Praise be to the forces of the universe that magically turn the calendar every month and now to one of our favorites, it's February...and Florida is pregnant with tons and tons of dirt race cars just waiting to tear into the clay as we speak!! It's time to feed alligators, win alligator like trophies and find out what all the drivers have been doing all winter long with their cars and teams. It's time to see what everyone's got and if they'll have enough to continue on the national tours into March by the end of the month.
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| Don't Pet This! |
So having said all that...it's time for the annual first gathering of the Dirt Racing Knights of the journalism round table together for a preview of what to expect from the action. Will someone have the World of Outlaw Late Model trophy wrapped up by the end of it? (The leader after speedweeks almost never loses). Will Donny Schatz basically leave the state in his wake with money falling out of his pockets? Will anybody get a case of the clap from a pit lizard? We can't answer that last one, but we can do something about the ones ahead of it! So feast your eyes on our TDN Roundtable and welcome to Floridays everyone!
The All Star Sprints start off action on Thursday. Who will have the best chance to knock Chad Kemenah off the number one spot in 2018? Dave Blaney perhaps? Aaron Reutzel, or Jac Haudenschild?
Kyle Symons - Personally I don't think any of those guys can knock Kemenah off when it comes to the All Stars points. Not that Blaney, Reutzel or Haudenschild aren't capable, but I think it has more to do with the familiarity with their cars. All the other three are starting off their seasons with new teams and in the time it will take them to get used to that team and get fast, they will be too far behind Kemenah to do anything about catching him in the points. Now if Ryan Smith runs the entire tour, I could see him possibly being the guy to knock off Kemenah, but the Hunter Racing team is just too strong at the moment for the All Stars tour.
Dobie Compton - I will pick Dave Blaney to knock Kemenah off, if I had to chose someone. Jac is a touch behind in his senior years IMO, and seems to have more engine issues these days. thats a killer in the points race.
Todd Nunes – If Tim Shaffer runs a full ASCOC schedule I think he can knock Kemenah off. He has settled into the Demyan-Rudzik 49 and I can see continued success in 2018.
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| John Stivason Photo |
Let's take care of Schatz right off the bat. Not by killing him off, but by simply projecting the over/under on his WoO win total, and will he win yet another title in 2018?
Kyle Symons - I'm going to put the over/under for Schatz at 22 wins on the WoO circuit, and yes he will win the championship again. That team is just too tough. David Gravel has come a long way and is by far the second best team in the country, but when it comes to knocking off Donny Schatz, you have a lot of work to do throughout the season and Schatz just isn't going to be inconsistent enough for anyone to knock him off.
Josh Bayko - I'll say Schatz has 19 wins at the end of the year, and he'll win the title, but by a slimmer margin than in previous years. The competition is definitely catching up to him, but beating Donny consistently is still a very tall order.
Dobie Compton - 20 wins for Donny, there are some young and developing talent coming up fast but Gravel needs another year to chop that win total down under 15 I think.
Todd Nunes – The last time Schatz had less than 20 wins in a season was 2012. I think the competition is closing in on keeping him below that 20 mark, but barely. He’s still going to lead the win total, but with 18 this year. If Gravel can work on consistency, bring those 68 top 10s to top 5s, he can give Donny a run for the title.
There are 15 committed drivers that will be chasing Schatz in 2018 and some new names entering the fray. Give us some projections here for Ian Madsen and Parker Price Miller. How many wins, and where do they end up in the standings when all is said and done?
Kyle Symons - I think Ian Madsen is going to have a great season with the Outlaws. I will go with 5 wins for him and a top 10 finish in the points. Probably around the 6-7 range. Parker Price-Miller on the other hand I don't think will find his way to victory lane. I like the fact that he's going after it and going on the road full-time but Paul McMahan is no slouch as a driver and he couldn't find victory lane in the Destiny Motorsports ride. That team just isn't fast enough to get the job done on the road right now and I don't think Price-Miller is going to change that.
Dobie Compton - I will say 4 wins between them both. Four for Madsen and none for PPM. Ian will be about 7th in points and PPM will be hovering just above the 11 spot.
Todd Nunes - Madsen will score 4 victories this season. He has meshed well with the KCP team and they will end up with a top 8 in points this season. I admire Parker Price-Miller’s ambition in going full time outlaw, but the learning curve is steep. I forsee a 12th place points finish with 0 wins for PPM in 2018.
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| Garry Ferguson Photo |
Will David Gravel win his first WoO title this year? Why or why not?
Kyle Symons - No he will not and that is no knock on Gravel. He is by far the second best driver in the country, but the consistency that Schatz has night after night is how championships are won and Gravel has work to do yet to be able to knock Schatz off the mountain top. I will say that Gravel will win over 20 WoO races this year though and might actually win more races than Schatz.
Josh Bayko - No. He's gonna work out some of the consistency issues of the past, but he'll come up just short of beating Schatz. Look out in 2019 though.
Dobie Compton - David is the next big thing, but as I mentioned earlier it is still Donnie's year.
Todd Nunes – As I said before, if Gravel can turn the 25 6-10th place finishes into top 5s… he will be neck and neck with Schatz. Gravel and Barry Jackson are communicating well and it’s paying off. This year may be the one, if not 2019 is. The key will be if Gravel can keep the win total close with Schatz throughout the spring. David excels at many of the OH/PA/NY/NJ tracks visited later in the season and seems to hit his stride with them. Gravel eats, sleeps, and breaths racing, its only a matter of time...
How is is possible Dale Blaney does not have a ride yet for 2018, and what would be the perfect situation for him?
Kyle Symons - It boggles my mind that Blaney doesn't have a ride yet, but I think he will find one. The perfect situation for him would be the 55 car that he drove a few times last season in Ohio. If he could run that car every few weeks they would find victory lane a lot through Ohio and be a car that would pick up multiple All Star victories, and maybe even a WoO victory at a place like Attica or something like that.
Dobie Compton - I could totally see a local driver passing the reigns over to Dale and watch him be successful. Much in the way that G.R. Smith and Davenport teamed up last season.
Todd Nunes – I’m really not sure. I’ve been asking that all winter. He proved he could win in the 55 last year, and im not sure if there is many other open rides at this point. I feel the perfect situation for Dale would require a ride opening up after Florida.
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| Aaron Clay Photo |
Let's switch to some National Late Models. Lucas starts off on Friday and has perhaps the deepest high end talent on it's roster in national touring history. Let's talk about Davenport first. How long will it take for him to return to form, and can he ever re-gain the dominance he once had?
Kyle Symons - I don't think it will take that long. Same type of crew that was around him when he was with Rumley and dominating, but I don't think he will ever have a season like that again. It's just too much to ask for from anyone, and with the top flight talent that the Lucas Oil tour will have this year it will be tough for Davenport to be dominant. I would expect him to find victory lane a lot though, but not win the championship.
Josh Bayko - The pairing of Davenport and Rumley is still very potent, as shown last year when they hooked up for the big races at the end of the year while Davenport was driving for GR Smith. However, I can't see him having another dream season straight out of the box with a new team. I know, I know, the equipment will be maybe the best in all of dirt late model racing, and they won't be hurting for support throughout the year, but every new team is going to have some kinks that will have to get figured out and they'll find the sledding much tougher than it their previous Lucas stint.
Dobie Compton - Superman will not win opening night, but he will win one of the first six races I think. Guys catch a hot streak and roll off wins, I would never count Davenport out to return to greatness this year especially with the quality team Lance Landers assembled.
Todd Nunes – Davenport and Rumley know exactly what each other needs from themselves. They are the Brady and Belichick of Late Model racing. The wildcard in the equation is the rest of the team. They’ll get that car working like it should, and it most likely wont take long either. I look for them to be in a 3-4 car battle for the points lead come fall.
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| Aaron Clay Photo |
Where will Bobby Pierce find himself at the end of 2018. How long will it take to make a complete adjustments to Rocket XR-1 and will it be in time for him to have a title shot?
Kyle Symons - Pierce will find himself with some victories next season, but not in the points battle by the end of the season. Pierce will win some Lucas Oil shows in that car, but will have a hard time keeping up with Richards, Bloomquist, McCreadie, Davenport or Jimmy Owens.
Josh Bayko - I don't think Pierce is going to run anywhere near what people expect of him. He's in a new chassis (with the wrong shocks on the car) and he's going to be running a full touring schedule for the first time in his young career. The expectations may end up crushing the kid.
Dobie Compton - Bayko has beat this drum since the announcement, and as far as skepticism I agree 100% There are too many variables to make this even a top points racing team. Bobby's lack of a season long grinding points race and the engine and tire abuse that drivers need to learn to manage will wear thin about August.
Todd Nunes – Pierce knows how to step up at the crown jewel events, however I’m not so sure he can maintain that week in and week out tho. He has multiple hell tour championships, however the competition level and wear and tear running the Lucas tour is several notches higher. With some podium finishes in the Wild West Shootout, the team is gaining confidence and learning Rocket science. Look for a couple wins and a top 5 in points in 2018
Name your 2018 Lucas Champion and why?
Kyle Symons - I'm picking Josh Richards to win his second straight Lucas Oil championship this season. Another season with Best Motorsports, and the fact that he already won a championship in his first season will be all he needs. McCreadie will be tough, and with Bloomquist being his own worst enemy by not being at the track on time, I look for Richards to win the championship again.
Josh Bayko- Richards wins another. He's the very best points racer in America, and has been for the past decade. Until somebody else figures out how to be as consistent as Richards night in and night out on a tour, I don't really see anybody beating him.
Dobie Compton - Scott Bloomquist, because hopefully the distractions will be less this year. Also, I bought him a new clock and 24 hour horn that blows the day before a race so he can leave the pool, race shop, or casino to make it in time for hot laps.
Todd Nunes – I really hope McCreadie can keep up the pace he laid down in 2017. He’s my sentimental pick for 2018. However, we all know Richards is the man to beat.
There are an unprecedented number of national touring drivers in both sanctions. For years we've been hearing about how the costs of touring make it so difficult to pursue National tours and yet here we are with 32 total drivers more or less. Is this a good or a bad sign of things to come?
Kyle Symons - I think it's a good sign. The economy is taking a turn for the better and you can see it in the amount of guys that are planning on following national tours. Not all of them will last all year because they never do, but it sure is promising to see so many guys who plan on being on the road.
Dobie Compton - I love it, weekly late model racing is losing its luster in most regions. Costs go up but the purse stays the same. It is exciting to pull for our area drivers on the national tour. I wish 3 or 4 more from Western, Pa, Ohio and, WV would try it next season.
Todd Nunes – We saw numbers seeming to dwindle over the past couple years and a great jump this year. It seems to be cyclical. Some drivers find it’s just not for them, others thrive in it. Hopefully this is a sign of a good future not just in touring racing, but local as well.
The World of Outlaw Craftsman Late Models underwent a complete overhaul this off season with the addition of Overton, Marlar and some other drivers who may be young but are very talented. Did Brandon Sheppard's job become harder, or will he have just an easy a time this year in nailing down a title?
Kyle Symons - It became harder for sure, but he will still be the champion at the end of the year. Sheppard and the Rocket house car team are the best team in the country, but they will be pushed by the likes of Mike Marlar, Brandon Overton and Chris Madden this season. I look for Marlar to finish second in points, but ultimately Sheppard will be too strong.
Josh Bayko - Sheppard wins another title, but it won't be nearly as dominating as it was in 2017. The level of competition on tour has improved pretty radically for 2018. Overton, Clanton and Marlar especially are going to win their fair share of races to keep the points race interesting all season. There's also a chance of Dale McDowell going on tour if the early part of the season goes well for him, and he's incredibly consistent as well.
Dobie Compton - Bshepp wins it going away, but it only takes 2 cars to make a good race and the Madden, Overton, Marlar battle should be super close. Especially if Marlar gets some good rocket setup info and madden is up to speed in the Barry Wright Car after Florida speedweeks. Sheppard is status quo going into the year and that alone gives him a big head start.
Todd Nunes – Sheppard and Rocket all but have a monopoly on the game. It’s really hard to beat the (great) driver running the house car of the top chassis builder in the business of late model racing. They know every detail about that car.
The Rookie of the Year award for the WoO Lates is as deep a field of contenders as it ever has been. Who takes home the hardware in 2018? Ferguson? Schlenk? Larson or someone else?
Kyle Symons - I think Ferguson will take home that title. I just don't think that Schlenk or Timothy Culp are quite on the level they need to be to be able to capture the rookie of the year award.
Josh Bayko - I think Timothy Culp takes the RoY title. He's got a better idea of what touring racing will take than any of the other rookies on tour.
Dobie Compton - I am taking Culp also. He just impressed me more than the others and his equipment is good. Fergy needs to be fast after time trials night after night and less prone to DNF's and the Rayburn cars just are not on the level of Xr1, Longhorn, Club 29 etc.
Todd Nunes – Rusty Schlenk will be your 2018 RoY. Why? Gut feeling I guess.
Is Tyler Erb headed for a sophomore slump, or on the verge of great things? His Australian performance was fairly convincing even though the competition is kind of at a "B" level.
Kyle Symons - Tyler Erb is on the verge of great things. If he can continue to settle down with his driving style as he did this past year, it will only lead to more wins for him.
Josh Bayko - Tyler massively improved over the course of 2017. If he can continue to improve at that rate, he's going to be one of the very best in the country with the quickness.
Dobie Compton - He will get 2 or 3 wins this year and will continue to progress. A familiarity with tracks should be an advantage to him this year. And he is running well in Australia this offseason too. His program is clicking.
Todd Nunes – Like Dobie said, he is having a great run down under, and confidence is a huge asset. So are track setup notes. Look for steady growth in his program.
Give us your WoO LM champion and why
Kyle Symons - Brandon Sheppard will win the WoO Late Models championship again this season because the Rocket house car team is just too strong. If you combine that team with the driving talent of Brandon Sheppard there is no reason that they won't win again, but look for Mike Marlar to have a very successful season as well.
Josh Bayko - Brandon Sheppard. He's driving for the best team in all of dirt late model racing and now that he'll be seeing the tracks on tour a second time, it's only going to make him better at those places. Sure, he may not win as many races as he did last year because of the increased competition on tour and that'll keep the points race more interesting, but he's absurdly consistent. It would take a monster season to beat him.
Dobie Compton - Brandon Sheppard, Why? He is the best wheelman in the best prepared car with the best setup guy ever.
Todd Nunes – Sheppard. Best car, best team, best driver.
Gary Heeman- I'll go against the grain here. Marlar in a reach, but manages to pull the upset. Not that Sheppard won't win a good deal of races, but the increased talent with his and Overton's additions will make it more crowded and will make much less room for error. Marlar finds a way to stay consistent with just one or two more podiums to make his way to the top.
What is one name that will come out of Florida when all is said and done that not many have heard of, that will be turning heads while they are down there in either Sprints/Lates or BBMods?
Kyle Symons - Danny Dietrich. Obviously he is very fast in Pennsylvania, but I look for Dietrich to pick up a victory down there early season. Look for Dietrich to pick up a win at Bubba Raceway Park with the All Stars next week which you can catch all three nights on Speed Shift TV.
Josh Bayko - Mike Maresca. He's going to have more chances to turn some heads, because he's running two divisions. If he can figure out how to race as well as he qualifies, he might even win a race or two.
Dobie Compton - Nick Hoffman will win a late model race at speedweeks, and about 5 more in his modified.
Todd Nunes - Dietrich isn’t afraid to get off the porch...and man that car looks hot. Hes afraid of no one, and at the very least will cause a twitter stir.
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| Jeremiah Fish Photo |
Can't get out of here without an SDS question. Who among the double M's has the best chance of taking home a win during February? Max McLaughlin, Mike Mahaney, or Michael Maresca?
Kyle Symons - I'm going with Mike Maresca. I just like the fact that he's dabbling with Late Models recently and having success. It will only help him on the Modified front.
Josh Bayko - Probably Max McLaughlin. It's all started to come together for him in a modifed towards the end of last season. I look for that momentum to continue into 2018.
Dobie Compton - Mad Max has the best chance I think, another year of experience, learning from his Dad, and a seat in a good car is a big plus for his development.
Todd Nunes – Max should be able to continue moving forward.
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