|
 |
|
 |
| Features |
| eKartingNews.com Driver Rankings - May 9 |
| |
EKN is happy to release the May edition of the eKartingNews.com Driver Rankings for the ICC and TaG divisions. The first coastal rounds of the Stars of Karting divisions are now in the books with the weather warming up across the country to begin a full summer season of racing. With not too many events taking place between April’s release of the rankings, not a lot has changed with the Intercontinental C (ICC) and Touch and Go (TaG) standings.
The top of the ICC rankings remains familiar with Gary Carlton still #1, despite not improving on his score following the Stars of Karting Western Division opener. Joey Licata Jr. remains in the P1 spot for the TaG rankings despite not participating in Utah after a Saturday crash. With the exception of our ‘On the Move’ drivers, most of hte competitors retained their positions.
ICC Driver Rankings - Top-10
| Pos | Driver | Races | Score| 1 | Gary Carlton | 17 | 7690 | | 2 | Fritz Leesmann | 21 | 7376 | | 3 | Jordy Vorrath | 22 | 7353 | | 4 | Michael Vincec | 24 | 7344 | | 5 | Matt Jaskol | 11 | 7283 | | 6 | David Jurca | 12 | 7254 | | 7 | Alan Rudolph | 12 | 7245 | | 8 | Jan Velez Walter | 12 | 7245 | | 9 | Ryan Yop | 18 | 7219 | | 10 | Hayden Duerson | 17 | 7146 | |
For the full ICC Rankings, Click Here
 | Gary Carlton
(Photo: EKN) |
ICC Rankings Report
Continuing to overcome obstacles that come his way, two-time defending ICC national champion Gary Carlton retains the number one spot on the EKN Driver Rankings. Slight hiccups at the Stars of Karting Eastern and Western Division openers reminded everyone that he and his CRG/Maxter package are not bullet-proof. Fortunately for Carlton, his trouble two weeks ago in Utah happened early on during the weekend, rather than the finals, where he managed to come from row two each time to take the checkered flag. This past weekend, Carlton made his KZ1 debut at the European Championships finishing eighth in the second final to earn his first championship points of the season.
Still in chase mode is Florida Winter Tour Pro Shifter champion Fritz Leesmann. The PSL Karting/Kohilo Racing supported pilot had two slip ups in the two opening rounds as well as keeping him in chase position in the rankings. The most impressive performances thus far have been that of Champion Racing/Intrepid USA’s Jordy Vorrath. The Canadian has four runner-up finishes in the two national championship events, including a pole position in Utah, putting him on top in the East and trailing Carlton in the West standings.
Joining Carlton at Angerville, France for his European debut is number four in the rankings, Michael Vincec. The Cameron Motorsports pilot was fast all weekend, scoring his first ever championships points in final two with a 12th place finish. Back in North America, the Canadian has been busy competing in 24 races toward the rankings since May 2007, not including his open wheel weekends. Rounding out the top five probably for the final time in 2008 is Matt Jaskol. The Vegas native is focusing on his stock car program at the Las Vegas ‘Bullring’ but may show his face at a couple events later in the year.
Italian Motors lead ICC pilot David Jurca sits sixth currently, missing the first two Stars events to compete in the VW Jetta TDI Cup program, where he finished fourth in his first event. Jurca will be back at New Castle looking to mix up the fight up front in ICC. Drivers sitting seventh and eighth will also drop as the year goes on. Veteran Alan Rudolph has been MIA (more on that from EKN at a later date) since running one Florida Winter Tour event this past winter. Jan Velez Walter has also gone to the tin tops, running in the Northeast ovals looking to move up the NASCAR ranks.
Ninth place Ryan Yop put G-Phactory/Sodi Racing USA on the ICC podium for the first time in 2008 with a stellar performance in final two in Utah. Smiles were all around as Yop had been itching to get a chance to talk with EKN Publisher and Stars announcer Rob Howden on the podium. Though his third place gave him more points in the rankings, he still sits ninth but should move up next month. Rounding out the top ten is ICC sophomore Hayden Duerson. The Italian Motors driver missed the Stars Utah round to continue his bid for a Skip Barber National championship but like Jurca, will return at New Castle.
ICC #1 - Gary Carlton
Marysville, California
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| Stars of Karting ’07 - East #3 - New Castle | 9 | 1 | 1067 | | Stars of Karting ’07 - East #4 - New Castle | 9 | 1 | 1068 | | Stars of Karting ’07 - West #5 - Moran | 9 | 1 | 1066 | | Stars of Karting ’07 - West #6 - Moran | 9 | 1 | 1062 | | Stars National Finals 2007 #1 | 10 | 3 | 1133 | | Stars National Finals 2007 #2 | 10 | 1 | 1156 | | SKUSA SuperNationals 2007 | 10 | 2 | 1139 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 1.43
Average Points: 1098.6
Total Points: 7690
**************
‘On the Move’
ICC #32 - Scott Rossi
Langley, British Columbia, Canada
This month’s ICC ‘On the Move’ belongs to the ICC rookie Scott Rossi. Coming off an impressive Junior career, the Canadian has moved to the shifter category after originally scheduled to compete in the now dropped ICA category. Running for Team Aluminos during at the SKUSA WinterNational Championship Series and opening round of the ProKart Challenge South, Rossi got some valuable seat time as well as beginning a ranking point total. Two weeks ago in Utah, teamed with Genesis Racing and the former SKUSA SuperNationals winning team of Vince and Lorenzo Mandarino on the wrenches, the rookie recorded two-top ten finishes in his Stars ICC debut, moving up to 32nd in the rankings.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| KartSport Grand Prix 2007 | 8 | 10 | 840 | | SKUSA WinterNats 2008- Race #3 | 8 | 1 | 852 | | SKUSA WinterNats 2008 - Race #5 | 8 | 8 | 822 | | SKUSA WinterNats 2008 - Race #6 | 8 | 2 | 867 | | PKC South 2008 - Round #1 | 8 | 3 | 870 | | Stars of Karting ’08 - West #1 - Miller | 9 | 9 | 947 | | Stars of Karting ’08 - West #2 - Miller | 9 | 6 | 978 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 5.57
Average Points: 882.3
Total Points: 6176
TaG Rankings - Top-10
| Pos | Driver | Races | Score| 1 | Joey Licata Jr. | 12 | 7331 | | 2 | Joey Wimsett | 20 | 7296 | | 3 | Andy Lee | 15 | 7158 | | 4 | Victor Cabrera Jr. | 9 | 7139 | | 5 | Chris Wehrheim | 12 | 7126 | | 6 | Chris Scribner | 12 | 7121 | | 7 | Zach Beard | 15 | 7072 | | 8 | Adam Johnson | 8 | 7069 | | 9 | Conor Daly | 15 | 7055 | | 10 | Chris Larson | 12 | 7043 | |
For the full TaG Rankings, Click Here
 | Joey Licata Jr.
(Photo: EKN) |
TaG Rankings Report
For the second straight month, Joey Licata Jr. remains number one on the EKN Driver Rankings. It’s been a tough start to the 2008 national schedule for Licata who wrecked in qualifying in Utah after a stuck throttle and brake issues put him off track. After visiting an orthopedic specialist, they found he had a fracture and compression of the L3 vertebrae. Fortunately, Licata has time to recover fully, though we could see him racing sooner than expected. His point total will remain unchanged with the Miller event from July 2007 the first to be dropped from the rankings.
Until July, Joey Wimsett will need to keep doing what he did in Utah, win. The Champion Racing/Intrepid USA pilot overcame some early gremlins to claim the top spot on the podium in both finals. The gap is now just 25 points between Licata and himself, with the Race of the Americas on the line, things could change for the June rankings. Florida Winter Tour Spec Racer champion Andy Lee sits third, who like Jurca has spent the past month racing in the VW Jetta TDI Cup. The FWT vice-champion, Victor Cabrera Jr. remains in fourth, looking to improve on his performance in Ocala for the J3 Competition stable. And rounding out the top five is Ocala double winner Chris Wehrheim, who also had a big off in Utah after a brake rotor exploded. The Team Top Kart USA driver returned to place fifth in the second final.
Moving four spots to sixth is his fellow Top Kart teammate Chris Scribner. The NorCal hotshoe was fast in Utah for day one and two, but the rest of the field caught up for the main events. Still, Scribner has found the right package and will challenge in the top five in rankings on the year along with the championship. Zach Beard remains seventh and is looking to improve on a dismal performance in Ocala for MRP-Birel America. He and mechanic Mike Giessen have been working together over the last month, looking for more speed out of their Birel.
Eighth and ninth in the rankings will continue to fall as the year goes on with Adam Johnson and Conor Daly not running a full season. The two were the front runners for Team Top Kart USA in 2007, with Daly earning the Eastern Division Spec Racer championship. Daly is focusing the year on his open wheel program, running Skip Barber National and the Ontario Formula Ford Challenge.
Completing the top ten is recently married Chris Larson. The FirstKart.com pilot tied the knot May 3 to his longtime girlfriend Lindsey. Competing in both the Stars East Division and the WKA Manufacturer’s Cup Series, Larson is setting himself up for a run at a couple championships and the top of the rankings.
TaG #1 - Joey Licata Jr.
Lake Balboa, California
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| Stars of Karting ’07 - West #3 - Miller | 9 | 1 | 1021 | | Stars of Karting ’07 - West #4 - Miller | 9 | 4 | 990 | | Stars of Karting ’07 - West #5 - Moran | 9 | 3 | 1017 | | Stars of Karting ’07 - West #6 - Moran | 9 | 3 | 1017 | | Stars National Finals 2007 #1 | 10 | 5 | 1096 | | Stars National Finals 2007 #2 | 10 | 5 | 1096 | | SKUSA SuperNationals 2007 | 10 | 4 | 1094 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 3.58
Average Points: 1047.3
Total Points: 7331
**************
‘On the Move’
TaG #22 - Michael Self
Park City, Utah
The TaG ‘On the Move’ driver this month is Miller double podium finisher Michael Self. The new G-Phactory/Sodi Racing USA recruit used his Utah home track knowledge to record two runner-up finishes. Self was strong at last year’s Stars event at Miller, placing second in Saturday’s action and has been a consistent front runner since. The former member of the America’s Team for the Rotax Grand Finals moved up 21 spots to 22nd and most likely will advance more as the year goes on.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| Stars of Karting ’07 - West #3 - Miller | 9 | 2 | 1011 | | Stars of Karting ’07 - West #4 - Miller | 9 | 7 | 960 | | Stars of Karting ’07 - West #6 - Moran | 9 | 11 | 934 | | SKUSA WinterNats 2008 - Race #3 | 8 | 2 | 855 | | Stars of Karting ’08 - East #2 - Ocala | 9 | 11 | 931 | | Stars of Karting ’08 - West #1 - Miller | 9 | 2 | 1029 | | Stars of Karting ’08 - West #2 - Miller | 9 | 2 | 1029 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 5.29
Average Points: 964.1
Total Points: 6749
EKN Driver Rankings Calculation Process
The EKN Driver Rankings are calculated using a driver’s best finishes in major North American races. Assembled using events from the previous 12 months from the current date, we use a driver’s top seven finishes in ICC and TaG to determine their overall current point total. With each new release, results posted from more than one year ago are discarded. To deliver this current ranking list, we tabulate the results of all the Snap-on Stars of Karting national events, as well as other national and regional programs. We have also included the results for the major one-off events such as the Rock Island Grand Prix, SKUSA King of the Streets, the SKUSA SuperNationals, and the KartSport Grand Prix.
Each race is initially weighted based on the prestige and history of the event or series with a score of ten (10) being the highest attainable base ranking. For 2008, the Stars of Karting Race of the Americas and National Finals, the SKUSA SuperNationals and the Rock Island Grand Prix are the only events to receive a score of 10 in their initial weighting. The Stars of Karting national series events draw a base ranking of nine (9), while the WKA Manufacturer’s Cup, Florida Winter Tour, and other regional program races were given a base ranking of eight (8). The EKN staff reserves the right to adjust the rankings of each event throughout the year.
Added to these initial rankings are two variables that help confirm the true importance and strength of an event to the ranking process – field size and field strength. A percentage of one weighting point is added for the size of the field, while the number of existing top-50 drivers entered offers another full point or fraction of a point. The sum of these numbers becomes the overall ranking for any race. Following a race, drivers receive points based on their finishing positions with 100 points earned for a win. Each subsequent position drops by one point with 99 points given to the second place driver and so on throughout the field. These points are then multiplied by the overall ranking to produce a driver’s final point total from each event. Using a driver’s best seven races, we calculate each driver’s overall score and subsequent ranking.
|
|
|
Go Top
|
|
|
|
|
