IPS: Howard ready to crown 'season like no other'.

Jay Howard entered this season's Indy Pro Series with a resume filled with wins and championships, but never expected to be on course for another crown. However, with one race to go, the Englishman finds himself in line to add the Firestone Firehawk Cup to his list of accomplishments.

Howard, who had won debut races in series across the globe, nearly pulled off the feat in his Indy Pro Series debut, leading 60 laps from pole at Homestead-Miami Speedway before finishing third. The 25-year old then assumed the points lead following a runner-up finish in the Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and has held on ever since. However, a few poor races and a costly penalty incurred while battling for a race win at Kentucky have dropped Howard's lead to eight points ahead of a finale in which four drivers can still take the title.

"This season has been up and down like no other season I've ever been through," Howard admitted, "We've had to work really hard this year, and I wish we had more than an eight-point lead, but that certainly hasn't been from lack of effort from the team. I don't want to take the fact that we have the championship lead for granted, but it's always nice to have a large lead."

Howard has excelled on 1.5-mile ovals despite this being his first season racing in an oval-based series and, in addition to his pole at Homestead, he won the series' last stop on a 1.5-mile oval at Kentucky and also won at the 1.33-mile Nashville Superspeedway.

"Going into Chicago, we just need to do the things that we have done all season to get us into the lead," he reasoned, "I plan on going out there and winning the race and the championship. Depending on who the contenders are for the race win will determine how I run my race. I think all of the championship contenders are a big threat to win, but we just have to go out there and take it as it comes."