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Whether it's Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne in years past or Sam Hornish Jr. and Dario Franchitti this year, open-wheel racing has often lost drivers to NASCAR.

Sprint car driver Andy Nock wouldn't mind seeing it continue. It just might open up an IRL spot for him.

The Jamestown resident's ultimate career path ends with the IRL, but it's a long trip. Nock, 19, currently pilots his No. 51 RPN Motors Hawk in the United States Auto Club (USAC) Ford Focus Midget series. The series makes another visit to Kil-Kare Speedway today, July 18, for Open Wheel Friday.

The American Modified Series, Buckeye Wing Sprint Sprints and KOIL Thunder Roadsters will also be in action.

Nock, who won several titles at Kil-Kare's quarter-midget track, finished fourth on the 3/8th-mile big track last year and led the first five laps.

"(A win would) mean a lot because that track is really hard to run on, hard to figure out," Nock said. "It'd be good to know I did that in front of my hometown."

Today is just Nock's third Ford Focus race this season (two top-four finishes). He's trying to sell his current ride and buy a midget car to move up into USAC's regional series. With a lack of sponsorship and his quarter-midget engine-building business slowed by the economy, Nock is sending out info packets and visiting businesses hoping to find some financial help.

"The problem is you have to have money to start with," said Nock, a 2007 Greeneview graduate. "If you have enough money and you have good enough equipment you can run (higher divisions) and people are going to see you. If you don't have money, you can't race your way in. People aren't looking at the lower levels."

Nock plans to get noticed one way or another. If a driving career doesn't work out, he hopes to find a spot working on an IRL team. He's studying mechanical engineering at the University of Toledo.

Hot laps

• Miamisburg late model driver Megan Reitenour was one of five female drivers selected to receive funding from Lyn St. James' Project Podium, a matching grant program for promising young female racers. The five drivers — from Missouri, Texas, New York, Indiana and Ohio — shared grants totaling $28,900.

• Two weeks after coming up a couple laps short of his first career feature win, Springfield's Gary Loney celebrated at Moler Raceway Park. He took the mini-sprint feature by leading all 15 laps.

• Kil-Kare Speedway will run a rare race on Wednesday to make up for a previous rainout. The full-points race is not limited to Kil-Kare's regular drivers.

• If you missed the race or just want to relive it again, SPEED channel will broadcast the 25th Kings Royal at 4 p.m. on July 26.

Weekend schedule

Kil-Kare Speedway

Today: Open Wheel Friday: USAC Ford Focus Midgets, 600 Racing Thunder Roadsters, American Modified Series, 305 Buckeye Sprints, Vintage American Race Cars. Gates open at 6 p.m., qualifying at 6:30, heats at 7, racing at 8.

Kil-Kare Dragway

Saturday and Sunday: Jeg's Superquick Series & No Box Nationals: Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, Bike; United Manual Transmission Racers. Gates open at 10 a.m., timed runs at 1 p.m., Jeg's qualifying at 1:30 and 3:30 (Saturday only), eliminations at 5 p.m.

Shady Bowl Speedway

Saturday: Modifieds, Sport Stocks, Compacts; Trailer, Boat & Camper race. Gates open at 3 p.m., hot laps at 4, qualifying at 5, racing at 7.

Waynesfield Motor Sports Park

Saturday: 410 non-wing sprints, UMP Modifieds, Mini Sprints, Trucks. Gates open at 4 p.m., hot laps at 6, racing at 7.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2400, ext. 6991 or gbilling@DaytonDailyNews.com.