FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS DEBUTS AT GRAND PRIX OF HOUSTON

Date/Time 1:30 p.m. (ET) Saturday, Oct. 5

Track MD Anderson Cancer Center Speedway at Reliant Park (10-turn, 1.683-mile street circuit)

Distance 50 laps/84.15 miles

TV NBC Sports Network (Tape) 4 p.m., Oct. 6

Radio IMS Radio Network Sirius 211/XM 211 indycar.com (Live)

2012 Winner New event/2012 Pole sitter New event

Title battle hits Lone Star State

Firestone Indy Lights returns to Texas with the Grand Prix of Houston. Rising American star Sage Karam took back the points lead with another podium finish at Baltimore but Colombians Carlos Munoz and Gabby Chaves, England's Jack Hawksworth and Ireland's Peter Dempsey are all within 35 points. Who will take control of the title race?

Indy 500 Rookie of the Year Munoz chasing Firestone Indy Lights title

Andretti Autosport's Carlos Munoz, who won the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Award after finishing second, has been equally impressive in his second season in Firestone Indy Lights. The Colombian has won five poles and three races in 10 starts. Can he produce another strong finish at Houston?

Schmidt Peterson Motorsports teammates aim for another sweep

Sage Karam may be the driver leading the point standings, but he isn't the only rising star racing at Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. Teammates Gabby Chaves and Jack Hawksworth each have wins this season, with Hawksworth winning at St. Petersburg, Toronto and Baltimore and Chaves winning at Mid-Ohio. The three drivers swept the podium at Iowa and Baltimore. Will they accomplish the feat again at Houston?

Veach searches for first win in H-town

Zach Veach comes to Houston hoping to become the sixth driver to win a Firestone Indy Lights race this season. The teenager from Stockdale, Ohio, led his first laps in the series at Milwaukee and has moved up the Mazda Road to Indy under the tutelage of Michael Andretti.

Irish driver hopes to stand on top step of the podium

Coming off second-place finishes at Toronto and Mid-Ohio, Firestone Freedom 100 winner Peter Dempsey hopes the luck of the Irish remains. Dempsey, a native of Ashbourne, Ireland, won a thrilling finish at Indianapolis to score his first win and moves to Team Moore Racing for the Grand Prix of Houston. Can he earn his first road course win with his new team?

Mazda Road to Indy scholarship winners excelling in 2013

Three drivers who moved up the racing ladder as part of the Mazda Road to Indy are having strong 2013 seasons. 2012 Star Mazda Championship winner Jack Hawksworth, who recently tested an IZOD IndyCar Series car with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, is fourth in the Firestone Indy Lights standings and has won three races, including his series debut. 2012 USF2000 National Championship Matthew Brabham clinched the Pro Mazda Championship for Andretti Autosport with 11 wins, so far. Both will be trying to emulate 2012 Firestone Indy Lights champion Tristan Vautier, who has been impressive as an IZOD IndyCar Series rookie with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.

Daly returns to Firestone Indy Lights

Conor Daly returns to Firestone Indy Lights with Team Moore Racing. The 21-year-old from Noblesville, Ind., is a former Firestone Indy Lights race winner and current GP3 driver who also made his IZOD IndyCar Series debut in the Indianapolis 500 in May. How will Daly fare in his first race in the series since 2011.

Race Notes:

• This is the first Firestone Indy Lights race at Reliant Park. The last street course to make its debut on the Firestone Indy Lights schedule was Belle Isle in 2012.

• The CART-sanctioned Firestone Indy Lights raced on the downtown Houston street circuit in 2000. The race was won by Casey Mears.

• Carlos Munoz, Peter Dempsey, Sage Karam, Jack Hawksworth and Gabby Chaves are the only drivers entered in the Grand Prix of Houston who have previously won a race in Firestone Indy Lights.

Championship Facts:

• Sage Karam leads the Firestone Indy Lights championship by two points with two races to go. Karam has led the standings two times this season. He also led after his win at Iowa.

• Karam leads Carlos Munoz by two points - it is the smallest lead by any driver in 2013.

• There are five drivers eligible for the Firestone Indy Lights championship - Karam, Munoz, Gabby Chaves, Jack Hawksworth and Peter Dempsey. Any driver who trails the leader by 49 points or more following the Houston race will be eliminated from contention.

Season To Date:

• Jack Hawksworth won for the third time in 2013 as he led every lap to win the Grand Prix of Baltimore from pole position.

• Gabby Chaves won the Mid-Ohio 100 from the pole to score his first Firestone Indy Lights win.

• Jack Hawksworth won for the second time in 2013 as he led every lap to win the Toronto 100 from pole position.

• Carlos Munoz won for the third time in 2013 as he led all 40 laps in a dominating win at Pocono Raceway from pole position. It was his fifth career victory. Munoz has won five of his six career Sunoco Pole Awards this season.

• Sage Karam won back-to-back races at Iowa Speedway and the Milwaukee Mile. Karam's win at Milwaukee from pole was his first win in Firestone Indy Lights.

• Peter Dempsey won the Firestone Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a dramatic four-wide pass on the final lap. Dempsey's margin of victory was .0026 of a second, the closest finish on the famed IMS oval.

• Sage Karam won his first pole position in Firestone Indy Lights at Indianapolis.

• Carlos Munoz won back-to-back races at Barber Motorsports Park and the Streets of Long Beach. They were his third and fourth career Firestone Indy Lights wins, respectively.

• Jack Hawksworth won his Firestone Indy Lights debut at St. Petersburg. He became the 11th driver to win his first Firestone Indy Lights start.

Milestones:

• Jack Hawksworth claimed his first career win at St. Petersburg. It was Schmidt Peterson Motorsports' seventh win at St. Petersburg.

• Gabby Chaves, Jack Hawksworth, Sage Karam, Ethan Ringel and Zach Veach made their series debut at St. Petersburg.

• Matthew Di Leo made his series debut at Long Beach.

• Peter Dempsey won his first Firestone Indy Lights race at Indianapolis. It was Belardi Auto Racing's first win in Firestone Indy Lights.

• Kyle O'Gara and Jimmy Simpson made their series debut at Indianapolis.

• Sage Karam won his first Firestone Indy Lights race at Milwaukee. He is the first Mazda Road to Indy driver to win races in the USF2000 Championship, Pro Mazda Championship and Firestone Indy Lights.

• Giancarlo Serenelli and Axcil Jefferies made their series debut at Mid-Ohio.

• Dalton Kellett made his series debut at Baltimore.

At-Track Schedule (all times local and subject to change):

Friday, Oct. 4

9:25 - 10:10 a.m. - Firestone Indy Lights practice 1

2 - 2:45 p.m. - Firestone Indy Lights practice 2

Saturday, Oct. 5

8:35 - 9:20 a.m. - Firestone Indy Lights Sunoco Pole Qualifying (all cars)

12:05 p.m. - Grand Prix of Houston pre-race

12:35 - Grand Prix of Houston (50 laps/84.15 miles), NBC Sports Network (Taped) 4 p.m. (ET). Oct. 6.