Preview of the Honda Indy 200

This weekend the IZOD IndyCar Series returns to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. As the 12th stop on the 2011 schedule, this race will mark three consecutive road events for the series. Drama is building in the battle for the championship and only six races remain after Sunday's race. Here are five things to watch at the Honda Indy 200 on August 7, 2011.

Historic track: The famed track, about an hour north of Columbus, is in its 50th season of hosting competitive racing. Mid-Ohio is home to nearly all varieties of automotive events, including races for motorcycles, sports cars, open wheel cars and stock cars. Additionally, the 330 acre complex is home to driving schools, motorcycle meets, car shows and much of the testing for various road racing series in America. This will be the 27th time Mid-Ohio has hosted an IndyCar race and its past is filled with legendary winners like Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi and Juan Pablo Montoya. Winning here is always a big deal.

Championship race: A preview of every week of the 2011 season could focus on the battle between Chip Ganassi Racing's Dario Franchitti and Team Penske's Will Power. These drivers have already won 8 of the year's 11 events and are always the favorites on any track. Franchitti currently enjoys a 38 point lead on his rival, but Power had similar advantage on the Scotsman at this point in 2010, only to fall short in the end. Last year's race at Mid-Ohio saw Franchitti and Power finish first and second. If both avoid contact from slower cars, expect the duo to compete for this win once again.

Helio charging: After a disappointing 17th place finish in Toronto, it appeared the former Dancing with the Stars winner was suffering through the worst of his 12 year career driving for Roger Penske. That still may be true, but after a solid second place finish at Edmonton, Castroneves is moving in the right direction. Rediscovering his dancing shows, Helio was the only driver who could stay with Will Power and nearly caught the Australian late in the race. A threat on road courses and ovals, Helio is seeking his first win of the 2011 campaign. The Brazilian won at Mid-Ohio back in 2000 and 2001. If he qualifies near the front, Helio will be a threat on Sunday.

Danica departing: In the past week, word has leaked confirming earlier rumors that Danica Patrick will be leaving the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2012 to compete full-time in NASCAR. With her Andretti Autosport contract expiring, this is hardly surprising and likely a good decision. The popular GoDaddy driver is best suited for oval racing and has already displayed prowess on super-speedways in the Nationwide Series. Danica may still compete annually in the Indy 500, but she will certainly be leaving behind road races like Mid-Ohio. Patrick finished 21st and 19th in the track's past two events, so a podium finish may be out-of-reach. However, with her future clarified, perhaps Danica takes some chances and surprises IndyCar fans in her remaining time in the series.

Shakeup in the field: While the prior two events in Canada featured the same 26 car lineup, the roster for Mid-Ohio is slightly different. Dragon Racing's Paul Tracy won't compete, but the field will include two new drivers. Sarah Fisher Racing's effort for popular American driver Ed Carpenter returns. Carpenter previously entered five oval races in May and June, scoring an impressive eleventh place finish in the Indianapolis 500. Sam Schmidt Motorsports also adds a second car to the field for Martin Plowman. The English driver is a veteran of Indy Lights and won that series' event at Mid-Ohio in 2010.