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| eKartingNews.com Driver Rankings - September 24, 2010 |
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The month of September is nearing the end with the final weekend upon us and the signs of the Fall season peeking around the corner. This past month witnessed some great racing with the 16th running of the Rock Island Grand Prix, the finale for the WKA Manufacturer’s Cup Series as well as other regional programs around the country. While the Stock Moto rankings did not see any changes at the top, the TaG order continues to shuffle around.
The top spot remains the same as Daniel Formal (Kosmic) holds the spot for his second straight month. His lead increased a few points with the exchange in the number two position, this time going to Sam Beasley (Arrow). The young rising star soared up the rankings to take over the second spot with the TaG Senior victory and runner-up in IAME Senior at the Rock Island Grand Prix. With two victories at the WKA Man. Cup New Jersey round - in addition to a good showing at the RIGP - Michael Politis (Merlin) moved up four spots and now sits third. He along with a number of drivers behind him will have one final chance at the number one spot to complete the season with both Formal and Beasley heading to the Rotax Grand Finals and not racing at the SKUSA SuperNationals XIV - the year’s last base-10 ranked event.
Staying fourth is last year’s SuperNats winner Taylor Miinch (Top Kart), not recording much on the karting side as he spent the summer racing stock cars. However, the SoCal driver will be back in Vegas to defend his title. Up to fifth is new TaG and TaG Heavy champion from WKA - Robert Bujdoso (PCR). Running the Junior category last year, Bujdoso had a stellar rookie season in the Senior ranks to score two championships at the top level in WKA. Looking at the top-five as it stands, the average age is 17 years old with Politis the elder at just 23.
Former number one Victor Pedrosa (Arrow) fell down to sixth after losing last year’s podium finish at the Rotax Grand Nationals in Oklahoma. Same was the case for this year’s champion - Stepanova Nekeel (Tony Kart) - as he fell outside the top-10 with the removal of that event from the rankings. Reigning EKN Driver of the Year Marco DiLeo (Intrepid) remains in the top-10, falling to seventh. Both Andy Dunne (Birel) and Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon (Arrow) move up one spot while Kyle Wiegand (Top Kart) falls four to cap off the top-10.
Looking at the starting grid at the Rock Island Grand Prix, a number of drivers were in position to score a solid result and move up in the rankings. However, that was not the case when the checkered flag fell as the top-10 remains similar to last month. ProKart Challenge South champion Clinton Schoombee (CRG) remains on top with Jason Toft (GP) and ProKart Challenge North titlist Fritz Leesmann (CRG) holding second and third. Derek Crockett (GP) was fourth prior to the Rock, but a DNF and the lost of last year’s result drops him to seventh, moving Brad Dunford (CRG), Nic LeDuc (Energy) and Tommy Thompson (CRG) up one position each. Jimmy McNeil (CRG) and Brett Felkins (Intrepid) remain eighth and ninth while Brett Buckwalter (Italkart) is able to move up into the top-10 with a solid finish to the PKC North.
The following are the only events that remain on the EKN Driver Rankings schedule:
TaG
| Date | Series | Track | Location | Rank| 9/25 | Southwest Regional Cup #9 | North Texas Kartways | Denton, TX | 8 | | 9/26 | Southwest Regional Cup #10 | North Texas Kartways | Denton, TX | 8 | | 10/2 | Rotax Pan American Challenge #7 | CalSpeed Karting | Fontana, CA | 9 | | 10/3 | IKF Region 7 #9 - PRD | Adams Motorsports Park | Riverside, CA | 8 | | 10/3 | Rotax Pan American Challenge #8 | CalSpeed Karting | Fontana, CA | 9 | | 10/3 | TAG World Championships | New Castle Motorsports Park | New Castle, IN | 8 | | 10/24 | WSK North American Series #6 | Mandalay Bay | Las Vegas, NV | 9 | | 11/6 | IKF Region 7 #10 - PRD | CalSpeed Karting | Fontana, CA | 8 | | 11/22 | SKUSA Pro Tour #5 - SuperNationals XIV | Rio Hotel and Casino | Las Vegas, NV | 10 | |
Stock Moto
| Date | Series | Track | Location | Rank| 9/25 | Utah Kart Championships #9 | Miller Motorsports Park | Tooele, UT | 8 | | 9/25 | Southwest Regional Cup #9 | North Texas Kartways | Denton, TX | 8 | | 9/26 | Southwest Regional Cup #10 | North Texas Kartways | Denton, TX | 8 | | 10/9 | Utah Kart Championships #10 | Miller Motorsports Park | Tooele, UT | 8 | | 10/10 | Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix | Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix | Lancaster, CA | 8 | | 11/22 | SKUSA SuperNationals XIV - S1 | Rio Hotel and Casino | Las Vegas, NV | 10 | | 11/22 | SKUSA SuperNationals XIV - S2 | Rio Hotel and Casino | Las Vegas, NV | 9.5 | |
TaG
TaG Driver Rankings Top-10
| Pos. | Aug. 27 | Plus/Minus | Driver | Races | Score| 1. | 1 | NC | Daniel Formal | 16 | 7120 | | 2. | 18 | 16 | Sam Beasley | 20 | 7048 | | 3. | 7 | 4 | Michael Politis | 18 | 6969 | | 4. | 4 | NC | Taylor Miinch | 15 | 6952 | | 5. | 8 | 3 | Robert Bujdoso | 12 | 6948 | | 6. | 2 | -4 | Victor Pedrosa | 24 | 6928 | | 7. | 5 | -2 | Marco DiLeo | 11 | 6863 | | 8. | 9 | 1 | Andy Dunne | 17 | 6846 | | 9. | 10 | 1 | Dan Wheldon | 13 | 6843 | | 10. | 6 | -4 | Kyle Wiegand | 11 | 6832 | |
For the full TaG Driver Rankings, Click Here
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 | Daniel Formal
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
TaG #1 - Daniel Formal
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
The 2010 season has been a solid one for Florida driver Daniel Formal. The 14-year old Kosmic driver moved to the top spot last month following the addition of two wins from the Rotax Pan American Challenge in Homestead, Florida. The podium finisher at the Rotax Grand Nationals in July is set to make his first trip to the Rotax Grand Finals, this year in La Conca, Italy. The 2008 Rotax Junior national champion was not of age to represent the USA that season, and is stoked to be flying the red-white-and blue come November.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| Florida Winter Tour ’10 - Rotax #2 | 9 | 1 | 1015 | | Florida Winter Tour ’10 - Rotax #3 | 9 | 3 | 998 | | Florida Winter Tour ’10 - Rotax #4 | 9 | 1 | 1021 | | Florida Winter Tour ’10 - Rotax #5 | 9 | 3 | 1013 | | US Rotax Grand Nationals ’10 | 10 | 3 | 1107 | | Rotax Pan Am Chall. ’10 - Homestead #1 | 9 | 1 | 983 | | Rotax Pan Am Chall. ’10 - Homestead #2 | 9 | 1 | 983 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 1.86
Average Points: 1017.1
Total Points: 7120
**************
 | Scott Kopp
(Photo: Toshiya Michimi) |
ON THE MOVE: Scott Kopp - Ranked #28
Big Bend, Wisconsin
This month’s ‘On the Move’ for the TaG category is Scott Kopp. The Merlin driver made the transition to the TaG class after running Komet and Yamaha divisions previously. Kopp made his ranking debut after a solid weekend at Road America for round three of the WKA series. Matching eighth place finishes at the SKUSA SummerNationals helped his total as well but the two sixth-place performances at last week’s WKA New Jersey event helped propel him into the top-50.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| WKA Man. Cup Series ’10 - RA - TaG | 9 | 11 | 906 | | WKA Man. Cup Series ’10 - RA - IAME | 9 | 7 | 923 | | SKUSA SummerNationals #1 | 9 | 8 | 912 | | SKUSA SummerNationals #2 | 9 | 8 | 912 | | WKA Man. Cup Series ’10 - New Castle - IAME | 9 | 9 | 928 | | WKA Man. Cup Series ’10 - New Jersey - TaG | 9 | 6 | 972 | | WKA Man. Cup Series ’10 - New Jersey - IAME | 9 | 6 | 933 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 7.86
Average Points: 926.6
Total Points: 6486
Stock Moto
Stock Moto Driver Rankings Top-10
| Pos | Aug. 27 | Plus/Minus | Driver | Races | Score| 1. | 1 | NC | Clinton Schoombee | 11 | 6148 | | 2. | 2 | NC | Jason Toft | 10 | 6125 | | 3. | 3 | NC | Fritz Leesmann | 10 | 6049 | | 4. | 5 | 1 | Brad Dunford | 15 | 5910 | | 5. | 6 | 1 | Nic LeDuc | 9 | 5880 | | 6. | 7 | 1 | Tommy Thompson | 13 | 5874 | | 7. | 4 | -3 | Derek Crockett | 9 | 5794 | | 8. | 8 | NC | Jimmy McNeil | 8 | 5775 | | 9. | 9 | NC | Brett Felkins | 10 | 5726 | | 10. | 12 | 2 | Brett Buckwalter | 8 | 5714 | |
For the full Stock Moto Driver Rankings, Click Here
**************
 | Clinton Schoombee
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Stock Moto #1 - Clinton Schoombee
Laguna Beach, California
The reigning ProKart Challenge South S1 champion Clinton Schoombee remains the driver to beat in the Stock Moto rankings. The Select Shifter/CRG driver has been static since clinching the title in August but will return to the seat in October at the Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix to warm-up for his assault on the SKUSA SuperNationals XIV in November. Schoombee will look to become the first S1 Pro Stock Moto champion in the event’s history.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| SKUSA SuperNationals 2009 | 10 | 6 | 1109 | | SKUSA SpringNationals #1 - S1 | 9.5 | 3 | 1033 | | SKUSA SpringNationals #2 - S1 | 9.5 | 1 | 1047 | | ProKart Chall. South #4 - S1 | 8.5 | 1 | 967 | | ProKart Chall. South #5 - S1 | 8.5 | 1 | 967 | | SKUSA SummerNationals #1 - S1 | 9.5 | 4 | 1025 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 2.67
Average Points: 1024.7
Total Points: 6148
**************
 | Alex Speed
(Photo: Tony Leone - sixspeedphotos.com) |
ON THE MOVE: Alex Speed - Ranked #40
Manteca, California
Here is a topic for debate - who’s the best shifter kart driver ever. Many names come to mind but the majority of people weighing in will include Alex Speed. The former multi-time national champion is a beast behind the wheel of a six-speed machine, showing what he is capable of the past two months. Scoring the overall victory at the SKUSA SummerNationals, Speed completed the remainder of the PKC North schedule with two victories aboard his GP machine. While his status for the SKUSA SuperNationals is up in the air, his addition to the field would certainly raise the talent pool.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| ProKart Chall. North #4 - S1 | 8.5 | 6 | 906 | | SKUSA SummerNationals #1 - S1 | 9.5 | 1 | 1057 | | SKUSA SummerNationals #2 - S1 | 9.5 | 2 | 1046 | | PKC West Coast Shootout - S1 | 8.5 | 1 | 953 | | ProKart Chall. North #6 - S1 | 8.5 | 1 | 964 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 2.2
Average Points: 985.2
Total Points: 4926
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 best seven finishes in TaG and six in Stock Moto to determine their overall current point total. With each new release, results posted from more than one year ago are discarded. To deliver our ranking list, we tabulate the results of all the WSK North American Series, Superkarts! USA Pro Tour, Rotax Pan American Challenge and other national programs and events, as well as other regional programs. We have also included the results for the major one-off events such as the SKUSA SuperNationals, the Rock Island Grand Prix and the US Rotax Max Challenge Grand Nationals.
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 2010, the SKUSA SuperNationals, US Rotax Max Challenge Grand Nationals and the Rock Island Grand Prix receive a score of 10 in their initial weighting in the TaG category while the SuperNats is the lone event in the Stock Moto division. The WSK North American Series, SKUSA Pro Tour, and Rotax Pan American Challenge national series events draw a base ranking of nine (9), while the WKA Manufacturer’s Cup, Florida Winter Tour, Challenge of the Americas, IKF 2-Cycle Sprint Grand Nationals and other regional program races were given a base ranking of either eight (8) or nine (9).
The EKN staff reserves the right to adjust the rankings of each event throughout the year. New for 2010 is a minimum entry total for any events considered for the Driver Rankings program. If an event does not have at least five (5) drivers starting the race, those results will not be tabulated toward the Driver Rankings.
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 in TaG, six for Stock Moto, we calculate each driver’s overall score and subsequent ranking.
For the complete 2010 EKN Driver Rankings schedule, click HERE. |
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