Statistically Speaking …
By Chris Porter
The 2008 regular season has come to a close, crowning a first-time track champion and awarding checkered flags to seven different drivers.
Leading the charge was Kevin Knopp. Knopp took just one checkered flag, but it was his constant top-five finishes that put him in position to win the track championship. Knopp’s 1,112 points were just enough to top Mike Bond’s 1,097.
David Cliff arrived in victory lane more than anyone else this season, earning three feature wins. Cliff also wins the award for the most emotionally draining season … reaping the benefits from the wins, yet taking a beating via mechanical woes and trips back into his pit via the hook.
Bond and Tim Barbeau both won twice this year. For Bond, winning was part of his season-long battle with Knopp for the track title. However, Barbeau’s wins were two inspirational victories that helped pick the team up during its most trying parts of the season.
Russ Brown only graced the speedway a few times in 2008, but the four-time track champion was able to pocket a feature win. Starting on the front row was something new for the Mannsville driver, but leading every lap wasn’t.
Rick Zeigler and Dave Danzer scored their first feature wins this year. Zeigler, the 2007 Rookie of the Year, had been struggling all season in his new 2008 FFB Racing Chassis. However, after a long night of work on the car with teammate Bond, their changes accompanied with a prime starting spot, provided the right combination for Zeigler to get the win.
Like Zeigler, Danzer had also been struggling in his newly acquired Hedger Chassis he’d purchased from Brian Sobus. Danzer had shown signs of improvement, but not with out the usual adversities. However, he too took advantage of a great starting spot after a long week of repairs and making a few new changes to his No. 52. Danzer held off a fast Rob Pullen to earn a feature win.
Along with deciding the track championship, the Outdoor Power/SBS Racing News Small Block Super Survival Challenge crowned its first winner. Just four drivers remained going into the final weekend of the challenge, but after the first of two features, that number was reduced to just three following the departure of Jack Patrick.
Bond, Knopp and Sobus all went into the second feature one-two-three in points, but also as the final three survivors left in the …
