|
 |
|
 |
| Features |
| eKartingNews.com Driver Rankings – June 25, 2012 – Stock Moto |
| |
Today is the release of the newest edition of the 2012 EKN Driver Rankings for Stock Moto. Near the halfway mark of the season, the jostling at the top of the standings continues to heat up and will only change more as the season closes out. A solid group of S1 Pro Stock Moto drivers have taken control of the top-10 in the rankings with a host of other moving their way toward the top. In just the third edition of the rankings for 2012, we have our second change for the number one position as Nicky Freytag returns to the spot, taking it back from Cory Milne.
Thanks to the victory at the California ProKart Challenge event at Adams last month just after the rankings were released for the month, Freytag (FA Kart) has retaken over the number one position. Las month’s number one driver Milne (GP) saw his total remain the same while Freytag gained 25 points to hurdle the Colorado driver for the top spot once again. Things are expected to change at the top once again as a number of drivers are making their way up the order and both will lose strong results from the SummerNationals last year in the S2 category. Both will need to show strong in their SummerNats S1 debuts.
Among those on the rise is Oregon’s Joey Wimsett (CRG). A former number one in the EKN TaG Driver Rankings (October 2009), Wimsett is climbing the Stock Moto rankings in his rookie year and is now up to third. Two runner-up finishes at the Rocky Mountain PKC event in Utah helped him move up from seventh last month. His progression dropped last year’s Pro Tour S2 champion Kyle Hathcox (CRG) to fourth with no change in his total score. Minnesota driver Lukas Johnson (Exprit) gained just five points in his total and remains fifth in the rankings halfway through his sophomore season in S1.
Texan Jake French (Birel) lost points after gaining no events toward his driver rankings CV in the past month and falls from fourth to sixth. Josh Lane (DR Kart), now residing in California, contested the last two ProKart Challenge events and improved his rankings score to jump two spots to seventh. Despite improving his score, Brad Dunford (GP) fell from sixth to eighth in this month’s rankings, looking to get back to his championship form that helped him earn the 2011 California PKC title. Rounding out the top-10 are Clinton Schoombee (DR Kart) and S2 driver Connor Wagner (Formula K), who currently leads the Texas ProKart Challenge standings heading into the finale weekend in Denton.
Some notables to finally reach the Top-50 area include former number one driver and current S1 Pro Tour point leader Fritz Leesmann (CRG). A double win weekend at the Rocky Mountain PKC event in Utah preparing for the SummerNationals helped to move him back into the spotlight at 34th. With four wins in four races at the Florida Karting Championship Series, the S2 SuperNationals defending champion Nick Neri has broken into the Top-50 at 44th this month.
Coming tomorrow will be the release of the TaG Driver Rankings.
Stock Moto
Stock Moto Driver Rankings Top-10
| Pos | May. 15 | Plus/Minus | Driver | Races | Score| 1. | 2 | 1 | Nicky Freytag | 11 | 6081 | | 2. | 1 | -1 | Cory Milne | 15 | 6062 | | 3. | 7 | 4 | Joey Wimsett | 7 | 6026 | | 4. | 3 | -1 | Kyle Hathcox | 9 | 5998 | | 5. | 5 | NC | Lukas Johnson | 7 | 5976 | | 6. | 4 | -2 | Jake French | 8 | 5972 | | 7. | 9 | 2 | Josh Lane | 11 | 5927 | | 8. | 6 | -2 | Brad Dunford | 9 | 5921 | | 9. | 8 | -1 | Clinton Schoombee | 11 | 5864 | | 10. | 10 | NC | Connor Wagner | 14 | 5787 | |
For the full Stock Moto Driver Rankings, Click Here
**************
 | Nicky Freytag
(Photo: dromophotos.com) |
NEW Stock Moto #1 - Nicky Freytag
Paradise Valley, Arizona
The 2011 EKN Driver Rankings number one Stock Moto driver Nicky Freytag returned to top this month with the help of his first S1 feature win at the California ProKart Challenge series. The result helped to better his score and jump him to the top spot once again. While Freytag was solid come feature time in S2 last year, he has yet to show the consistency to keep him at the top of the rankings in 2012. There is no doubt he’s improving as his rookie season progresses, earning a podium finish last weekend at Buttonwillow after electrical issues put him last on the grid after qualifying. Freytag has shown the ‘no quit’ attitude and that’s what has help to keep him at the top.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| SKUSA SummerNationals ’11 #1 - S2 | 9 | 4 | 1007 | | SKUSA SummerNationals ’11 #2 - S2 | 9 | 3 | 1017 | | SKUSA SuperNationals 2011 - S2 | 9.5 | 3 | 1014 | | SKUSA SpringNationals ’12 #1 - S1 | 9.5 | 10 | 1000 | | SKUSA SpringNationals ’12 #2 - S1 | 9.5 | 4 | 1072 | | SKUSA Cali. ProKart Challenge ’12 #3 - S1 | 8.5 | 1 | 971 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 4.17
Average Points: 1013.5
Total Points: 6081
**************
 | Jimmy McNeil
(Photo: dromophotos.com) |
Stock Moto ‘ON THE MOVE’ - Jimmy McNeil - #11
Visalia, California
Preparation and determination is what drives the 39 year-old to compete against the best in the country. Jimmy McNeil is a former PKC S1 champion when the class was based on the modified engine format. When it moved to the Stock Moto engine package in 2010, McNeil was a contender but earned no victories. Moving to S4 in 2011, McNeil dominated the group throughout the season and earned the Pro Tour title, giving him the confidence to move back to the S1 ranks. So far, McNeil has two wins in four events at the California PKC level. A best finish of eighth at the SpringNationals does not show the potential McNeil has, who should be among the contenders next month at the SummerNationals in Utah.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| SKUSA Cali. ProKart Challenge ’12 #1 - S1 | 8.5 | 7 | 907 | | SKUSA Cali. ProKart Challenge ’12 #2 - S1 | 8.5 | 1 | 947 | | SKUSA SpringNationals ’12 #1 - S1 | 9.5 | 13 | 967 | | SKUSA SpringNationals ’12 #2 - S1 | 9.5 | 8 | 1028 | | SKUSA Cali. ProKart Challenge ’12 #3 - S1 | 8.5 | 3 | 951 | | SKUSA Cali. ProKart Challenge ’12 #4 - S1 | 8.5 | 1 | 985 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 5.5
Average Points: 964.2
Total Points: 5785
Upcoming Stock Moto Driver Rankings Events
| Date | Series | Class | Track | Location | Rank| 6/30 | SKUSA Texas ProKart Challenge #5 | S1 | North Texas Karters | Denton, TX | 8.5 | | 6/30 | SKUSA Texas ProKart Challenge #5 | S2 | North Texas Karters | Denton, TX | 8 | | 6/30 | SKUSA Midwest ProKart Challenge #3 | S2 | Briggs & Stratton Motorplex | Elkhart Lake, WI | 8 | | 6/30 | SKUSA Midwest ProKart Challenge #3 | S1 | Briggs & Stratton Motorplex | Elkhart Lake, WI | 8.5 | | 6/30 | Northeast Shifter Kart Series #4 | Stock Moto | Monticello Country Club | Monitcello, NY | 8 | | 7/1 | SKUSA Texas ProKart Challenge #6 | S1 | North Texas Karters | Denton, TX | 8.5 | | 7/1 | SKUSA Texas ProKart Challenge #6 | S2 | North Texas Karters | Denton, TX | 8 | | 7/1 | SKUSA Midwest ProKart Challenge #4 | S2 | Briggs & Stratton Motorplex | Elkhart Lake, WI | 8 | | 7/1 | SKUSA Midwest ProKart Challenge #4 | S1 | Briggs & Stratton Motorplex | Elkhart Lake, WI | 8.5 | | 7/7 | SKUSA Northwest ProKart Challenge #3 | S2 | Jackson County State Park | Medford, OR | 8 | | 7/7 | Utah State Championships #3 | Spec Light | Miller Motorsports Park | Tooele, UT | 8 | | 7/8 | SKUSA Northwest ProKart Challenge #4 | S2 | Jackson County State Park | Medford, OR | 8 | | 7/8 | Utah State Championships #4 | Spec Light | Miller Motorsports Park | Tooele, UT | 8 | | 7/8 | Racing the Rockies #4 | Spec 125 | The Track at Centennial | Centennial, CO | 8 | | 7/21 | SKUSA Pro Tour - SummerNationals #1 | S1 | Miller Motorsports Park | Tooele, UT | 9.5 | | 7/21 | SKUSA Pro Tour - SummerNationals #1 | S2 | Miller Motorsports Park | Tooele, UT | 9 | | 7/22 | SKUSA Pro Tour - SummerNationals #2 | S1 | Miller Motorsports Park | Tooele, UT | 9.5 | | 7/22 | SKUSA Pro Tour - SummerNationals #2 | S2 | Miller Motorsports Park | Tooele, UT | 9 | |
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 national programs and selected regional programs. We have included the results for the major one-off events such as the SKUSA SuperNationals, the US Rotax Max Challenge Grand Nationals, the Rock Island Grand Prix and the Streets of Lancaster 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 2012, the SKUSA SuperNationals and US Rotax Max Challenge Grand Nationals receive a score of 10 in their initial weighting in the TaG category while the SuperNationals is the lone event in the Stock Moto division. The SKUSA Pro Tour 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, Rotax Pan American Challenge 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. A minimum entry total for any events considered for the Driver Rankings program is five (5). 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.
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. |
|
|
Go Top
|
|
|
|
|
