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| eKartingNews.com Driver Rankings – July 30, 2012 – TaG |
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Today is the release of the newest edition of the eKartingNews.com Driver Rankings for TaG. Some big events took place recently that shook up the order with plenty of events still left on the calendar for drivers to improve their score before the season wraps up. Still holding onto the number one position is Texan Mason Chelootz, but is coming under heat by a number of drivers who advanced their score in the last month.
Chelootz remains on top of the standings this month, and saw his lead increase by two points. Fellow Top Kart USA driver Phil DeLaO took over the second position following the SKUSA SummerNationals, where the Arizona driver increased his total by 51 points. That moved Robert Bujdoso down to the third position, losing just seven points to leave him only 21 markers out of the top spot. Chelootz has battled both, but all three have yet to compete at the same event in the past 12 months. The trio however will go head-to-head next week at the Rotax Grand Nationals, which should have a major impact on the rankings next month. Jumping up to fourth is regular TaG front-runner Chris Wehrheim (Top Kart). A solid weekend in South Bend for the WKA Manufacturers Cup Series helped him to propel five spots up. Also moving forward is recent SKUSA SummerNationals winner Matt Johnson. The Buddy Rice Karting pilot scored his second Pro Tour victory in the last two seasons after a challenging 2012 season thus far. He also leads the California ProKart Challenge championship race.
Daniel Formal moved up one position despite a static month where scored zero races toward the EKN Driver Rankings. The driver gaining the most positions to sit inside the top-10 is fellow Floridian Jesus Rios Jr. His two-trip podium performance at the Man Cup event at MRP Motorsport’s home track in South Bend helped him to move into the seventh position. Fellow Birel driver Louie Pagano remains in the eighth position, gaining a few points after making his first SKUSA Pro Tour start at the SummerNationals, finishing as high as seventh on the weekend. Illinois’ Tommy Andersen (Kosmic) also recorded a seventh place finish at the WKA event to move himself up to ninth. Canadian Luke Chudleigh (Maranello) wraps up the top-10 thanks to his results from the Florida Winter Tour and Challenge of the Americas this past winter.
Three drivers fell out of the top-10 this month, thanks to the loss of their Rotax Grand Nationals results, and it just happens to be the top-three. Defending champion Nick Neri (Tony Kart), Sam Beasley (Arrow) and Kiel Spaulding (FA Kart) all sat inside the top-10 last month and now find themselves in 15th, 12th and 54th respectively. Neri was a Florida Winter Tour championship contender, forfeiting the title to compete in Europe during the season finale weekend. Since, he has focused on regional racing in preparation for the Grand Nationals. Beasley took some time away from the seat in the last few months, jumping back in July for the Man Cup event where he went right back to showing his talent. Spaulding has been away from karting the last few months, thus another reason for his loss in the standings.
TaG
TaG Driver Rankings Top-10
| Pos. | Jun. 26 | Plus/Minus | Driver | Races | Score| 1. | 1 | NC | Mason Chelootz | 25 | 7281 | | 2. | 3 | 1 | Phil DeLaO | 10 | 7265 | | 3. | 2 | -1 | Robert Bujdoso | 18 | 7260 | | 4. | 9 | 5 | Chris Wehrheim | 14 | 7212 | | 5. | 10 | 5 | Matt Johnson | 11 | 7141 | | 6. | 7 | 1 | Daniel Formal | 13 | 7122 | | 7. | 15 | 8 | Jesus Rios Jr. | 11 | 7106 | | 8. | 8 | NC | Louie Pagano | 15 | 7103 | | 9. | 14 | 5 | Tommy Andersen | 17 | 7039 | | 10. | 11 | 1 | Luke Chudleigh | 12 | 7012 | |
For the full TaG Driver Rankings, Click Here
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TaG #1 - Mason Chelootz
Spring, Texas
 | Mason Chelootz
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Chelootz remains the driver to beat in the TaG Driver Rankings as he’s laid down some impressive results over the past 12 months. The month of July however was rough on the Top Kart driver. A podium finish was taken away at the Man Cup event in South Bend due to a seat infraction, and needed a relief driver the following day after aggravating a rib injury. He made his way west for his SKUSA Pro Tour debut, needing to fight his way forward both days, earning one top-10 finish. The Rotax Grand Nationals are up next with Chelootz coming off a double win at the track during the Summer Shootout event.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| WKA Man. Cup Series ’11 - New Castle - TaG 1 | 9 | 2 | 1027 | | WKA Man. Cup Series ’11 - New Castle - TaG 2 | 9 | 1 | 1045 | | Florida Winter Tour ’12 Rotax #1 | 9 | 1 | 1053 | | WKA Man. Cup Series ’12 - Kershaw - TaG 1 | 9 | 3 | 1021 | | WKA Man. Cup Series ’12 - Kershaw - TaG 2 | 9 | 2 | 1045 | | WKA Man. Cup Series ’12 - PIRC - TaG 1 | 9 | 1 | 1041 | | WKA Man. Cup Series ’12 - PIRC - TaG 2 | 9 | 1 | 1049 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 1.57
Average Points: 1040.1
Total Points: 7281
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TaG ‘ON THE MOVE’ - Jake Craig - #25
Mission Viejo, California
 | Jake Craig
(Photo: Ken Johnson - studio52.us) |
One of the rookies breaking into the top-50 this year is California driver Jake Craig. Moving up to the Senior ranks in Superkarts! USA competition, the 2011 Team USA Junior Max team member and SKUSA Pro Tour TaG Junior champion has made the transition well thus far. Starting out at with a podium in his first California ProKart Challenge event, he recorded two top-10 finishes at the SummerNationals in Utah. Craig is also doing this while making the transition from the CRG chassis to the expanding Formula K brand. Craig will continue to finish his Rotax season in the Junior ranks, including a chance to podium once again at the Rotax Grand Nationals.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| SKUSA Cali. ProKart Challenge ’12 #1 | 9 | 3 | 995 | | SKUSA Cali. ProKart Challenge ’12 #2 | 9 | 8 | 941 | | SKUSA SpringNationals ’12 #1 | 9 | 15 | 919 | | SKUSA SpringNationals ’12 #1 | 9 | 32 | 730 | | SKUSA Cali. ProKart Challenge ’12 #4 | 9 | 7 | 950 | | SKUSA SummerNationals ’12 #1 | 9 | 5 | 1010 | | SKUSA SummerNationals ’12 #2 | 9 | 10 | 959 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 11.4
Average Points: 929.1
Total Points: 6504
Upcoming TaG Driver Rankings Events
| Date | Series | Class | Track | Location | Rank| 8/4 | WKA Manufacturer's Cup Series #5 | Parilla Leopard | Concept Haulers Motor Speedway | Norway, IL | 8 | | 8/4 | WKA Manufacturer's Cup Series #5 | TaG 1 | Concept Haulers Motor Speedway | Norway, IL | 9 | | 8/4 | IKF Region 7 Sprint Championship #4 | TaG Senior | Santa Maria Karting Association | Santa Maria, CA | 8 | | 8/5 | WKA Manufacturer's Cup Series #5 | TaG 2 | Concept Haulers Motor Speedway | Norway, IL | 9 | | 8/5 | WKA West Super Series #5 | TaG Senior | Monterey Bay Karters | Monterey, CA | 8 | | 8/5 | WKA West Super Series #5 | PRD Senior | Monterey Bay Karters | Monterey, CA | 8 | | 8/5 | IKF Region 7 Sprint Championship #4 | PRD Senior | Santa Maria Karting Association | Santa Maria, CA | 8 | | 8/11 | US Rotax Grand Nationals | Senior Max | Michiana Raceway Park | South Bend, IN | 10 | | 8/18 | Route 66 Sprint Series #5 | TaG 1 | Badger Raceway | Dousman, WI | 8 | | 8/18 | SKUSA Midwest ProKart Challenge #5 | TaG Senior | New Castle Motorsports Park | New Castle, IN | 8 | | 8/18 | SKUSA California ProKart Challenge #5 | TaG Senior | Qualcomm Stadium | San Diego, CA | 9 | | 8/19 | Route 66 Sprint Series #5 | TaG 2 | Badger Raceway | Dousman, WI | 8 | | 8/19 | SKUSA Midwest ProKart Challenge #6 | TaG Senior | New Castle Motorsports Park | New Castle, IN | 8 | | 8/25 | New Jersey Sprint Series #4 | TaG 1 | Old Bridge Raceway Park | Englishtown, NJ | 8 | | 8/26 | IKF Region 11 Championship Series #6 | IKF TaG | Desert Park Raceway | Reno, NV | 8 | | 8/26 | New Jersey Sprint Series #4 | TaG 2 | Old Bridge Raceway Park | Englishtown, NJ | 8 | |
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. |
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