With a series-leading three victories from the first eight races, Bomarito holds a comfortable 28-point lead over Summerton ahead of Sunday's Mazda Formula Zoom-Zoom event, having also taken three pole positions in eight outings and finished sixth or better in each of his last six starts.

Three drivers who have led the championship at one point or another this summer occupy positions three, four and five in the standings, but all are very much in need of strong performances this weekend to keep their title hopes alive. Hinchcliffe and Niemela find themselves tied with 155 points, with Hinchcliffe holding third in the standings by virtue of a victory in round two at Laguna Seca in May., but having lost considerable ground in the title chase with a 20th-place run at Trois-Rivieres following contact with Lacroix.

Niemela, meanwhile, also saw his championship hopes take a hit in Canada when mechanical problems relegated him to 17th, the first time that either driver had finished outside the top ten all season.

“We're heading into the final three races of the year and, without doubt, it's our turn to get back on top,” Hinchcliffe insisted, "We had a pretty rough August by our standards, so we're really in a position now where, if we're not winning races, we're not going to have a shot at winning the championship. As a result, we've changed our approach slightly. We're no longer targeting strong points finishes, we're after race wins - simple as that!

“I know we all go racing to win but, at this point of the season, and with the way the championship's shaped out, it's looking a bit like Jonathan [Bomarito]'s title to lose. He's the one with the target on his back, so he might have to play things a little carefully as he has the most to lose. From our point of view, if we don't leave New Jersey with a win and he's up on the podium again, it pretty much writes off our chances. I think we've made some gains on the engineering front to try and get the car a little more suited to my style, which will hopefully allow me to attack more, and we're going all out to end the season on a high starting with this weekend!”

Dutchman Junior Strous is currently fifth in points, ten behind third, but endured a bit of a slump immediately after taking his first career Atlantic victory and claimed the points lead at Mont-Tremblant in June.

Had it not been for 17th place in round seven at Road America last month, American rookie Dane Cameron would also likely be in the thick of the championship battle, while Skerlong also has reason to dislike Lady Luck after a run of inconsistent performances.

“I've touched base with some guys I know who've already raced at New Jersey Motorsports Park, and I think we've got a fair understanding of what we'll be facing, but there's no substitute for being out there in the car. Once again, qualifying will be all important, but it should be a fairly level playing field as we'll all be new to the circuit with these cars.

"Realistically, I'm targeting getting up to third in the points before the season's out, as we've had our fair share of incidents to prevent a run at the title, and I'd like to get my first Atlantic win on the board as well, so here's hoping I'll get a shot on Sunday!”