Auto Clearing Motor Speedway
Update for Monday August 17, 2015
The nights are getting cooler, leaves are starting to show hints of
colour change and the racing action at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway
heats up as we turn into the final weeks of the racing season for the
Saskatoon Stock Car Racing Association.
Most of the divisions have only two local race meets left to gain those
final points that will determine the finishing positions on the year.
In some divisions the champion is already all but decided, while others
are going to come down to that final checkered flag in that final
feature race.
This week I’m going to look at the top three positions in each division.
In the CrimeStoppers Bandoleros division, there has been a battle on the
track all year between the #22 of Kelsey Toth and the #18 of Tyler
Emond. Tyler was winning the early races, but Kelsey has been coming on
strong lately.
The big difference is that Tyler also races in Minicups in Edmonton and
missed one Bandolero race meet here. That has given Kelsey a 56 point
lead on the season over Tyler, with the #14 of Ty Steward another 11
points back. Insurmountable? Probably, but it means Kelsey can’t miss
any races in the final two dates to hang on for the title.
With over half the cars having rookie drivers, the Golf’s Car Wash Mini
Stock Division has been where we have witnessed frustration, but also
improved driving skills and determination to win. Points leader Jamie
Tataryn may be older than the next two drivers put together, but they
both show they have the driving talent to take on the best in the division.
This is one of those trophies that can’t be engraved until that final
flag flies as Jamie and the #41 Streetwise Service Neon currently have
only a one point lead over Cole Nixey in the #23 33rd Street Auto
Integra. Tanner Reimer is 40 points back with the #25 The Results Team
Honda.
The challenge is more for second place in the Earthworks Sask Legends as
Blake Erb in the #21 Novakoski Quality Collision Ford Coupe has a
commanding 65 point lead with only two race meets left. Only three
points separate second place Danny Meier in the #90 Iron Horse Energy
Ford coupe and third place #2 of Kerry Neufeld.
In the Golf’s Car Wash Street Stock Division, the championship trophy is
Brennen Forseille’s to lose. The driver of the #28 Ghost Transportation
Camaro has a 71 point lead over second spot Nicole Sheetka and the #42
Rainbow International Restoration Malibu. Ron Eby’s car, the #3 BDI
Trans Am, which has seen various drivers through the year, is seven
points back in third.
Early season indications were that the street stocks would be one of the
toughest divisions to pick a winner as Forseille chased and lost the
first two features to the #42 and #3, but mechanical issues hit both Eby
and Sheetka and the fourth place car of Mike Rea, meaning Forseille as
pretty much sewn up this season simply by keeping his car healthy and
out of trouble.
It is a surprise, but it’s not a surprise to see two of the top drivers
tied at the top of the Tiger Automotive Pro Truck Division standings
with only two race meets left. Kevin Dyck in the #10 Wheaton GM Sierra
and the #15 D&S Developments of Andrew Hardy sit tied in points. Dyck
has the edge with three feature wins to Hardy’s two, but this one too is
going to come down to that last feature flag.
Sitting only 20 points back, the #94 Speedtech Racing Development Toyota
Tundra of Ben Pogoda is hoping to sneak up the middle. Aaron Anderson
could also be a spoiler, sitting only another six points back in the #19
Ens Auto Group Toyota Tundra.
With all the feature flags Matthew Shirley has given away one would
think he already has a spot cleared out for the Shell V-Power Sportsman
Division trophy, but rookie Neil Schneider may have different plans for
that trophy. Schneider’s #93 Burco Electric Avenger is only 15 points
off the top spot occupied by Shirleys #12 Co-op Grand Prix. Ben Busch
plays in there as well as the #49 Northern Lights Casino Monte Carlo is
only five points back of Schneider.
With two race dates left, anything is possible.
Things are a little bit different in the WSSL Auto Parts Plus Super Late
Model Division where Rob Janzen sits at the top of the stack in the #17
J&A Heating and Plumbing Toyota Camry, nine points ahead of Jared
Reddekopp’s #97 The Legends Golf Course in Warman Ford Fusion. Drop
another 11 points to reigning champion Dave Bone’s #38 Proline Sports &
Marine Impala SS and you have a recipe for roll the dice to see who wins.
Complicating things, the WSSL Super Late Models have only one local race
left on their season, but they also have two additional Sky Financial
Series race dates, which also draws local points. I think we’ll have to
leave this one for a few weeks to predict.
And finally the other half of the super late model season, the Sky
Financial Super Late Model Series, which currently sees Jim Gaunt
sitting at the top of the standings. Gaunt’s #55 Sky Financial Impala
has 14 points of breathing room over the #8 Swan Rentals Chevy SS of
Kelly Admiraal. A distant third is Dusty O’Connell and the #76 Big Bore
Camry.
With two race meets left Jim Gaunt still has to play his cards right,
but I’m sure he is much more comfortable with the position he finds
himself in this year over last.
That wraps up the overview of the top spots in each division as we wind
down the season. Don’t forget, Auto Clearing Motor Speedway helps kick
off Rock 102’s Show ‘n Shine Weekend this Friday August 21 with a night
of racing. Gates open at 6:00 with the first green flag at 7:05. Come
out and catch the WSSL Super Late Models, Tiger Automotive Pro Trucks
and the Golf’s Car Wash Street Stocks, who will run the Rick Fredrickson
Memorial.
Top Five Points Standings as of August 16, 2015
(R) denotes Rookie
CrimeStoppers Bandolero Division
1. #22 Kelsey Toth, 250
2. #18 Tyler Emond, 194
3. #14 Ty Stewart, 185
4. #93 Ryley Schneider, 181
5. #33 Jasmine Speidel, 172
Golf’s Car Wash Mini Stock Division
1. #41 Jamie Tataryn, 530
2. #23 Cole Nixey, 529
3. #25 Tanner Reimer, 489
4. #92 Brennan Kirton, 440
5. #72 Riley Surcon (R), 436
Earth Works Sask Legends Division
1. #21 Blake Erb, 450
2. #90 Danny Meier, 385
3. #2 Kerry Nuefeld, 382
4. #84 AJ Morrison, 354
5. #27 Jody Stewart, 296
Golf’s Car Wash Street Stock Division
1. #28 Brennen Forseille, 466
2. #42 Nicole Sheetka, 395
3. #3 Ron Eby, 388
4. #18 Mike Rea, 383
5. #81 Curtis Houben, 374
Tiger Automotive Pro Truck Division
1. #10 Kevin Dyck, 526
2. #15 Andrew Hardy, 526
3. #94 Ben Pogoda, 506
4. #19 Aaron Anderson, 500
5. #49 Shantel Firth, 472
Shell V-Power Sportsman Division
1. #12 Matthew Shirley, 193
2. #93 Neil Schneider (R), 179
3. #49 Ben Busch, 174
4. #5 Kirk Senger, 128
5. #21 Nick Allen, 112
WSSL Auto Parts Super Late Model Division
1. #17 Rob Janzen, 252
2. #97 Jared Reddekopp, 243
3. #38 Dave Bone, 232
4. #88 Jason Gervais, 230
5. #62 Kenny Heintz, 228
Sky Financial Super Late Model Series
1. #55 Jim Gaunt, 179
2. #8 Kelly Admiraal, 165
3. #76 Dusty O'Connell, 134
4. #38 Dave Bone, 128
5. #62 Kenny Heintz, 127
Richard Woodvine