Pointing Out the Standings Near the Halfway Point

I know what you’re saying, it is way to early to talk points. But with almost half the season in our rearview mirrors already (yes, hard to believe), it is time to start keeping your eyes peeled on that championship chase into the month of July.

Look no further than the four divisions that are racing this week during our CARSTAR Weekly Racing Series program. The biggest point lead of any championship leader is four points.

Four. Points.

That is two spots in a feature, not to mention the points that you can make up in a heat race. Three of those classes are separated by a single point between the top two and three classes have ten points or less between the top three.

Now, I should have mentioned before, if you don’t like numbers, this column probably isn’t for you this week.

The Sportsman division has been dominated by “the Big Three.” I almost liken this scenario to a few years ago when Deven Smith, Scott Thibodeau and “Rational” Richard Drake were “the Big Three” in the Toursec Lightning division where those three drivers would more than likely grace the podium after a 25-lap feature. Through four Late Model races this year, the trio out front has been Jordan Veinotte, Deven Smith and Matt Vaughan. The three have finished every feature on the podium with Jordan and Deven splitting the victories.

The one thing we’ll see this week is both Jordan and Deven will start scratch in the regular point paying features from here on in because our lineup rules dictate that multiple time feature winners start at the tail after their second feature win. Will this help Matt Vaughan? It should. But we saw Jordan claw to second at the end of the Shriners' Classic last week without the aid of a yellow in the last nearly 40 laps. Matt is going to have to win races to win this championship and with those two at the back to start Friday, on paper this seems like as good of a week as any.

I’m a believer in the saying that “what can be done in one half can be undone in the other” when it comes to this sport. Now, a terrible string of bad luck can likely not be undone, and with the way “the Big Three” are running, it might be hard to catch them without a bit of bad luck, but there is a silent second three forming. Darren Hilchie, Megan Parrott and Pete Miller are lined up fourth to sixth and only nine points separate the three. If they have any hope of catching the top three, they’ll need to start moving themselves onto the podium and they all have capable cars that can do so. The budding rivalry between the Number 1 Racing team and Miller Brothers Racing has caught the eyes of a few spectators and will be something to watch as we go forward in the season.

It was great to see Aaron Boutilier and Darren Wallage back at the track on Friday night. Boutilier had a better night than Wallage did after Wallage chased mechanical gremlins all night long in the No. 3. Boutilier matched his car number on the scoreboard at the completion of 50-laps with a fourth place run. Travis Roma also had a strong run going in the No. 38. I believe if someone is going to bust onto the podium and break up the top three, at least from a part-time driver standpoint, it comes from this trio.

The Strictly Hydraulics Legends have also seen their share of rivalries beginning to flourish as the season kicks off. The biggest one blossoming in recent weeks has been the one between Braden Langille and Emily Meehan. The great thing about these two drivers is that both are passionate drivers who will not give an inch if the other races the same way. In that sense you get a great race with two drivers racing their hearts out and sometimes that boils over to a shot in the bumper or two.

Meehan leads the standings over “Mr. Consistency” Andrew Lively, but with Meehan out of town for a conference, it has allowed her brother Adam to get back in a race car. You’ve got some pretty hungry drivers looking to take a win. You’ve got Adam, Andrew, Josh Langille, Tylor Hawes and Paul Goulden that are all hungry to get to victory lane. Wyatt McCulloch and Josh Langille both showed speed last week behind first time winner Nathan Blackburn.

So far, 16 drivers have competed in every single Legend race so far this year, which is the most of any single division (not counting the three combined Bandolero divisions, collectively- their total would sit at 22 if combined). While the quality is there, which is something required for any division, the quantity is there as well. In five races, we’ve seen four different winners. Will Friday produce us a fifth?!

Arguably, the Toursec Lightning division has produced some of the best racing across the board all season in the CARSTAR Weekly Racing Series. Sure, “Rational” Richard Drake is the only three-time feature winner across the seven divisions but he’s not the point leader anymore in the class. That distinction belongs to sophomore Matthew Barkhouse. Barkhouse has been quietly consistent. Combine that with his Lightning on the Hill win and you’ve got the early makings of a championship season. Travis Keefe is kind of on an island of his own right now in third. He needs to find 30 points to make it up to the lead battle but he has a 33 point lead on the brawl for fourth in the standings. Keefe, if anyone, controls his own destiny in this class over what will be a critical few weeks. If he can completely get ahold of the handle on this car, he will be very tough to beat in the second half.

Then behind the top three, you’ve got a mess, a log jam, a brawl, whatever word you want to use. Paige Drake, David Jollimore, Bruce Larter and Chevy MacDonald all find themselves in a healthy scrap for fourth with only eight points between the four. Nine points back of MacDonald, you find Mike Jollimore, Marshall Bezanson and Jamie Dillman grinding it out for eighth. All told, from fourth to tenth is 28 points. With an average of 17 cars a night, that 28 points could disappear with one bad night or could cost someone a chance at a top five point position when looking at the big picture.

I think any one of those top ten, plus Steve Matthews, Scott Thibodeau, Garth Bezanson and Kenny Hopper on the right night, have proven they can win if the chips fall their way. We could not say that a few years ago. That says a lot right there about how far this division has evolved over the years.

The Toursec Thunder division is returning after a race that was a bit uncharacteristically rough and tumble for the class. Dave Matthews won that night and now has a single point lead on reigning champion Darren Flemming and a three point advantage on Jesse Deveau. This is starting to get the feel of last year’s championship battle, which would mean we are in for quite a show if it keeps shaping up that way.

The battle for fourth has the potential to heat up too. Taylor McLean is kind of in the same spot Travis Keefe is in the Toursec Lightning class, albeit that division has two more races under their belts than the Thunder class has. McLean is 28 points behind that tilt for the top spot and is only 23 points up on seventh place Greg McKay. One slip and McLean finds himself trying to cling to a top five point spot. A few good nights and he’s right up there battling for a Thunder car championship.

Either way, as much as it might not seem that one race could change a lot, but with momentum being a big deal in this sport, it could put an even greater emphasis on the championship chase heading into the mid-season break next week.

It will be a great evening of racing and hopefully you can join me on Friday evening!

Until then, keep the hammer down and we’ll see you at the track!