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| eKartingNews.com Driver Rankings - October 16 |
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EKN is happy to release the October edition of the eKartingNews.com Driver Rankings for the Intercontinental C (ICC) and Touch and Go (TaG) divisions. The 2008 schedule is nearing the end with less than five events left on the rankings calendar to close out the season. The final ‘big one’ yet to run is the SKUSA SuperNationals in November, in which we will hold off releasing the November edition until following the event. Left in the rankings tally this month is the 2007 Stars of Karting National Finals as this year’s event took place one weekend earlier - as the rankings use results from the past 12 months from the current date - something to remember when looking at this month’s rankings.
Looking at this month’s rankings, nothing changed at the top of the order. Alex Speed improved his score and the advantage he has over former number one Gary Carlton and new national champion Michael Vincec in the ICC Driver Rankings. Victor Cabrera, the new Stars TaG national champion, continues to sit atop the TaG Driver Rankings with new second and third place drivers.
ICC Driver Rankings Top-10
| Pos | Sept. 24 | Plus/Minus | Driver | Races | Score| 1. | 1 | NC | Alex Speed | 19 | 7915 | | 2. | 2 | NC | Gary Carlton | 17 | 7797 | | 3. | 3 | NC | Michael Vincec | 19 | 7717 | | 4. | 5 | 1 | David Jurca | 11 | 7617 | | 5. | 4 | -1 | Fritz Leesmann | 20 | 7554 | | 6. | 8 | 2 | Clayton Snow | 12 | 7442 | | 7. | 6 | -1 | Jordy Vorrath | 21 | 7302 | | 8. | 7 | -1 | Ryan Yop | 13 | 7290 | | 9. | 16 | 7 | Ron White | 9 | 7221 | | 10. | 9 | -1 | Cody Jolly | 19 | 7198 | |
 | Alex Speed
(Photo: Go Racing Magazine - otp.ca) |
For the full ICC Driver Rankings, Click Here
ICC Rankings Report
The former two-time national champion Alex Speed makes it a second straight month atop the EKN Driver Rankings in ICC. The now Tony Kart USA driver extended in lead to now 118 points with two runner-up finishes at the Stars of Karting National Finals in Las Vegas, NV. Speed’s best seven results in the past 12 months are events with a base ranking of 10, showing that Speed love’s to step up his game when center stage. With a good showing on the temporary circuit for the Stars finale, Speed will now focus on winning the one event he hasn’t in his successful karting career, the SKUSA SuperNationals SuperPro division.
Though Speed has the glory as the number one driver in the rankings, the other pilot with two championships of his own - Gary Carlton - won the latest battle. Carlton did all he could with his back against the wall heading to the Stars National Finals this past weekend and swept the racing action (minus the pole position in qualifying) to earn two wins over Speed. Though the two victories improved the PCH Motorsports/CRG pilot’s score, it was not as high as Speed’s upgrade was to steal back the top spot. Next month when they return to Vegas, look for Carlton to earn his second SuperNationals win.
Carlton may have won the battle, but Canadian Michael Vincec won the war. The newly crown ICC national champion ran where he needed to at the Stars finale to clinch the championship by one point. Consistency has been the Cameron Motorsports/CRG driver’s key to the championship, standing on the podium in nearly every event. Vincec will compete in his first event as a national champion at the SuperNationals where he will hope to continue his podium streak.
Swapping position inside the top-five are David Jurca (Italian Motors/Italkart) and Fritz Leesmann(PSL Karting/Kohilo Racing). The two battled hard throughout the weekend with Jurca finishing a high of fifth and Leesmann sixth. Moving up to sixth in the rankings is Syar Motorsports’ Clayton Snow. The Californian ran sixth and seventh in Vegas to cap off a solid Stars of Karting 2008 campaign.
Falling to seventh is Jordy Vorrath (Champion Racing/Intrepid). The 2004 ICA national champion ended the ’08 Stars season with two unfortunate DNFs. Speaking with Vorrath following the Stars finale he is anxiously awaiting the SuperNationals to redeem himself. Ryan Yop (G-Phactory/Sodi Racing USA) fell one spot to eighth and was absent in Vegas with health issues. Hoping to put them behind him, Yop will look to return at the SuperNats. Up seven spots into the top-ten is last month’s ‘On the Move’ Ron White. The KLS Racing/GP driver ran fourth in both finals at the Stars finale, giving himself some momentum heading into the SuperNats where he returns to the site of his first victory, the Rio. Rounding out the top-ten is Texan Cody Jolly (Champion Racing/Intrepid). Making the move over from ICA to ICC, Jolly finished sixth in the overall Stars championship and top among the first year drivers.
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ICC #1 - Alex Speed
Manteca, California
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| Stars National Finals 2007 #1 | 10 | 1 | 1156 | | Stars National Finals 2007 #2 | 10 | 3 | 1145 | | Stars Race of the Americas 2008 #1 | 10 | 3 | 1148 | | Stars Race of the Americas 2008 #2 | 10 | 2 | 1159 | | RIGP King of the Streets 2008 | 10 | 1 | 1071 | | Stars National Finals 2008 #1 | 10 | 2 | 1118 | | Stars National Finals 2008 #2 | 10 | 2 | 1118 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 2.0
Average Points: 1130.7
Total Points: 7915
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 | Curtis Fox
(Photo: Autosports Media) |
‘On the Move’
ICC #15 - Curtis Fox
Bradford, Ontario, Canada
This month’s ‘On the Move’ ICC driver is steadily making his way up the rankings after getting back into a shifter kart after a near eight month leave. Curtis Fox as always been among the top shifter kart drivers Canada has to offer but just never got the results he hoped in Stars of Karting competition. During the second half of 2008 when Fox return to the driver’s seat however he was seen running consistently toward the front. His return to Stars competition was to prepare for the upcoming SuperNationals where last year he started sixth for the main event against some of the top pilots around the world. Judging by his results in the last few months, it seems Fox is ready for the challenge again.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| SKUSA SuperNationals 2007 | 10 | 14 | 1001 | | Stars of Karting ’08 - East #5 - USAIR | 9 | 22 | 834 | | Stars of Karting ’08 - East #6 - USAIR | 9 | 7 | 992 | | Stars of Karting ’08 - West #5 - Seattle | 9 | 4 | 996 | | Stars of Karting ’08 - West #6 - Seattle | 9 | 8 | 955 | | Stars National Finals 2008 #1 | 10 | 11 | 1017 | | Stars National Finals 2008 #2 | 10 | 5 | 1084 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 10.14
Average Points: 982.7
Total Points: 6878
TaG Driver Rankings Top-10
| Pos | Sept. 24 | Plus/Minus | Driver | Races | Score| 1. | 1 | NC | Victor Cabrera Jr. | 15 | 7627 | | 2. | 5 | 3 | Kyle Wiegand | 9 | 7600 | | 3. | 3 | NC | Chris Scribner | 15 | 7577 | | 4. | 2 | -2 | Joey Wimsett | 18 | 7510 | | 5. | 6 | 1 | Chris Wehrheim | 18 | 7429 | | 6. | 4 | -2 | Jason Toft | 16 | 7428 | | 7. | 15 | 8 | Scott Saunders | 9 | 7371 | | 8. | 18 | 10 | Neil Alberico | 14 | 7249 | | 9. | 22 | 13 | Joey Licata Jr. | 9 | 7211 | | 10. | 23 | 13 | Will Martindale | 21 | 7166 | |
 | TaG number one Victor Cabrera
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
For the full TaG Driver Rankings, Click Here
TaG Rankings Report
To go along with his new Star TaG national championship, Victor Cabrera Jr. can take in the fact that the EKN Driver Rankings for TaG also see him as the number one driver in North America. Driving out of the J3 Competition/Kosmic stable, Cabrera was fast all year long. Someone may have slipped him some kryptonite during the Stars National Finals event however when it was time to step up, Cabrera did to clinch the crown. The former ICA driver made the transition well as we see many former ICA pilots among the top-ten with a the Stars season now in the books. The national championship could have been the second he earned on the year however the Puerto Rican came up just short of the Florida Winter Tour title earlier this year.
Moving up to second following his double podium performance at the Stars finale is former ICC number one driver Kyle Wiegand. Two runner-up finishes in Vegas propelled him from fifth to second in the rankings. The interesting part about Wiegand’s success is he ran a limited schedule in 2008. Had he run either the full Stars or WKA Manufacturer’s Cup Series, where the Team Top Kart USA driver won at the New Castle event, he could possible be in the number one spot however Wiegand seems more relaxed then ever at the race track and could be the key to his success.
Staying third is the reigning Stars Western Division champion Chris Scribner (Team Top Kart USA). Scribner, like Vincec, has been consistently near the front of the field - both on the East and the West. Needing some help to challenge for the national title heading to the Stars finale, he got that help however it was away chance was taken away when contact during the opening final resulted in a penalty that cost him valuable points. If his speed transfers over to the SuperNats, they odds may be in his favor for the win.
Former number one driver Joey Wimsett falls two spots to fourth. The penalties from the Utah race cost him not only a chance at the championship, but hurts him in the driver rankings as well. Nonetheless, Wimsett took on the challenge and nearly came through but a tough Stars National Finals event hurt his chances. Completing the top-five is a third Team Top Kart USA driver, Chris Wehrheim. The ‘veteran’ of clutch-kart competition also finished fifth in the Stars TaG standings, just eight points back of second place Wimsett. No doubt a tough Race of the Americas hurt his chance however when Wehrheim is racing, put him in as a contender.
Jason Toft (KLS Racing/GP) fell out of the top-five to sixth. Up front at the National Finals, Toft was just off on the set-up to challenge for the wins. The NorCal pilot has been doing double duty in regional action, winning the ProKart Challenge North S3 title while finishing second in TaG Senior - to Alex Speed.
Seventh through tenth include new drivers to the top ten as each of them impressed at the Stars finale. Scott Saunders (Cameron Motorsports/CRG) recorded double fifth-place finishes to move up to seventh in the rankings. Neil Alberico (Team Top Kart USA) earned his first Stars victory in the opening final, adding a top-five run in the second race to move up 10 spots to eighth.
Completing the top-ten are former number one drivers making their way back up the standings, Joey Licata Jr. (TNR Motorsports/CRG) and Will Martindale (Wunder-Bar Racing/Tony Kart). Contact took Licata out of the opening final while he ran to a podium in the second. Martindale’s ninth place finishes help him move up 13 spots, like Licata, back into the top-ten.
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TaG #1 - Victor Cabrera Jr.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| SKUSA SuperNationals 2007 | 10 | 3 | 1105 | | Stars Race of the Americas 2008 #1 | 10 | 4 | 1120 | | Stars Race of the Americas 2008 #2 | 10 | 1 | 1155 | | Stars of Karting ’08 - East #5 - Shawano | 9 | 1 | 1039 | | Stars of Karting ’08 - East #6 - Shawano | 9 | 1 | 1039 | | Stars National Finals 2008 #1 | 10 | 8 | 1079 | | Stars National Finals 2008 #2 | 10 | 7 | 1090 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 3.57
Average Points: 1089.6
Total Points: 7627
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 | Neil McCoy
(Photo: Go Racing Magazine - otp.ca) |
‘On the Move’
TaG #14 - Neil McCoy
Henderson, Nevada
This month’s ‘On the Move’ for TaG is the Nevada's Neil McCoy. The Team Top Kart USA driver jumped up in the rankings to 14th after a stellar Stars National Finals. Had McCoy contended the Race of the Americas, McCoy could be higher in the rankings and contended for a top-five spot in the championship with three podiums on the year. McCoy also has been strong in regional competition, running the IKF Region 7 program and the IKF Grand Nationals.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| Stars National Finals 2007 #2 | 10 | 7 | 1073 | | Stars of Karting ’08 - West #1 - Utah | 9 | 10 | 946 | | Stars of Karting ’08 - West #2 - Utah | 9 | 3 | 1019 | | IKF Grand Nationals 2008 | 9 | 12 | 885 | | Stars of Karting ’08 - West #5 - Seattle | 9 | 3 | 1007 | | Stars National Finals 2008 #1 | 10 | 3 | 1137 | | Stars National Finals 2008 #2 | 10 | 14 | 1009 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 7.43
Average Points: 1010.9
Total Points: 7076
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 tabulated the results of all the Snap-on Stars of Karting national events, as well as other 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 was 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 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. |
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