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RACING SCENE Column – (2015 Racing—57 organizations) – By Tim Kennedy
Los Angeles – The 2015 motor racing season is history. It is interesting to compare the competitiveness of many touring series of two and four wheel, oval (dirt and paved) and road racing series. Specialized (straight-line/drag racing) and drifting competition are excluded in our A to Z-arrayed review. Source data shown comes from published reports in newspapers and the Internet.
Included for each group are: total races run, type of track, number of states or countries, number of different feature winners, champion's victories and winning point margin over the title runner-up. The following review contains 57 varied national and international series. Footnotes about three drivers appear at the conclusion.
1 – AMA Flat Track Motorcycles: 13 races at 11 dirt speedways in 9 states with 7 different winners, including 2-time winner and champion Jared Mees. Runner-up/5-time feature winner Bryan Smith trailed by 23 points.
2 – AMA Monster Energy Supercross (indoor and outdoor stadiums from January-May): 17 races at 14 dirt tracks in 10 states with 6 winners, including 8-time winner/2-time champion Ryan Dungey. Runner-up/2-time winner Eli Tomac finished 85 points back.
3 - AMA Lucas Oil Pro Motocross (outdoor raceways from May-August): 12 races at 12 different dirt tracks in 11 states with 4 winners, including 7-time winner/champion Dungey. He beat second place/1-time winner Ken Roczen by 100 points.
4 – AMA Speedway Bikes @ Industry Speedway: 14 Wednesday night races at eighth-mile indoor dirt track in Industry Hills Expo Center (Los Angeles County): 10 riders won Division 1 main events (15 scratch and 3 with handicapped starts). Max Ruml, 18, won the 2015 track championship by 5.5 points over his brother Dillon, 16. Both won a D-1 feature.
5 – ARCA Stock Cars: 20 races at 18 speedways, including super-speedways, a road course, paved shorter ovals and two 1-mile dirt tracks. There were 13 different winners, including 6-time winner/first-time ARCA champion Grant Enfinger. He won by 425 points over 1-time winner Austin Wayne Self. Note: Ages of winners ranged from a record low 15 to 60+ years.
6 – ARDC Midgets: 18 races at 10 dirt tracks in two states (NJ and PA); 10 different winners including 1-time winner/champion Steve Drevicki by 236 points over win-less Trevor Kobylarz.
7 - ASCS Lucas Oil Sprint Cars: 33 races at 19 dirt tracks in 12 states; 18 different winners included 7-time winner/first-time ASCS champion Aaron Reutzel. He beat 2-time winner Wayne Johnson by 49 points.
8 – ASCS Southwest Sprint Cars: 18 races at 8 dirt tracks in 3 states (AZ, NM and TX); 11 winners including 3-time winner/champion Rick Ziehl by 26 points over 3-time winner Bob Ream, Jr..
9 – Atlantic (Formula Cars) Championship: 14 races at 6 paved road courses in 6 states (GA, N.J. N.Y, OH, PA and VA); 5 different winners including 5-time winner/champion Keith Grant. Runner-up/2-time winner Conner Kearby trailed by 42 points.
10 – Badger Midgets (Wisconsin): 7 races at 1 dirt track in Sun Prairie, WI; 6 winners including 1-time winner/champion David Budres. He defeated 2-time winner Bill Balog by 125 points.
11 – BCRA Midgets (Nor. Calif.): 20 races at 9 dirt and paved speedways in 2 states (CA and NV); 11 different winners including 5-time winner Frankie Guerini by 185 points over win-less, 9-time series champion Floyd Alvis, 80.
12 - Civil War Winged Sprint Cars Series (Nor Calif.): 13 races at 7 dirt tracks in Nor Cal; 8 winners included 3-time winner/champion Andy Forsberg. He edged 1-time winner Justin Sanders by 9 points.
13- California Lightning Sprints (mini winged sprints) So Calif.: 15 races at 4 dirt tracks; 5 winners including 9-time winner/champion Bobby Michnowicz by 246 points over win-less Jeff Dyer.
14 – Cooper Tires Prototype Lites: 14 races at 7 road courses in 6 states (FL, GA, LA, NY, VA and WI) and Canada. There were 2 winners--champion Kenton Koch won 11 times, runner-up Clark Toppe won 3-times and trailed the champion by 92 points.
15 – Davey Hamilton's King of the Wing Sprint Car Shootout (paved tracks from April-November): Ran 11 races at 10 paved tracks of 1/4 to 5/8-mile with 8 different winners. National Champion—Aaron Pierce; Southeast (2 tracks in FL and AL) - Champion-Bobby Santos III; Midwest Tour (3 tracks in OH and IN) – Champion – Brian Gerster; Northwest Tour – (2 tracks in ID and WA) – Champion Aaron Pierce; West Coast Tour (3 tracks in California) – Champion Bobby Santos III with 3 different feature winners (Davey Hamilton, Jr. @ Madera, Jo Jo Helberg @ Irwindale, and Sierra Jackson @ Kern Country Raceway Park).
16 – FIA Formula One (International road racing): 19 races at 19 street and road circuits in 19 countries; 3 winners including 10-time winner/3-time world champion Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain. He won by 59 points over his Mercedes teammate and 6-time winner Nico Rosberg.
17 – FVP National Sprint Car League (new in 2015 winged 410 sprint series): 28 races from April-October at 15 dirt tracks in 6 upper mid-western states; 14 different winner including 9-time winner/champion Danny Lasoski. He beat runner-up/win-less Ian Madsen by 893 points.
18 - Indy Lights: (Dallara chassis-Mazda engines): 16 races at 9 circuits (6 street or road courses and 3 ovals of 3/4 to 2.5-miles length); 7 drivers won features, led by 6-time winner/champion Spencer Pigot. He defeated 2-time winner/runner-up Jack Harvey.
19 - IRA Sprint Cars: 27 races at 13 dirt tracks in 2 states (IL and WI) with 20 winners; win-less/champion Bill Rose defeated 2-time winner Ben Schmitt by 44 points.
20 – King of Indiana Sprint Car Series (KISS): 6 races at 6 Indiana dirt tracks with 4 winners; Champion Brady Short won 3-times and beat runner-up win-less Kyle Robbins by 74 points.
21 – King of the West Sprint Car Series: 22 races at 10 dirt tracks in California with 13 winners; champion Carson Macedo had no feature wins but edged 2-time winner Bud Kaeding by 12 points. Note: Kyle Hirst won 5 series features.
22 - Lucas Oil Dirt Late Models: 38 races at 28 dirt tracks in 17 states (AR, FL, GA, IA, IL IN, KY, MI, MO, NC, NE, OH, PA, SC, WI, WV) with 15 winners; 12-time winner/champion Jonathan Davenport beat 8-time winner/runner-up Scott Bloomquist by 55 points.
23 – Lucas Oil Modifieds presented by Loan Mart: 12 races (including 2 non-points) at 8 paved speedways (from 1/4 to 1/2 mile) in 4 states (AZ, CA, NV and UT); 6 drivers won features, led by 4-time winner/champion Austin Barnes. He won the championship by 36 points over 3-time winner Dylan Cappello, the 2014 series champion.
24 - Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing (Pro 2): 16 races at 7 dirt courses in 4 states (AZ, CA, NV and UT) and Encinitas, Mexico with 6 winners; 3-time winner/champion Rob MacCachren beat runner-up/8-time winner Bryce Menzies by 44 points.
25 - Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing (Pro 4): 16 races at 7 dirt courses in 4 states (AZ, CA, NV and UT) and Mexico with 3 winners; 12-time winner/champion Kyle LeDuc beat 3-time winner/runner-up Rob MacCachren by 56 points.
26 - Must See Racing Xtreme Winged Sprint Cars (paved tracks): 8 races in 4 states (IL, IN, MI and NC); 4 winners included 3-time winner Jimmy McCune. Runner-up/win-less Anthony McCune trailed by 183 points.
27 – NASCAR Sprint Cup: 36 point races at 23 paved speedways from 1/2 to 2.66-miles and 2 road circuits) in 20 states. Kyle Busch, a 5-time winner, won his first Sprint Cup championship by finishing ahead of runner-up Kevin Harvick and two other championship round drivers in the final race.
28 – NASCAR Xfinity Series: 33 point races for second tier stock cars at 23 paved speedways from 12 to 2.66 miles and 2 road circuits in 22 states; 2-time winner Chris Buescher won his first NXS championship by 15 points over 1-time winner and reigning series champion Chase Elliott.
29– NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: 22 point races at 20 paved speedway from 1/2 to 2.66 miles, one half-mile dirt track, and 2 road courses in 17 states and Canada; 3-time winner Erik Jones won his first NCWTS championship by 15 points over 2-time winner Tyler Reddick.
30 – NASCAR K & N Pro Series—East: 14 races at 13 speedways (short track to miles and 2 road circuits in 11 states; 10 drivers won main events; 4-time winner William Byron won his initial K & N crown by 15 points over 2-time winner/series rookie of the year Scott Heckert.
31 – NASCAR K & N Pro Series—West: 13 races at 12 speedways up to a mile and 1 road course in 6 states; 9 drivers won main events. 2-time winner Chris Eggleston won his first K & N crown by 7 points over 2-time winner/series rookie of the year Noah Gragson.
32 – NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (New England): 15 races at 7 paved speedways in 4 states (CT, NH, NY and TN) with 5 winners. 7-time winner/champion Doug Coby edged 4-time winner/runner-up Ryan Preece by 11 points.
33 – NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour: 10 races at 6 paved speedways in 3 southern states (NC, VA and TN); 3-time winner/champion Andy Seuss edged 3-time winner/second place George Brunnhoelzl III by 3 points.
34 – Robby Gordon Speed Energy Formula Off-Road Stadium TRAXXAS Super Trucks – 22 races at 10 sites in 5 states and two foreign countries—Australia and Canada with 7 main event winners. 9-time winner/first time series champion Sheldon Creed beat 2-time winner/series founder Robby Gordon by 33 points.
35 - Northeast Midget Assn (NEMA) – 13 races in 5 states (CT, MA, ME. NH, and NY) with 8 winners; 3-time winner John Zych, Jr. beat runner-up/2-time winner Randy Cabral by 63 points.
36 – NMRA-TQ Midgets – 15 races at 3 dirt speedways in central and southern California with 4 feature winners. 9-time winner/repeat champion Chuck West edged his cousin/car owner/3-time winner West Evans by 5 points.
37 - Pro Mazda Series – 16 races at 8 venues in 7 states (AL, CA, FL, IA, IN, LA, OH) and Canada with 6 winners; 3-time winner/champion Santiago Urrutia won by 53 points over 4-time winner/runner-up Neil Alberico.
38 - Pirelli World Challenge GT: 20 races at 11 circuits in 8 states (AL, CA, FL, MI, OH, TX, UT, and WI) plus Canada with 10 winners; 4-time winner/champion Johnny O'Connell beat 3-time winner/runner-up Oliver Beretta by 61 points.
39 – POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series: 30 races at 15 dirt speedways in 5 mid-western states (IL, IN, MO, OK and WI); 13 winners including 4-time winner/champion Darren Hagen. He beat 2-time winner Andrew Felker by 910 points.
40 - Red Bull Global Rallycross – 12 events in 5 states (CA, FL, MI, N.C, NV), plus Washington DC and Barbados with 7 winners; Scott Speed won 2-times and took the title by 56 points over 1-time winner Sebastian Eriksson.
41 - Rocky Mountain Midget Racing Association: 10 races at 4 dirt tracks in Colorado with 3 winners, including 6-time winner Keith Rauch. He beat 1-time winner/runner-up Bob Harr by 46 points.
42 - Spears Mfg SRL Southwest Tour Stock Car Series: 9 races at 7 paved tracks up to a 1/2-mile in 3 states (CA, NV and UT); 5 drivers won features, led by 3-time winner/past series champion Derek Thorn. 2-time winner Jacob Gomes won his first SRL championship over runner-up Greg Voigt by 39 points.
43 - Spears Mfg S2 Stock Cars: 10 races at 4 paved speedways up to 1/2-mile in 2 states (CA and NV); 7 drivers won main events led by 3-time winner Dylan Garner, 16. He won his first driving crown in his first season by 5 points over 2-time winner Johnny Butler. Note: 5 of the S2 drivers won their first S2 features during 2015.
44 – United 410 cu. in. Sprint Car Series: 31 races at 25 dirt tracks in 8 states (AL, AR, FL, GA, MI, NC, SC, and TN); 10 winners included 1-time winner/champion Morgan Turpen. He beat win-less runner-up Terry Gray by 140 points.
45 – Trans-Am Cars: 12 races at 12 sites, all road courses in 10 states; 3 drivers won features, led by 8-time winner/champion Amy Ruman. She beat 3-time winner/runner-up Paul Fix by 34 points.
46 – UNOH All-Star Circuit of Champions (winged 410 Sprint Cars in Midwest): 46 races at 23 dirt tracks in 7 states (FL, IN, MI, NY, OH, PA and WI); 18 drivers won main events, led by 12-time winner/champion Dale Blaney. He beat 3-time winner, runner-up Cody Darrah by 220 points.
47 - US Formula 2000: 16 races at 8 tracks in 6 states 9 AL, CA, FL, IN, LA and OH) and Canada, with 4 winners; 10-time winner/champion Nico Jarmin beat 4-time winner/runner-up Jake Eidson by 72 points.
48 - USAC Silver Crown Series: 11 races at 10 oval speedways (9 dirt, 1 paved) of 1/2 to 1-mile in 6 states (IA, IL, IN, KS, NY and OH); 7 drivers won features, led by 4-time winner/repeat series champion Kody Swanson. He beat win-less runner-up Jerry Coons, Jr. by 142 points.
49 – USAC Amsoil National 410 Sprint Cars: 39 races at 20 dirt tracks up to half a mile in length in 10 states (AZ, CA, IL, IN, KS, NE, NJ, OH, PA and WI); 13 drivers won main events, led by 13-time winner/first-time series champion Robert Ballou. He beat 4-time winner/runner-up Dave Darland by 87 points.
50 – USAC Honda National Midget Series: 17 races at 15 dirt tracks up to half a mile in length in 7 states (CA,IL, IN, KS, OH, PA and WI); 6 drivers won features, led by Rico Abreu with 5 victories. Win-less Tracy Hines won his first series championship over 4-time winner Tanner Thorson by 18 points.
51 – USAC-CRA Amsoil 410 Sprint Cars: 26 races at 9 dirt speedways (1/5 up to 1/2-mile) in 2 states (AZ and CA); 9 drivers won features, led by 8-time winner/three-time champion Damion Gardner. He beat 4-time winner/runner-up Richard Vander Weerd by 66 points.
52 – USAC Honda Western Midgets: 12 races at 8 dirt tracks (1/4 up to 1/2 mile) in northern, central and southern California; 9 drivers won features, led by 3-time winner/repeat series champion Ronnie Gardner. He beat win-less runner-up Shannon McQueen by 229 points.
53 – USAC Southwest Series 360 cu. in. Sprint Cars: 24 races at 11 dirt tracks in 5 states (AZ, KS, NM, NV and OK); 9 drivers won main events, including 10-time winner/champion R. J. Johnson. He beat 3-time winner Charles Davis, Jr. by 75 points.
54 – USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Cars: 21 races at 7 dirt tracks in 3 states (AZ, CA and NV); 12 drivers won features, including 3 by series champion Danny Faria, Jr., who defeated second place/series non-winner Trey Marcham by 167 points.
55 – Verizon Indy Car Series (Dallara chassis with Chevrolet or Honda engines): 16 races at 15 sites (4 street, 5 road circuits and 6 ovals) in 11 states (AL, CA, FL, IA, IN, LA, MI, OH, PA, TX and WI) plus Canada; 9 drivers won features, led by 3-time winner/champion Scott Dixon. He tied 2-time winner/series runner-up Juan Pablo Montoya at 556 points. Dixon beat Montoya for the title by using the tie-breaker—most feature victories. Dixon had 3 wins and Montoya 2.
56 – WORLD OF OUTLAWS Dirt Late Models Series: 41 races at 29 dirt tracks in 18 states; 14 drivers won main events, led by 10-time winner/champion Shane Clanton by 42 points over 9-time winner Josh Richards.
57 – WORLD of OUTLAWS 410 Winged Sprint Cars: 78 races at 49 dirt speedways in 24 states and 2 races in Canadian provinces; 23 drivers won features, led by 31-time winner/repeat champion Donny Schatz. He beat 9-time winner Shane Stewart by 544 points.
NOTE 1 – Popular driver Rico Abreu has been called Mr. Personality. He also could be called Mr. Versatility. The 4'4” driver races almost year-round. Last year he raced from Jan. 1 to Nov. 26. He raced in 107 events including one foreign country (New Zealand) and in 20 states—AZ, CA, DE, FL, IA, IL IN, KS, MO, NC, NH, NV, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, VA, and WI. He raced 410 & 360 winged and 360 non-winged sprints, midgets, outlaw karts, NASCAR stock cars and NASCAR trucks. Rico set 13 fastest qualifying times and two new track records. His 2015 feature victories (17 total with two events co-sanctioned) came on dirt and paved speedways. Feature victories in ten groups attest to his versatility as shown below:
> 2 at Tulsa (OK) Chili Bowl Midget Classic (1 on a preliminary night; 1 in the 55-lap A-main Saturday).
> 1 in King of the West winged sprint car series.
> 2 in World of Outlaws winged sprint cars.
> 5 USAC National Midget Series midgets on dirt.
> 1 NASCAR K & N East stock cars in a Chrevrolet at Columbus, OH. As a series rookie, he finished fifth in final points.
> 1 in Badger Midget Auto Racing Series on dirt.
> 2 in USAC Western Midget Series on dirt.
> 2 in MOWA / IRA410 winged sprint cars on dirt.
> 1 in POWRi National Midget Series on dirt.
NOTE 2 – Bryan Clauson is a USAC 2-time National Sprint and 2-time National Midget champion, from Carmichael, CA now racing out of Noblesville, IN. He ran 26 races in the 2008 NASCAR Xfinity Series for Chip Ganassi and had one fast qualifying time and two top tens in NXS features. He announced his ambitious plan to compete in 200 races during 2016. His races will by in New Zealand and 20 states—AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, IA, IL, IN, KS, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NV, OK, OR, PA, SD, TX and WA. That includes sanctioning bodies USAC, WoO, ASCofC and the Verizon Indy Cars. He will drive winged and non-winged sprint cars, midgets and in his third Indianapolis 500.
Personable Bryan, 26, is off to a solid start in 2016 with a preliminary (Friday) A-main triumph and second place in the Saturday, January 16 Tulsa Chili Bowl Midget Classic 55-lap A-feature. He came to Peoria, AZ for the non-wing 360 sprint car “Winter Challenge” over two-weekends in late January; he won four of the five features. By February 4 he has 12 of his planned 200 races in the history books and has won 5 main events.
NOTE 3 – Tyler Walker is a versatile and winning sprint car driver. He also raced in NASCAR with 19 Xfinity Series starts (2004-05) and seven NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races. NASCAR suspended him for substance abuse. He then raced in USAC and won Silver Crown Series features and raced 410 winged sprint car races on the tough “Pennsylvania Posse” circuit. A profane-laced verbal argument in the pits during 2013 over an official's decision was seen widely on You Tube. His ride in Pennsylvania ended.
Tyler, now 36, has been absent from racing for several years. The reason was his notorious 50+ miles through three-states, 100+ mph pursuit and arrest on January 30, 2013 on I-15 near St. George, Utah. Court dates and substance rehabilitation treatment followed. In December 2014, Tyler pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, a fine of $1,665 and probation. He made his return to sprint car racing in the black & green No. 24 winged sprint during the summer of 2015. The Californian won three main events from August to October at dirt tracks in Stockton, Ventura and Tulare. Tyler is reportedly in a better place in his life now and plans to compete in California.2016 winged sprint car races.
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