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Weekly Tracks Power Rankings -- March 26, 2010
Every week we're going to give you the "Weekly Tracks" Power Rankings featuring the "Most Powerful" drivers from around the regions Late Model Stock Car tracks including NASCAR, ASA sanctioned and outlaw tracks. Here's the the Rankings for Week Number Three of the 2010 season and we will begin weekly with this starting after April 3rd, when most tracks open.
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#10 - Ryan Wilson(n/a)
Ryan Wilson can't easily be over looked at Caraway Speedway anymore after the young driver has posted a pole and a second place finish in the first three races of the season. Once just another young face in the crowd, this talented driver has begun to put together a great start to the 2010 season. In week one, he won the pole, led laps and faded due to handling problems, but in week two he climbed to a second place finish in one of twin events on the 4/10 mile Asheboro track. He could very well find himself moving up again after he hits Ace & Caraway on April 2nd and 3rd for his next two races.
#9 - Nick Smith(9th)
The evolution hasn't yet begun for Nick Smith from being a race winning driver to a championship contender, but the young driver certainly has already shown that he will be one to reckon with on the 4/10 mile South Boston Speedway. Smith, who is in his second season driving for DA Motorsports hasn't broke through into victory lane yet this season after securing five wins last season, but he has been running strong despite some bad luck that has fallen his way. Hopefully he'll get that out of his way and find himself heading toward the top of this list.
#8 - Jason York(10th)
Jason York had a roller coaster season in 2009, not like his nearly dominant 2008 season when he raced a part-time schedule and even took home the win in the prestigous Bailey's 300. This season he's off to a good start already securing a win in the season opening event at Caraway Speedway. He's also already picked up three top ten finishes in the three races so far this season on the 4/10 mile Asheboro, NC track and looks off to a good start as he chases last years champion, Travis Swaim.
#7 - Dexter Canipe, Jr.(n/a)
Dexter Canipe, Jr. gets no respect ... for whatever reason the second generation driver and son of a former NASCAR National Champion, simply doesn't get the respect he deserves. His credentials speak loud and proud with many race wins at Hickory and Tri-County as well as both the Limited and Late Model champion at Tri-Co. last year. This year he's already the points leader in both divisions at Hickory, but yet somehow he wasn't in the pre-season Power Rankings ... boy did we make a mistake.
Tommy Lemons, Jr. is another driver who for some reason doesn't get as much respect as he deserves, but the young driver is working to change that. Last year he picked up three wins at the highly competitive Motor Mile Speedway and already this year he's broke through at another highly competitive regional track, South Boston Speedway. Certainly he's deserving of being on this list, but he too didn't make the list during the pre-season Weekly Tracks Power Rankings. I would say he's going to make sure that we have a hard time removing him now.
#6 - Tommy Lemons, Jr.(n/a)
#5 - Andy Mercer(1st)
Andy Mercer really had nowhere to go but down with his #1 ranking headed into the season, but Mercer would have never though that his season would have started the way it did on Saturday night. Mercer was never a player in the season opening event on his home track, the track he had won 14 races including ten in a row on and even raced to the track championship at last season. Mercer, who was used to qualifying on the pole and dominating found himself in an unfamilar position, but he's still in the top five here, because we believe he simply had an off night.
#4 - Philip Morris(2nd)
Philip Morris after never really being a player in the season opening race at South Boston, he turned it around and found himself right in the thick of things toward the end of this past weeks race. As one of the greatest drivers in the history of Late Model Stock Car racing, Morris will certainly be near the top of this list, but after a performance that saw him only lose the race on the final restart at South Boston, we've got to think he'll be looking for revenge at Motor Mile's season opener next weekend and that makes him one of the most powerful drivers on any track.
Travis Swaim didn't exactly start his season off strong two weeks ago at Caraway garnering only a fifth place finish, which by most drivers standards would have been good, but not for Swaim. This past weekend he made up for it driving to first a win in the first twin 75-lap feature after starting eighth and then despite having worn out tires he drove back to get a fourth place finish. Those performances are enough to put him out front in the points standings and he could be headed to his fourth Caraway Speedway title and second in a row.
#3 - Travis Swaim(5th)
Justin Johnson won the 2009 South Boston Speedway track championship and so far he looks to be the front runner to repeat there as champion. Johnson could be two for two there right now after two controversial finishes one that put him in victory lane in a race shortened by a hail storm and one that saw him spin and retaliate. Both races saw him battling with CE Falk, his new arch nemesis. Johnson still has a win and sixth place finish in the seasons first two races, which keeps him near the top of this list.
#2 - Justin Johnson(6th)
CE Falk also could be two for two as he's led the most laps in both the first two races of the 2010 season at South Boston Speedway. Falk however has walked away without a victory yet this season, which isn't the results he needed to get his run for the NASCAR National Title underway. In the first race he led all but the final lap of the hail storm shortened race and in week two he got into the back of Justin Johnson after he was passed for the lead. Falk and Johnson have certainly both asserted themselves as this seasons best.
#1 - CE Falk(4th)
