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| eKartingNews.com Driver Rankings - October 28, 2010 |
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The end is near as the 2010 calendar is turning its final pages and is thus bringing the completion of the karting season closer and just one more release remaining for the eKartingNews.com Driver Rankings. This month will be the final update until December’s release. Only a handful of events remain around the country with many anticipating the 14th annual Superkarts! USA SuperNationals in Las Vegas, the final chance for drivers in the TaG and Stock Moto rankings to move up to the coveted number one spot. Only a select few drivers will have a chance to challenge for the number one spot in the TaG rankings while the Stock Moto standings is wide open.
Daniel Formal (Kosmic) remains the top driver in the rankings banking off his Rotax results from the 2010 season. With his success, Formal will not be in Vegas for the SuperNationals but rather looking to bring home a world title at the Rotax Grand Finals in Italy. He along with Sam Beasley (Arrow), second in the standings, will be there in addition to four others in the top-10; Stepanova Nekeel (Tony Kart), Jesus Rios Jr. (CRG), Canadian Marco DiLeo (Intrepid), and Andy Dunne (Birel). With six drivers from the EKN Driver Rankings heading to La Conca for the ‘Olympics of Karting’, it feels as if this year’s Team USA is the best chance to bring a title back to North America.
Three drivers in the top-10 will be competing in Vegas (a 10-base ranking event) and have a chance at taking over the top spot from Formal. Michael Politis (Merlin) will lead the charge as he sits third heading into November, riding off solid results in the WKA Manufacturer’s Cup Series and Championship Karting International programs. Last year’s SKUSA SuperNationals winner Taylor Miinch (Top Kart) will return to defend his crown. Not karting as much as he has in his long, but young career this season, Miinch is always a factor when behind the wheel. WKA two-class champion Robert Bujdoso (PCR) is the third bullet in the gun. The Senior rookie will make his SuperNats debut in the 80-driver field.
With not many events in the Stock Moto category taking place since the last release of the Rankings, the top-16 positions remain unchanged. Looking forward however, things will be shuffled around in the final release in December following the SKUSA SuperNationals XIV – a 10-base ranking event for the S1 Pro Stock Moto category. Clinton Schoombee (CRG) retains the top spot in the rankings. The SoCal driver was looking to gain a few more points at the recent Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix until brake failure put him into the wall, luckily uninjured. Schoombee will try to hold on through the SuperNats but will have to come away with a strong result – if not a win – as 19 of the top-25 will be on hand.
Joining him in S1 from the top-10 will be Jason Toft (GP), Brad Dunford (CRG), Tommy Thompson (CRG), and Brett Buckwalter (Italkart). As of today, Fritz Leesmann (CRG), Nic LeDuc (Energy), Jimmy McNeil (CRG) and Brett Felkins (Intrepid) have not entered for the event, however, all but Felkins (racing KF2) will be in Vegas racing. Derek Crockett (GP) is the only S2 Semi-Pro Stock Moto driver inside the top-10 but depending on who comes away with the win in Vegas as the event will be a 9.5-base ranking, a few may join him.
TaG
TaG Driver Rankings Top-10
| Pos. | Sept. 24 | Plus/Minus | Driver | Races | Score| 1. | 1 | NC | Daniel Formal | 16 | 7120 | | 2. | 2 | NC | Sam Beasley | 20 | 7048 | | 3. | 3 | NC | Michael Politis | 20 | 6969 | | 4. | 4 | NC | Taylor Miinch | 17 | 6959 | | 5. | 5 | NC | Robert Bujdoso | 12 | 6948 | | 6. | 6 | NC | Victor Pedrosa | 26 | 6936 | | 7. | 12 | 5 | Stepanova Nekeel | 16 | 6925 | | 8. | 16 | 8 | Jesus Rios Jr. | 9 | 6874 | | 9. | 7 | -2 | Marco DiLeo | 11 | 6863 | | 10. | 8 | -2 | Andy Dunne | 19 | 6862 | |
For the full TaG Driver Rankings, Click Here
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 | Daniel Formal
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
TaG #1 - Daniel Formal
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
The season is coming to a close for 14-year old Daniel Formal (Kosmic). The Florida driver will spend the upcoming weeks preparing for his first assault on the Rotax Grand Finals – set for La Conca, Italy this year. A podium finisher at the Rotax Grand Nationals in Indiana, vice-champion in the Florida Winter Tour program, and multi-winner in the Rotax Pan American Challenge, Formal is one of the top Rotax drivers in the country. He along with the rest of the stacked Team USA will try to bring home the first title in the event’s history.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| Florida Winter Tour ’10 - Rotax #2 | 9 | 1 | 1015 | | Florida Winter Tour ’10 - Rotax #3 | 9 | 3 | 998 | | Florida Winter Tour ’10 - Rotax #4 | 9 | 1 | 1021 | | Florida Winter Tour ’10 - Rotax #5 | 9 | 3 | 1013 | | US Rotax Grand Nationals ’10 | 10 | 3 | 1107 | | Rotax Pan Am Chall. ’10 - Homestead #1 | 9 | 1 | 983 | | Rotax Pan Am Chall. ’10 - Homestead #2 | 9 | 1 | 983 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 1.86
Average Points: 1017.1
Total Points: 7120
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 | Scott Saunders
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
ON THE MOVE: Scott Saunders - Ranked #33
Brisbane, Australia
Saunders, an Aussie that now calls Lancaster, CA home, is this month’s On The Move in the TaG rankings. The 22-year old has been racing state-side for a few years now, and has shown speed at a number of events. Now working with Mike Manning Karting, Saunders has been hitting up the big events in Southern California in 2010. A solid average finishing position has him on the podium in five of the seven races he has counted toward the Driver Rankings. The Aussie will look to improve his SuperNats record this year, having missed the main event one year ago and a DNF in the ’08 edition.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| IKF Region 7 ’09 – PKRA #1 | 8 | 2 | 855 | | IKF Region 7 ’09 – PKRA #2 | 8 | 3 | 848 | | ProKart Chall. South #4 | 8 | 1 | 882 | | IKF Grand Nationals ’10 – PRD | 9 | 7 | 928 | | IKF Grand Nationals ’10 – TAG | 9 | 3 | 929 | | Rotax Pan Am Chall. ’10 - CalSpeed #1 | 9 | 4 | 944 | | Rotax Pan Am Chall. ’10 - CalSpeed #2 | 9 | 3 | 954 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 3.29
Average Points: 905.7
Total Points: 6340
Stock Moto
Stock Moto Driver Rankings Top-10
| Pos | Sept. 24 | Plus/Minus | Driver | Races | Score| 1. | 1 | NC | Clinton Schoombee | 12 | 6148 | | 2. | 2 | NC | Jason Toft | 10 | 6125 | | 3. | 3 | NC | Fritz Leesmann | 10 | 6049 | | 4. | 4 | NC | Brad Dunford | 15 | 5910 | | 5. | 5 | NC | Nic LeDuc | 9 | 5880 | | 6. | 6 | NC | Tommy Thompson | 13 | 5874 | | 7. | 7 | NC | Derek Crockett | 9 | 5794 | | 8. | 8 | NC | Jimmy McNeil | 8 | 5775 | | 9. | 9 | NC | Brett Felkins | 10 | 5726 | | 10. | 10 | NC | Brett Buckwalter | 8 | 5714 | |
For the full Stock Moto Driver Rankings, Click Here
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 | Clinton Schoombee
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Stock Moto #1 - Clinton Schoombee
Laguna Beach, California
Going into this year’s SKUSA SuperNationals in Las Vegas, Clinton Schoombee will sure to have a number of stop watches on him during the on-track sessions. The Select Shifter driver heads into the most-anticipated event in its 14-year history as the S1 category makes its return. A sixth at last year’s SuperNats in the S3 category will see Schoombee battle the same drivers at the front in the Pro Stock Moto division this year. Also on the line will be a chance at the first SKUSA Pro Tour S1 championship and cashing in on the $5,000 championship check.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| SKUSA SuperNationals 2009 | 10 | 6 | 1109 | | SKUSA SpringNationals #1 - S1 | 9.5 | 3 | 1033 | | SKUSA SpringNationals #2 - S1 | 9.5 | 1 | 1047 | | ProKart Chall. South #4 - S1 | 8.5 | 1 | 967 | | ProKart Chall. South #5 - S1 | 8.5 | 1 | 967 | | SKUSA SummerNationals #1 - S1 | 9.5 | 4 | 1025 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 2.67
Average Points: 1024.7
Total Points: 6148
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 | Vivek Tandon
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
ON THE MOVE: Vivek Tandon - Ranked #29
Porter Ranch, California
This month’s On The Move in the Stock Moto category is 34-year old Vivek Tandon. Running a part-time schedule in 2010, Tandon has beaten some of the best in the S2 category in SoCal, finishing first or second in the five races he competed in. Three wins on the year, including a victory at the Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix, help put Tandon as one of the favorites heading into Vegas. Odds however do not favor Tandon in Sin City, with a best finish of 17th in the last three outings for the SoCal driver as he will look to better that in S2 this year.
Point Breakdown
| Race | Rank | Finish | Points| SKUSA SuperNationals 2009 | 10 | 21 | 934 | | ProKart Chall. South #2 – S2 | 8 | 2 | 848 | | ProKart Chall. South #4 – S2 | 8 | 1 | 837 | | ProKart Chall. South #5 – S2 | 8 | 1 | 866 | | PKC West Coast Shootout – S2 | 8 | 2 | 894 | | Streets of Lancaster GP ’10 | 8 | 1 | 863 | |
Inside the Stats
Average Finish: 4.67
Average Points: 873.7
Total Points: 5242
EKN Driver Rankings Calculation Process
The EKN Driver Rankings are calculated using a driver’s best finishes in major North American races. Assembled using events from the previous 12 months from the current date, we use a driver’s best seven finishes in TaG and six in Stock Moto to determine their overall current point total. With each new release, results posted from more than one year ago are discarded. To deliver our ranking list, we tabulate the results of all the WSK North American Series, Superkarts! USA Pro Tour, Rotax Pan American Challenge and other national programs and events, as well as other regional programs. We have also included the results for the major one-off events such as the SKUSA SuperNationals, the Rock Island Grand Prix and the US Rotax Max Challenge Grand Nationals.
Each race is initially weighted based on the prestige and history of the event or series with a score of ten (10) being the highest attainable base ranking. For 2010, the SKUSA SuperNationals, US Rotax Max Challenge Grand Nationals and the Rock Island Grand Prix receive a score of 10 in their initial weighting in the TaG category while the SuperNats is the lone event in the Stock Moto division. The WSK North American Series, SKUSA Pro Tour, and Rotax Pan American Challenge national series events draw a base ranking of nine (9), while the WKA Manufacturer’s Cup, Florida Winter Tour, Challenge of the Americas, IKF 2-Cycle Sprint Grand Nationals and other regional program races were given a base ranking of either eight (8) or nine (9).
The EKN staff reserves the right to adjust the rankings of each event throughout the year. New for 2010 is a minimum entry total for any events considered for the Driver Rankings program. If an event does not have at least five (5) drivers starting the race, those results will not be tabulated toward the Driver Rankings.
Added to these initial rankings are two variables that help confirm the true importance of an event to the ranking process – field size and field strength. A percentage of one weighting point is added for the size of the field, while the number of existing top 50 drivers entered offers another full point or fraction of a point. The sum of these numbers becomes the overall ranking for any race. Following a race, drivers receive points based on their finishing positions with 100 points earned for a win. Each subsequent position drops by one point with 99 points given to the second place driver and so on throughout the field. These points are then multiplied by the overall ranking to produce a driver’s final point total from each event. Using a driver’s best seven races in TaG, six for Stock Moto, we calculate each driver’s overall score and subsequent ranking.
For the complete 2010 EKN Driver Rankings schedule, click HERE. |
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