Anybody remember the season previews? Anybody remember what the Super Stock preview said?

It’s hard to bet against defending series champion Randy Rusnell with how strong he ran throughout the season last year. He started off struggling, but once summer kicked in, he was on a terror the second half of the season. The 2012 Champion won five features with 10 top fives and 12 top 10s last year. If he can start off this season strong, he’ll defiantly be the one to beat all year.

So have those words lived up to be true? Oh yeah, but more so than I could have predicted myself.

Randy Rusnell has been perfect so far this year. Four features in the books, four feature wins. Need I say any more about the Rocket?

Rusnell would start off the first night by starting on pole, and taking the early lead. He would be challenged by 2011 Super Stock Champion ‘The Thrillbilly’ Lane Zardo on a mid-race restart, but that was all. Last year’s rookie of the year 13-year-old ‘The Prodigy’ Cayden Lapcevich would edge Zardo at the line for second in one of the most thrilling battles this year. Matt Bentley and Paul Maltese rounded out the top five.

On the second night, Rusnell would start 12th and work his way through the field, passing Paul Geniole Jr. on lap 12 for the lead and never looking back. Lapcevich would get second, ahead of Geniole Jr., Zardo and Bentley.

On the third night, it was a three-wide pass by both Dan Archibald and Zardo on lap 14 that gain Rusnell the lead after working his way through the field. He’d hold Zardo off in a final 10 lap sprint to the checkers. Zardo got second ahead of Archibald, Dennis Cybalski and Maltese.

Last week’s feature would see the closest of the four wins for Rusnell. While Zardo was battling his way through lap traffic, Rusnell would catch up to his back bumper. Coming up behind the lap car of Coltin Everingham, Zardo would go underneath Everingham. Everingham, abiding the rule that lap cars are to go to the bottom, came down and made contact with Zardo. Meanwhile, Rusnell would sneak by on the outside and grab the lead to take the win. Zardo would finish second, followed by Cybalski, Lapcevich and Bentley.

Best Feature Average Finish – Randy Rusnell – 1

So with winning all four features, Randy Rusnell has your best average finish of the year so far – first.

Lane Zardo has the second best average finish of the month – 2.5 – after finishing third, fourth, second and second this year so far. The third night second place finish is one that many fans are calling memorable to watch. Zardo was involved in a lap one incident with Geniole Jr., restarting the race at the back of the field. Zardo then worked his way through the field to score that second place finish. If there is anybody who can upset Rusnell in feature victory lane, this is your guy.

Matt Bentley had the third best average finish of the month – 5.25 – after finishing fourth, fifth, seventh and fifth this past month. Bentley didn’t find himself in any incidents on the third night, just couldn’t fight his way through traffic.

Paul Maltese has the fourth best average finish of the month – 5.5 – after finishing fifth, sixth, fifth and sixth. Maltese has been working at getting his No. 28 Monte Carlo quicker to be at the level that Rusnell, Zardo and Lapcevich have shown.

Speaking of Lapcevich, he had the fifth best average finish of the month – 5.75. Lapcevich has been in the top five every night, though a break line failure after contact on the third night would cause him to finish out the top 10.

Best Heat Average – Lane Zardo at 1.375

So just how strong has Lane Zardo been this year? His heat finish average with eight heats in the books is 1.375. He has six wins and eight top fives in those eight heats, with his worst finish being third.

Second best average goes to Cayden Lapcevich at 1.875. He has four wins and eight top fives in eight heats, with his worst finish being fifth.

Randy Rusnell is third in this category with a 2.125. Rusnell has four wins and seven top fives in eight heats. He finished one heat outside of the top five after he pulled off track with a couple laps to go due to a flat tire.

While he may not be one of the fastest, he is known for being consistant. Fourth best average goes to Paul Maltese at 2.625. He has two heat wins and seven top fives.

Rounding out our top five is Matt Bentley at a 2.875. He has yet to find heat victory lane yet this year, though has finished top five each week.

Another driver not mentioned in either category, but has been fast – well, actually two drivers.

Paul Geniole Jr. enters his third season in the Super Stock division and he has looked strong already, including that solid run on the second night. Geniole has found himself in some trouble lately so that’s what’s been his trouble spot.

Dan Archibald has been fast and upfront, though missed last weekend due to blowing a motor in practice. He had an average finish of sixth in the first three weeks.

Rookie Battle

If you look at the point standings, our two rookies are tied for seventh in points – Coltin Everingham and Nick Tooley. Both have been improving each week as they get more laps under their belt, though also had their wrecks this year.

Tooley’s wreck off of two on the second night resulted in the front end of his car being completely destroyed. The result was the team buying a new car and debuting it the third week.

Nicole Johnston
Midst some of the wrecks, Nicole Johnston hit the front stretch wall after contact with Everingham on the second night. She has missed the following two weeks due to injury. Here’s to a speedy recovery for Johnston and her making it back out in June.

With everything said, it’ll be interesting to see who is the first person to dethrone Randy Rusnell in victory lane. Lane Zardo has shown the potential to do it, but there are others who could be him to it.
Now let it be noted this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this type of performance in the Super Stock division. Anybody remember the 2010 season with Kyle ‘Wheely’ Donaldson? Rusnell is driving that same exact car. I’ll leave you with that thought.