Briscoe won earlier this month at Kentucky and the season-opener in April at St. Petersburg, FL, but has finished second in seven other races this year.

"We just have to keep getting these points," Briscoe said. "Coming in second gets a little old after awhile, but we'll win one of these someday."

Scott Dixon, also a four-time race winner this season, came to Sonoma with the points lead, but after a 13th-place finish there, he has fallen to 20 points behind Briscoe and 16 back of his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Franchitti.

Dixon was one of those involved in a seven-car pile on the opening lap. He got caught in a jam and drove into the back of Tony Kanaan, sustaining damage to the nose of his car. Dixon remained on the lead lap and worked his way back to 10th before Marco Andretti spun him out on the final lap.

"Hopefully, we'll take this as our bad weekend and just move on and get a good result on our next three," Dixon said.

With Chicagoland, Motegi, Japan and Homestead, FL remaining on this year's schedule, Dixon is confident he can repeat as the series champion.

"We have a great run coming up with the three tracks at the finish," he added.

Dixon has finished second in the last two races at Chicagoland, which has been the site of the season-finale the previous three seasons.

Last year at Chicagoland, Helio Castroneves nipped Dixon in one of the closest finishes in series history. While Castroneves captured his second win of the season, Dixon clinched the series title by 17 points.

In 2007, Franchitti, who drove for Andretti Green Racing at the time, entered the season-finale at Chicagoland with just a three-point lead over Dixon. The two drivers battled all the way to the final lap, with Franchitti taking the checkered flag and the series title. Dixon held the lead on the last lap, but Franchitti passed Dixon, who suddenly slowed when he ran out of fuel. He managed to coast home in second.

"It's just so competitive that you can't afford mistakes," Franchitti said. "We've all made them this year. Actually, we've all had bad luck as well. When you get the chance, you got to score the points."

Castroneves saw his championship hopes diminish significantly after an 18th- place result at Sonoma. The Penske driver got slightly airborne after he made contact with Kanaan heading into a corner late in the race. Shortly after, his right front suspension failed, causing him to run off course and into the dirt. He now trails his teammate Briscoe by 126 points.

FORMULA ONE

Belgian Grand Prix - Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - Spa, Belgium

Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello revived his Formula One world championship hopes after winning last Sunday's European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain. Barrichello, who recorded his first grand prix victory since 2004 when he drove for Ferrari. The Brazilian moved to within 18 points of leader and teammate Jenson Button, who finished seventh at Valencia.

Barrichello, who is the oldest current F1 driver at age 37, benefited from Lewis Hamilton's costly pit road mistake to take the European GP. Hamilton started on the pole and led early, but was delayed during his final pit stop when his McLaren team was not properly prepared for a tire change. The defending world champion made steady progress in the closing laps, but settled for a second-place finish.

After the conclusion of the '08 season, Barrichello and Button's future in F1 were uncertain after their Honda team pulled out of the sport due to the world-wide economic slowdown. Ross Brawn acquired the former Honda team and has since revitalized both drivers' careers.

"Last year, people seemed to think that was it for me, but now I can show that it wasn't. I have always thought I had it in me. I think I have just reached the peak of my speed, so I have more on me. I hope I can carry on," Barrichello said.

Barrichello could very continue his march towards his first F1 title in Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.

The Belgian GP is held on the famed Spa-Francorchamps, one of the oldest courses on the F1 circuit. The track has also been good to Ferrari the last several years.

Michael Schumacher drove a Ferrari to consecutive wins at Spa from 2001-02. Kimi Raikkonen won the Belgian GP back-to-back from 2004-05 and then again in '07. Felipe Massa recorded the victory in last year's race there. The event was not run in 2003 and '06.

One year ago, Hamilton crossed the finish line first in the Belgian GP, but Massa was credited with the win after race stewards penalized Hamilton for an infraction during his late-race battle with Raikkonen.

Hamilton was originally declared the winner, but was later handed a 25-second time penalty after stewards decided he gained an advantage by cutting the final chicane during his duel with Raikkonen. The McLaren driver dropped to third place as a result, with Nick Heidfeld from BMW Sauber moving up to second.

Hamilton said he is skeptical about his team's chances of winning in Belgium this year.

"I don't think we'll be as competitive as we've been at the last few races, because Spa is a circuit where you need a lot of downforce," he said. "I think Brawn, Red Bull and even Ferrari will be fast there. It's a high-speed circuit, and Ferrari has always been very quick there, so I'm expecting Kimi to be quick. It should also suit the Red Bulls, because it's very high-speed and flowing and they have great downforce."