51's Short Track Power
Ranking the Best Out There - A 51 Original and Tradition
Rankings compiled from the voting of a panel of experts.
Story text by Matt Kentfield - Twitter @mattkentfield
Welcome to the first 2012 edition of the Speed51.com Short Track Power rankings. The 2012 season is rolling along and the success stories are starting to come out each week as drivers battle for championships, points, wins and bragging rights.
But who has carried the most clout in the first six months of 2012? Some drivers that came out of the box hot this season and have shown that they deserve to be at the top of our Tower of Power, but we waited a bit longer to get a good feel for the season.
A panel of industry experts from all four corners of the country and Canada have voted on their choices for the first half Short Track Power poll. Drivers in all forms of short track racing, including Late Models, NASCAR Touring Series, Pro Cup, Dirt Late Models and Modifieds, NASCAR Whelen All-American Series or ASA Member Track program and everything in between were eligible. Drivers who have competed in at least half of a NASCAR National Series schedule this season were not eligible.
The rankings shown below were decided after polling our panel of experts in the industry. Rankings were based on overall number of votes, with more weight given to each vote the higher the vote. Example, a #1 vote would be more valuable than a #2, #3, etc.
Here are our power rankings entering the stretch run of the 2012 short track racing season:
1) JOHNNY VANDOORN - ARCA/CRA Super Series
The Tower of Power is all about the "Johnny what have you done for me lately'" types who can sneak in and move up quickly. Finally, Johnny VanDoorn is moving up the ladder because of the success we are used to seeing him have. The former All American 400 winner and two-time CRA champ has won back-to-back races and has taken a commanding point lead in a season that could see bigger and better things as the momentum grows. He won two ARCA/CRA Super Series events in the span of a week in late June and if it had not been for a late yellow, with a pit stop some say he could and would have beaten Kyle Busch at the Rowdy 251. Track position ended up being key and VanDoorn came out nearly last and still finished third.
2) CHASE ELLIOTT - K&N East, Pro & Super Late Models
Chase Elliott has proven just about everything there is to prove in a Late Model. He’s won the Snowball Derby, the Winchester 400 and races just about everywhere he’s gone. He started off 2012 by winning the Pro Late Model portion of SpeedFest 2012 at Watermelon Capital Speedway in Georgia and swept the Sunoco Gulf Coast Championship Weekend at Five Flags (FL) and Mobile (AL). The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East had not been as easy to crack into victory lane in to this point in his career. That all changed when Elliott scored K&N East win number-one at Iowa Speedway in mid-May. He’s still the man to beat just about every time in a Late Model and now he’s proving to be a force in the K&N ranks, leading the points going into the season’s second half. As one of our voters noted, “He is one of those drivers that no matter what is going on, you always look for the #9 to see what/how he is doing”
3) DANIEL HEMRIC - JEGS All Stars Tour, Super Late Models
Three wins in five races is about as good of a start to a season in a competitive Late Model series like the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour as a drive can ask for. That’s exactly what Daniel Hemric has done this season with his newly-formed Scott Neal Racing team. He’s won them in every way possible, from dominating them to beating a veteran like Eddie Hoffman by inches at Hoffman’s home track at Illiana. The success for the team led to a new sponsorship from Jack Link’s Beef Jerky, which adorned the car in its most recent win at Dixie (MI). But Hemric proved that it wasn’t just on the JEGS Tour that he’s tough, as he was a major factor due to pit strategy late in the Rowdy 251 at Berlin. One voter said Hemric “can and does win in anything and he's a true racer at heart. He seems like if he has the opportunity to race anything he will do it, even if it means flying cross-country. Reminds me a lot of the old Ken Schrader.”
4) BUBBA POLLARD - Pro & Super Late Models
It's June and Bubba Pollard already has the Gulf Coast title and the Blizzard Series title. No joke. Go do the math. It's all but over. Despite only four wins to his credit this season, compared to his 19 last season, Pollard has had a fine season. He ran well at this year's Rowdy 251 and even trekked up to Milwaukee to run the Howie Lettow event. Pollard likes being good in a strong field compared to winning a 12-car feature. Pollard won the Rattler 250 earlier this year, his first major win and with the World Crown 300 around the corner it might make you think what's next? As one voter noted, “Four wins by the year’s halfway point would be a great season for any driver, but it’s a down year for Bubba. That says something about what he can do behind the wheel.”
5) TRAVIS SAUTER - ASA Midwest Tour
A Power Poll voter said it this way when it comes to Travis Sauter: “Guy has only won one race this year – but it was the biggest race of the year so far. Enough said.” Sauter bested the all-star ASA Midwest Tour Howie Lettow Memorial 150 at the Milwaukee Mile earlier in June. Sauter walked away from his uncle and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series star Johnny Sauter and beat Chase Elliott, Rusty Wallace, Matt Kenseth and just about every other big name in short track racing that made the trip to Milwaukee. Sauter’s Milwaukee win was good enough to earn him a top-five spot in this edition of the Power rankings, but if he can continue to run strong wherever else he goes this year, he could stay on the list in future editions.
6) COREY LAJOIE - K&N Pro Series East
Corey LaJoie and second place are not friends. LaJoie finished on the podium a handful of times in two-plus seasons on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, but had never gone to victory lane. That streak came to an end in a big way earlier this month as LaJoie took the checkers at historic Bowman Gray Stadium (NC). “Supershoe” had so much fun winning one K&N East race, he did it again just two races later at Langley (VA). He’s also won his third UARA Late Model Stock Car race at Rockingham Speedway (NC) earlier this season. The two K&N wins have him and his family –operated team just one point out of the point lead.
7) DEREK THORN - K&N Pro Series West, SRL Late Models
Many would look and see this and wonder why the K&N Pro Series West point leader (Dylan Kwasniewski) is lower than Derek Thorn in this edition of the Power Poll. Simple: Thorn is running for two titles. As a rookie on the West series, Thorn has already won a race and has racked up five top-five's in eight starts, putting him fourth in points. In the SRL Late Model Tour on the west coast, he's the point leader and locked himself into the All American 400 at Nashville coming up in October. His two SRL wins, two poles and four top 10's in as many starts could leave him with a dream season that will hopefully end with better results at the Snowball Derby in December.
8) DOUG COBY - Whelen Modified Tour
Doug Coby spent several recent seasons just trying to align himself in a competitive ride on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. This season, car owner Wayne Darling has given Coby that opportunity and the Connecticut Modified racing veteran has made the most of it. Coby won the second race of the season at Stafford, then earned wins number two and three back-to-back again at Stafford and Waterford. Coby is the 2012 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour point leader and favorite for his first title. One commenter noted, “The new Doug Coby has earned his place as a title contender. He’s a totally different driver behind the wheel and out of the car than he used to be and it’s a great thing to see new blood contend for a title.”
9) DYLAN KWASNIEWSKI - K&N Pro Series West
NASCAR’s top development series, the K&N Pro Series East and West, both have their standings led by teenagers – Elliott in the East and fellow 16-year-old Dylan Kwasniewski out West. Kwasniewski won from the pole in May at the Stockton 99 Speedway in California, then was the highest-finishing K&N West driver in the combo event at Iowa Speedway. His two wins are tied with his teammate Greg Pursley for the most on the West tour this season and have him atop the standings, also over Pursley. One poll voter said, “The sky is the limit for DK. He’s got the total package and is on the fast track to whatever he wants to do in this sport, but he’s doing it with wins on his resume too.”
10) WAYNE HELLIWELL JR. - ACT Late Models, Super Modifieds
A solid year so far has Helliwell with two ACT Late Model wins and a strong contender out of the gate to dethrone multi-time ACT champ Brian Hoar. In five starts he is the best in the ACT ranks as he leads the standings with four top five runs. One of panelist said "It's amazing they can do what they have done with their resources." They may not be swimming in money, but they are swimming in success. Away from ACT he is near the top of the Supermodified standings at Lee USA Speedway (NH) and is on top of the Late Model points at Canaan Fair Speedway (NH).
POSITIONS 11-20
11) Mike Garvey – PLM/SLM - Wins at several Southeast tracks and no signs of slowing.
12) Alex Bowman - ARCA - First full season of ARCA has him with two wins & third in points.
13) Kyle Benjamin - Pro & Super Late Models - Won at Winchester and Mobile, Speedweeks champ.
14) Kyle Larson - K&N Pro Series East, Open Wheels - GMP Winner, SLM Winner, Several Dirt wins.
15) Kyle Grissom - PASS South - Point leader after two wins this year.
16) Brian Campbell - SLM's & Outlaw SLM's - ASA Midwest Tour Win, Two ARCA/CRA Wins.
17) Brennan Poole - ARCA - Point leader, two wins, seven top 10's in nine starts.
18) Ryan Preece - Whelen Modified Tour, WAAS - Five wins in SK's and a Tour win, 3 poles.
19) Deac McCaskill - NASCAR WAAS - 11 Wins and only one finish outside top five in 16 starts.
20) Greg Pursley - K&N Pro Series West - Seven top-five runs and a win. Second in points.
ALSO RECEIVING VOTES
Al Schill Sr.
Alex Prunty
Barry Beggarly
Becca Kasten
Ben Ashline
Ben Kennedy
Brent Downey
Brian Hoar
Chad Finley
Colt James
Dan Fredrickson
David Rogers
Dennis Prunty
Eddie Hoffman
George Brunnhoelzl III
Harold Fair Jr.
James Swan
Joey Doiron
John Hunter Nemechek
Johnny Clark
Jon McKennedy
Jonathan Eilen
Kyle Ebersol
Lance Gatlin
Lee Pulliam
Matt Hirschman
Shane Clanton
Steve Dorer
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