (Broc Garrett)
15x CARSON GARRETT/Littleton, CO (Broc Garrett)
17 RICKY STENHOUSE, JR./Olive Branch, MS (Clauson/Marshall Racing)
17BC CHRIS WINDOM/Canton, IL (Clauson/Marshall Racing)
19 SPENCER BAYSTON/Lebanon, IN (Brodie Hayward)
19m ETHAN MITCHELL/Mooresville, NC (Bundy Built Motorsports)
20 CODY WEISENSEL/Sun Prairie, WI (Kevin Weisensel)
21 CHRISTOPHER BELL/Norman, OK (Keith Kunz Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian)
21D JUSTIN DICKERSON/Pittsboro, IN (Mike Dickerson)
21F JONATHAN BEASON/Broken Arrow, OK (Team Ripper)
21KS C.J. LEARY/Greenfield, IN (Team Ripper)
21m MARIA COFER/Macdoel, CA (Team Ripper)
22 JOHN HEYDENREICH/Bloomsburg, PA (John Givens)
23m DAVID BUDRES/Beloit, WI (Manic Racing)
25 JERRY COONS, JR./Tucson, AZ (Petry Motorsports)
25B STEVE BUCKWALTER/Royersford, PA (Steve Buckwalter)
27 TUCKER KLAASMEYER/Paola, KS (Keith Kunz Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian)
28 ACE McCARTHY/Tahlequah, OK (Jim Neuman)
31 TRAVIS BERRYHILL/American Canyon, CA (Manic Racing)
32J CHRIS JAGGER, JR./Warsaw, IN (Chris Jagger, Jr.)
35 CONOR DALY/Noblesville, IN (Petry Motorsports)
39BC ZEB WISE/Angola, IN (Clauson/Marshall Racing)
41 OLIVER AKARD/Ft. Myers, FL (Dan Akard)
43 BRENT BEAUCHAMP/Avon, IN (Kevin Arnold)
46 RUSS GAMESTER/Peru, IN (Gamester Racing)
47BC ANDREW LAYSER/Collegeville, PA (Clauson/Marshall Racing)
50 TONY DiMATTIA/Malvern, PA (Tony DiMattia Motorsports)
54 MATT WESTFALL/Pleasant Hill, OH (Steve Bordner)
54m RAY SEACH/Beloit, WI (Manic Racing)
55 NICK DRAKE/Mooresville, NC (Troy Cline)
56AP COLTEN COTTLE/Kansas, IL (Travis Young)
56x MARK CHISHOLM/Cheyenne, WY (Mark Chisholm)
57D DANIEL ROBINSON/Ewing, IL (McCreery Motorsports)
57K KEVIN STUDLEY/Plainfield, IN (Kevin Studley)
61 TREY OSBORNE/Columbus, OH (Mel Kenyon)
67 LOGAN SEAVEY/Sutter, CA (Keith Kunz Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian)
67F KYLE O’GARA/Beech Grove, IN (SFH Racing Development)
67K HOLLEY HOLLAN/Broken Arrow, OK (Keith Kunz Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian)
71 JESSE COLWELL/Red Bluff, CA (Keith Kunz Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian)
71B ROBERT BELL/Colfax, IA (Robert Bell)
71K TANNER CARRICK/Lincoln, CA (Keith Kunz Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian)
71s CODY SWANSON/Norco, CA (Marcie Campbell)
72 SAM JOHNSON/St. Peters, MO (Joe Johnson)
76 KEN DRANGMEISTER/Hobart, IN (Ken Drangmeister)
76E BRADY BACON/Broken Arrow, OK (FMR Racing)
76m JASON McDOUGAL/Broken Arrow, OK (FMR Racing)
77B BLAZE BENNETT/Parker, CO (Olivia Bennett)
81 DILLON WELCH/Carmel, IN (Tucker/Boat Motorsports)
84 CHAD BOAT/Phoenix, AZ (Tucker/Boat Motorsports)
85 GIO SCELZI/Fresno, CA (Tucker/Boat Motorsports)
88 TYLER NELSON/Olathe, KS (Tyler Nelson)
91T TYLER THOMAS/Collinsville, OK (Brian Thomas)
97 KYLE LARSON/Elk Grove, CA (Keith Kunz Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian)
97A AUSTIN O’DELL/Rochester, IL (Patrick O’Dell)
TBA TANNER THORSON/Minden, NV (TBA)

BROWNSBURG, Ind. — John Force Racing and Chevrolet have agreed to a multi-year partnership extension.

“I want to thank Chevrolet and everyone who has faith in John Force Racing. I got a job to do and that’s to win and sell Chevrolet cars and trucks. They want winners and I told them we’d give it everything we’ve got and that’s all you can do. Trusting in us and re-signing us, that’s pretty cool,” said John Force, CEO and owner of John Force Racing and driver of this weekend’s PEAK Chevrolet Performance Accessories Chevrolet Camaro SS. “I started with Chevrolet. I’ll never forget that. We’re helping to keep that Chevrolet name alive in the NHRA because they keep John Force Racing and 140 employees alive and we just thank you for that, Chevrolet.”

“We are proud to continue to partner with John Force and his race team,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet Vice President Performance and Motorsports. “John is the best. He is an incredible champion and a legend, and we are thrilled that John Force Racing and Chevrolet will continue to race together.”

The legendary drag racing team and automobile titan have had a storied history. Team owner and CEO John Force has won 72 of his 150 NHRA victories in a General Motors vehicle, 19 of which have come in a Chevrolet. His first final round in 1979 was in a Chevrolet, his first win came in an Oldsmobile in Montreal 1987 and Force’s first three of 16 championships came in an Oldsmobile. His fourth championship, in 1994, came in a Chevrolet.

Since returning to Chevrolet in 2015, John Force Racing has produced two championships (2017 Funny Car with Robert Hight and Top Fuel Dragster with Brittany Force) and 40 national event wins (Robert Hight, 16 Funny Car; John Force, 9 Funny Car; Brittany Force, 9 Top Fuel, Courtney Force, 5 Funny Car and Austin Prock, 1 Top Fuel).

BROWNSBURG, Ind. – E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series competitor Chad Green was transported to a local hospital Saturday after a horrific high-speed crash during qualifying at the 65th annual Chevrolet Performance NHRA U.S. Nationals.

Green was transported by ambulance from Lucas Oil Raceway to Indiana University Methodist Hospital, where he awaits surgery to address an upper back injury.

“First off, the support we’re getting from the racing community has been overwhelming,” said Pat Musi, who has served as crew chief for Chad Green since the Midland, Texas-based driver started laying the foundation for his NHRA Pro Mod debut in 2018. “To everyone who’s offered to drive the rig, came by the pits and helped us load up, offered their well wishes – thank you. We truly appreciate it.

“Right now, we’re focused on getting Chad on the mend. He’s with his family – his mother and father have flown in – and his kids were by his side all night. He’s alert, talking, knows what’s going on and what happened. The doctors have gotten his pain under control, and he’ll be going into surgery this afternoon.”

Andrew Petersen, Director of Marketing for Chad Green Motorsports, echoed Musi’s sentiments and added there’s currently no timetable set for a return.

“It’s our hope to know more and have more details later today and, of course, over the course of the next few days, weeks and months,” said Petersen. “Chad and his family are so very grateful for the outpouring of support – phone calls, texts, emails. We’ll do our best to keep our racing family and fans updated throughout this process.”

Robert Hight was ready to go for the NHRA season opener at California’s Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in February.

Then, he discovered in cross-country trips from his Anaheim Hills, Calif., home to the John Force Racing headquarters in Brownsburg, Ind., that the bitter midwestern temperatures were irritating his still-healing collarbone. He had broken it during the final-round crash that made his Countdown victory last September at Gateway Motorsports Park even more spectacular.

Within two weeks after the crash, he had undergone surgery, gotten fitted for custom padding and won the next race, pressuring eventual champion J.R. Todd until the final day of the season.

Losing in the first round at the final two races, losing his grip on first place and being unable to stop Todd kept Hight motivated.

Then came the mad scramble at John Force Racing — where Hight has been president since January 2011 — to get Austin Prock on track in time for the Winternationals.

Back in April 2018, team owner John Force had spoken of a three-year plan to groom Prock for his pro debut. But drag-racing legend Don Prudhomme found sponsorship for Prock and the race was on to assemble a Top Fuel team for the youngster.

The Winternationals was just five days away when Hight received the phone call informing him of the 11th-hour development. So Hight switched gears, put aside his own preparations and organized the formation of Prock’s team.

Prock had tested in a Funny Car but never in a dragster, so he was getting the feel of the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Dragster — of any dragster — for the first time with five days until showtime. Hight was engaged fully in the process of Prock’s premiere, from deciding the 23-year-old former midget and sprint car driver would race a dragster rather than a Funny Car to completing contracts to ensure the proper decals were affixed to the car.

That was in addition to monitoring costly but crucial safety improvements to both of the team’s Funny Cars and Brittany Force’s dragster. The NHRA mandated specific extra padding for the Funny Cars and JFR was fashioning a wider Top Fuel canopy.

That would have been enough to keep Hight occupied throughout an offseason. But on top of that, the lingering issue of the sanctioning body’s unclear-at-best concussion protocol also needed to be addressed. So at the urging of IndyCar Series driver Graham Rahal, John Force’s son-in-law, Hight and Force met with Indianapolis-based orthopedic expert Dr. Terry Trammell and NHRA tech officials Glen Gray and Tim White to learn how best to protect drivers.

All of these distractions didn’t faze Hight one bit on the race track. He won the season-opening Winternationals and has led the standings ever since. He built his 34-10 record during the first 16 races on five victories in seven final rounds. His victory at California’s Sonoma Raceway in late July was the 50th of his career.

This hectic pace is simply a way of life now for Hight, who said that during his early days in the sport, “Mechanically, I knew enough and I could get a job on a team — I didn’t know I could get a job with John Force.”

Hight’s career has evolved in a rather stunning way. At first, he was elated just to be a crew hand. He served as the clutch specialist for seven championship seasons from 1995-2001. He eventually wanted to get off the road and manage the facility, then had the urge to drive, which Force satisfied in 2005.

“It’s one thing to be a crew member. These guys work very, very hard, do the same thing week after week. I didn’t want to continue doing that. Now, driving, that’s another thing. It’s not the same,” Hight said. “And years later, I still love it just as much as I did. It never gets old. I never look at is as, ‘Oh, gosh, I’ve got to get on a plane again tomorrow.’ Heck no — I’m going to a race. Even when I’ve been in slumps, it was never, ever,‘Why am I doing this?’ Nothing like that. It’s like, ‘This is going to be our weekend,’ always dreaming that this is the weekend we’re going to turn things around.”

Hight is a two-time champion (2009 and ’17) and president of the company. And he, too, claims he’s amazed at how far he has come in a sport his parents urged him not to pursue.

“I pinch myself. It’s hard for me to believe,” he said. “Honestly, I never thought I would get to drive. It was my dream, but you’ve got to face reality. Luckily, John gave me the chance. In all honesty, it wouldn’t have happened if I had not been married to his daughter.”

That’s one wrinkle in an otherwise perfect story. Hight and Force’s eldest daughter, Adria, are the parents of teenage daughter Autumn. But Hight and Adria Force split several years ago, although their relationship is amicable for their daughter’s sake — and the fact they still work together. Adria Force is the CFO of John Force Racing.

“We get along fine. We have to work together every day. If we didn’t do it right, it would be awkward for everybody that works around us and that isn’t fair to them,” Hight said. “We communicate, like we always did. There’s not going to be any fighting. Things didn’t work out and we moved on.”

Many wonder how Hight feels being overshadowed by the larger-than-life John Force, the boss who has eight times more championships and literally 100 more victories.

“I don’t look at it like that,” Hight said. “John’s been racing 40 years and he’s a 16-time champ and has more wins than anybody else. He deserves to be where he’s at today. I’m very grateful for him giving me this opportunity to drive. If it wasn’t for John, I wouldn’t be doing this. So it doesn’t bother me one bit. I’m probably his biggest fan. I like the role that I play. I’m not a storyteller. I’m not a comedian. I’m more serious and technical. I think it’s a good balance.”

A sign of Hight’s loyalty came in 2007 when Force was hospitalized for several weeks with multiple fractures and injuries from a frightening crash. Hight stayed by Force’s side and even provided some custodial care. That’s about as personal as it gets, yet Hight said, “When you care about somebody, you do whatever you can to help him. It didn’t bother me a bit.”

Hight thinks a team with two John Force personalities might be impossible.

“It would clash. I just don’t know that that could work,” Hight said. “John’s an easy person to get along with. John can get along with anybody. But Kobe Bryant could not play with LeBron James.”

But he was quick to say Force gives people the limelight more often than fans might recognize: “Definitely. He wins a race against you, and he wants to pull you into the interview and get you some attention, too. That’s the kind of person he is.”