The Sprint Cup circuit is at Daytona International Speedway to run the Coke Zero 400 on Saturday. As NASCAR's top series prepares to start its second lap around the country, here's a look at some of the top stories this week and so far this season:

Tough year for former champs

It hasn't been the best of years for past champions. The champs from the past 10 years have just two wins —- Jimmie Johnson, victorious at Phoenix, and Kurt Busch, who played pit strategy to perfection last week at New Hampshire. Still winless are Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth. Dale Jarrett, the '99 champ, retired after Bristol.

Realignments under way

The driver lineup for next season is rapidly falling into place. Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer recently re-signed with their respective teams. Aric Almirola has been named to drive the No. 8 at Dale Earnhardt Inc. full time next year. Mark Martin is expected to take over the No. 5 at Hendrick Motorsports. The key driver still in play is Tony Stewart, who is considering moving from Joe Gibbs Racing to the Haas-CNC Chevrolet team as a co-owner. Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr. also are looking at their options.

Open-wheelers hit the skids

The heralded open-wheel invasion seems stuck on a sandbar. Patrick Carpentier's pole at New Hampshire, a race in which he finished 31st, is one of the few bright spots. Jacques Villeneuve failed to qualify at Daytona in February and dropped off the circuit. Dario Franchitti learned this week that his Cup team was ceasing operations. Sam Hornish Jr., with two finishes inside the top 15, has dropped to 35th in car owner points. Sophomore NASCAR drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and A.J. Allmendinger are 20th and 40th, respectively, in the standings.

Georgians strong at big tracks

Although it has been five years since a Georgia driver won a Cup race, Daytona might be the place for the Peach State delegation to change that. Unadilla's David Ragan and Peachtree City's Reed Sorenson each has found success on the giant tracks at Daytona and Talladega. Ragan and Sorenson both have top-fives at Daytona in their brief careers, and Ragan was fourth at Talladega earlier this year. Dawsonville's Bill Elliott, whose last win came at Rockingham in 2003, isn't scheduled to race at Daytona this weekend.

So far, it's The Year of Kyle

Kyle Busch continues to lead the way in about every way. He's atop the Cup points standings and leads the circuit in victories with five and in laps led at 869. He also leads the Nationwide Series in wins with four and is second in Craftsman Truck Series victories with two.

NEXT FOR SPRINT CUP

> Race: Coke Zero 400

> When; where: 8 p.m. Saturday; Daytona International Speedway

> TV; radio: TNT; 106.7 FM