In the spirit of Speed51.com's ranking systems such as the Short Track Draft and Short Track Power Rankings, I decided perhaps it was time for Ontario to have it's very own unofficial version.In calculating rankings, I looked at a number of qualities. Number of races attended, caliber of competition, amount of travelling and results among others. You'll notice I deliberately excluded all NCATS drivers (it just makes things easier). The list may be a bit of a shocker to some, as long time favourites and veterans have been left off due to some less than stellar starts in '08, while some fresh faces and rookies have been tearing up the scene all over Ontario.
I'd like to thank Brendan Doherty, Tye Williams and Shawn Veenstra for helping contribute to the list.
Remember, this is the unofficial power rankings, and so long as I don't get ripped apart the first time around, I plan on putting out 3 more before season's end, as well as Power Rankings for individual divisions. So be on the look out for that
Enjoy
1)
Steve Robblee (Delaware LM, OSS, Sauble Invitationals)It only makes sense this man tops the list early in the season. Margarita Ice 150 Win?
Check. OSS Season Opener Win? Check. Delaware Points Lead? Check. Face it, Steve Robblee is very arguably the most consistent driver in the province right now, Time will tell how the rest of his season will play out, but more travelling and more winning certainly won't hurt his spot at the top of the heap.
2)
Glen Watson (OSCAAR)Starting off the 2008 OSCAAR season with a very impressive win at Kawartha Downs Speedway was certainly a good way to kickstart Mr. Watson's bid for a championship; Making a slick move to finish in the top three at Sunset was a solid follow up. With the series roaring into Flamboro Speedway this Saturday night, all eyes will be on the #22, to see if his early season dominance will continue.
3)
Dwight Brown (Mosport Modified, Mosport LLM, Kawartha LLM)Be it in a Limited Late Model or an Open Wheel Modified; Be it Mosport Speedway or Kawartha Downs Speedway, there's no doubt about it, Dwight Brown is fast. So fast that in the first month and a half of the season, he already has 4 LLM and 2 OWM wins to his credit at Mosport and added an additional LLM win at Kawartha Downs in their season opener. It seems as though the Limited Late Model is his primary focus in 2008, but when you've racked up two feature wins in a part-time car, who can complain?
4)
Tom Walters (Kawartha LLM, Sunset LLM)With 24 championships in the books, the road to a 25th has started off quite nicely for Stompin' Tom. Three feature wins + the points lead at Sunset Speedway is reason enough to make anyone smile. However, it's Walter's beginning to the 2008 season at Kawartha Speedway that kept him from smiling. Mechanical gremlins forced the #47 off the track during the feature sending Ken Donaldson and 'Stickman' Pariseau back to the drawing board. Last friday proved to be a much better outing for Walters and the gang and one can only assume it's their intention to carry over their Saturday night dominance to Friday's at Kawartha.
5)
Scott Lyons (Flamboro LM)Since the folding of the ALSTAR Late Model Series, few race fans outside of the Hamilton area have been given the pleasure of seeing the weekly show that Lyons' #52 puts on. However, if you frequent Flamboro Speedway on a regular basis, you understand completely why Lyons comes in at number 5. Coming into Saturday night with a 2 point lead over perennial contender Jason Shaw, Lyons shows no signs of letting up. Armed with the strategic coolness his driving style has adopted inrecent years, this Westover native has been racking up wins and trophies left and right. In a division stacked with Late Model all stars, consistency is key, and if Lyons can manage to keep it running 'til the end, he's bound to be a permanent fixture on our 2008 Power Rankings.
6)
Rob Clarke (OSCAAR)Those old shoes still have some magic in 'em, and Rob Clarke proved just that with a second place finish in OSCAAR's season opener at Kawartha followed up with a Sunset Speedway victory. Always a threat to win, it will be Clarke's choice of running the full 2008 season or not, that will determine his standing come season's end.
7)
Dwayne Baker (Barrie LLM)Apparently they're calling him "Rowdy" up on the 8th line of Oro this season
CORRECTION: It is infact Dwayne's son Kyle that has been given the nickname Rowdy, but we'll leave it at Dwayne for the purpose of this article 
. It's doubtfull Baker cares WHAT his peers call him, so long as it’s not late to the stripe. In 6 starts this season, the B&B Towing #48 has 2 wins and 4 top 5s..oh, and he's the defending Barrie Speedway Late Model champion. Baker's choices of invitationals will determine future spots on the 2008 Power Rankings board, as he's been known to visit Kawartha Speedway once or twice a year. With talks of a visit to Sunset Speedway on Saturday night brewing, a win at a track other than Barrie could be just what it takes for "Rowdy" to squeeze into the top 5.
Larry Jackson / Dan McHattie (Tie) (Kawartha LLM)Ahh, the first tie of the 2008 Power Rankings. Fitting that it would be between two
drivers who's driving styles could not be more similar. Each have traded wins on Frday night trips to Kawartha Downs. Neither driver made an appearance earlier in the month at Sauble's Margarita Ice 150, however with Delaware's Part Source 141 just days away, our Power Rankings could change come Saturday morning.
9)
Jim Rossiter (Mosport Modified)With all the talk of Dwight Brown's Mosport success, it's almost easy to forget the other man campaignign for the crown of Modified Champion. That's right, the 2007 Champion has 2 feature wins to his credit (including a Hat Trick on opening night). With Brown only running a part time modified schedule, Rossiter sits atop the R.P Oil Modified rankings, and with no finish coming outside of the top 3, appears to be the class of the field.
10)
Ray Morneau (Delaware Super Stock)For those that live south of London, Ray Morneau is a Super Stock driver, and a darn good one at that. He currently sits atop the Peterbilt Super Stock standings after 4 weeks and with a 27 point lead over second place, appears quite comfortable for the time being.
11)
Keith McLeod (Barrie LLM)One of Southern Ontario's hottest rivalries picked up right where it left off on May 10, 2008 when Barrie Speedway officially re-opened it's doors. Last season the points race came right down to the wire, and diehard McLeod fans still argue that had an on-track incident with another driver NOT occured, McLeod would be the 2007 defending champion. History aside, McLeod has 2 feature wins, complimented by 5 top 5s thus far. The only thing hurting his Power Ranking's standing is his lack of interest in travelling to racetracks NOT named Barrie Speedway. If McLeod chooses to whet his whistle somewhere else in Ontario this summer, he's an easy bid for a top 10 Power Rankings spot; If not, the chase is on for the BSW Championship.
12)
Vic Parsons (Sunset LLM, Kawartha LLM)Straight out of the scenes of an old western, a cowboy's last days are when he's most
dangerous. The same has proven true for veteran 'Quick' Vic Parsons. The beginning of the 2008 season began with rumours of Parsons having one last go, before enjoying retirement with his new bride. Parsons confirmed this rumour three weeks into the season in a post-race interview stating, "We have two cars- and they're both for sale". However, someone should tell ol' Vic that nearing retirement is a good time to start slowing down. With 5 weeks of solid runs to his credit at Sunset Speedway (including 1 feature win), Vic started off the 2008 Kawartha season with a top-5 in the season opener and a feature win come week 2. With his future uncertain, Vic clocks in at #12.
13)
Derrick Tiemersma (OSCAAR)The defending OSCAAR Champion has had a rather slow start to 2008. Kept off the
podium by 1 position at both Kawartha and Sunset, look for a much more focused
Tiemersma heading into Flamboro this weekend. With a repeat championship hanging in the balance, Tiemersma knows what kinds of finishes he needs, and also knows the kind of competition he's up against. Look for the Wayfreight #7 to be on the move come feature time.
14)
Jason Shaw (Flamboro LM)If the Shaw's first two months of activity are any indication, it appears the tour ladened schedule fans have become accustomed to has been cut down to focus on a championship bid. Namely, the Flamboro Speedway championship. Shaw has made one appearance at Delaware Speedway earlier in their season, and has been rumoured to be gearing up for this friday's Part Source 141. Right now Shaw sits second in points at Flamboro, right behind our number 5 entry Scott Lyons, though some more wins at some different race tracks would certainly improve his standing.
15)
Amanda Connolly (Peterborough LLM)After a couple seasons of bouncing between tracks and not running full timefrom May to
October, Connelly seems to have found a home at Peterborough Speedway. After
finishing out the 2007 season at the 1/3 mile oval, she has found her stride early in 2008. Though she has not achieved feature glory yet, her #16 has not left the top 5 since the season began in April. A couple trips down the road to Kawartha on Friday nights wouldnt hurt her ranking, but the points lead at Peterborough is enough to secure Amanda a top-15 spot.
16)
Scott Lindsay (Delaware LM, Sauble Invitationals?)Scott Lindsay currently sits shotgun in the 2008 Delaware Speedway APC Late Model standings; And if you take a look at the names he's ahead of, you'll understand why that's such an impressive feat. Lindsya had pre-registered for both Sauble Late Model invitationals, though was a no show at their June Margarita Ice show, with the Quaker State 100 on August 3rd, here's hoping Lindsay will be taking his winning ways on the road before the year is through.
17)
Gary McLean (Varney Modified)If you're scratching your head wondering who Gary McLean is, make sure you get out to Varney Speedway this Sunday night. This man has been Mr. Modified in Southern Ontario for the past 5 years. His only setback? The lack of tracks available for him to visit. McLean has recorded two wins at Peterborough's Autumn Colours in the past three years. Starting 2008 off with a bang, with 2 wins in 3 starts, McLean is Varney's current APM points leader and with veteran Dale McArthur nipping at his heels 8 points back, the division promises to give a helluva show the rest of the year
18)
Todd Delisle (Kawartha LLM)If there's one thing the 2007 Mosport Speedway Limited Late Model champion is adamant about, it's establishing new goals. With a Mosport championship already in the books, Delisle chose 2008 to be the year he focuses entirely on a points crown at Kawartha Downs Speedway. Though he's had two strong runs on Friday nights, it's tough to rank Delisle any higher, due to the fact that we're in Mid-June and he's run a total of 3 race nights at 2 different tracks. With a very full season still to come at Kawartha, there's much time for power rankings improvement and if 2007 is any gauge, expect Delisle to be crashing the party at the top very soon.
19)
Brandon Watson (ACT, Delaware LM, Kawartha LM)2008 thus far has been a year of challenges and learning for the youngster from Stayner. The ACT Tour has proved to be a harsh mistress for the 15 year old, and a trip to London's Delaware Speedway in May gave the team more beat up equipment than feature success. Still, Watson's will to carry on and 'never give up' attitude has been recognized and admired by peers more than twice his age. Brandon's two appereances at Kawartha Downs Speedway have been stellar to say the least, and if his improvement continues, ACT success is within arms reach.
20)
Ed Tremblay / Kevin Albers (Tie) (Barrie Thunder Car / Flamboro Thunder Car)Our second tie, rather fitting that these two men are the points leaders of the provinces strongest and most talent rich thunder car divisions. Tremblay's ascent to the top of Barrie's ranks has been that of consistency and persistance; Though he has not notched a feature win yet, he has finished inside of the top 10 in each of his 5 outings in 2008, and with the crop of thunder cars that Barrie currently boasts, that in itself is an accomplishment. Meanwhile in Hamilton, Kevin Albers began his season with back to back feature wins and has yet to finish outside of the top 10; All the while holding the 2007 champion Randy Rusnell and 2007 Rookie of the Year Nick Roth at bay with a 9 point lead coming into the weekend. With Sunday night's Varney 40 Lap Thunder Car invitational on the horizon, the chance to see both of these cars on the same track at the same time is something that could break this tie, or make their rankings even closer.
21)
Willie Reyns (Kawartha Thunder Car)With a solid season already under his belt, youngster Willie Reyns has very quickly
established himself as the future of the Thunder Car division in Ontario. Coming from the world of Four Wheeler and Dirt Bike racing, Reyns used his Enduro experience to set himself up a very quick car for 2008. With an opening night feature victory at Kawartha Downs Speedway, Reyns continue to put together solid top 5 runs each night. Though he has yet to venture from his two home tracks of Mosport and Kawartha in 2008, 2007 saw the Boundy Roofing Monte Carlo travel to Peterborough, Sunset and as far away as Ottawa's Capital City Speedway. The future is very bright for Reyns, and if he keeps taking tutelage from Thunder Car veterans such as Jim Remington, he will be a fixture on our power rankings for the rest of the year.
22)
John Baker Jr. (Mosport Thunder Car, Mosport LLM)The one word often associated with second generation drivers is pressure. John Baker Jr seems to have dealt with this quite nicely. After logging enough track time in both Mini Stocks and Thunder Cars to fill multiple speed charts, Baker Jr stepped into a full time LLM for the first time in 2008. Though his 4 (count em 4) Thunder Car feature wins are impressive, more impressive is his seamless transition into the LLM division. Opening night at Peterborough Speedway saw JBJ rubbing doors with fellow power rankers Dwayne Baker, Amanda Connolly and Tom Walters. He's won in every car he's ever driven, and after only 5 weeks in a LLM, it seems a John Baker Jr feature win is no longer a why, but a when.
23)
Spencer McPherson (ACT, ACT-Castrol, Kawartha LM, Capital City LM)Carleton Place's favourite son has been a very busy man early in 2008. He could tell you all about the scenery in Quebec, and has yet to forget what line to run at his hometrack of Capital City Speedway. On June 14, McPherson clocked in with a very acceptable top 15 finish at Autodrome Chaudiere in a talent rich ACT-Castrol event. Learning from veteran Quebec racers like Theetge, Laperle, Cyr and Allard will teach this 4th year driver the quick way around any track in a hurry. So far, it appears McPherson plans on running the bulk of the ACT-Castrol tour, as well as events on the ACT tour AND selected races at Capital City and Kawartha. As soon as these trips start translating into wins, expect to see and hear
much more of Spencer McPherson.
24)
Dave Bailey (Flamboro Mini Stock)Best Mini Stock driver in Ontario? If not, there aren't too many better. Bailey is currently the points leader at Flamboro Speedway, in the midst of campaigning for yet ANOTHER championship. With 3 feature trophies already crowding the mantle, Bailey has been eyeing running invitationals at Grand Bend Speedway whenever possible as well as running on the dirt at Ohsweken in the ultra-competitive Thunder Stock division. Bailey clocks in at number 24, proving you don't have to win in something with 8 cylinders to be part of the power rankings.
25)
Scott McTeer (Sauble Thunder Car)Scott McTeer's goal the past 3 seasons seems to have been simple enough. Prove that your name does not need to be Todd Davenport in order to call Sauble Speedway home and have one of the fastest thunder cars around. Fresh off a 2007 championship, the Bayview Roofing & Renos Monte Carlo has been hard at work reminding the good people of Owen Sound his recent run was no fluke. With a feature win already under the hood, McTeer currently finds himself locked in a tooth and nail battle with Shawn McAdam in his bid to be a repeat champion. His only downside is the lack of travelling in his schedule, but when you call Tiverton home, you don't have alot to work with as far as race track accessibility. As is the case with many others in the Power Rankings, more wins and different tracks will
see the #69 climb the ranks before the year is through.
Honorable Mentions
Dave Doucette (Barrie Thunder Car, Sunset Thunder Car)"The Deuce" is coming off a 2007 championship at Barrie Speedway, however 2008 has been hot and cold for the Angus native. Doucette currently holds 2 feature wins in 3 starts at "the high line", however politics may keep the xtremeautomachine.com Monte Carlo away for the rest of the season. In the surprise move of the night, Doucette found himself at Sunset Speedway gearing up for action on June 21, a night which would see him claim a heat win and a follow up second place finish after starting at the back in both races. The night would be called before the feature, however "The Deuce" appeared to have the car to beat. Consistency and a definitive future kept Doucette off the power ranks this time around, but if he can achieve some racing stability, he will be right back in the thick of things.
Herb Walters (Sunset Thunder Car)A return to the division Walters called home for so many years is not what surprised many of his followers. It was the vehicle chosen to complete the task that came as a bit of a shocker. For the 2008 season, Herb Walters will be piloting a camaro that has garnered wins for drivers all the way from Kyle Donaldson to Amanda Connolly. Walters definetely has the equipment and the crew support for the journey (Ken Donaldson, anyone?) but a feature win has thus-far eluded the Stroud native. He sits atop Sunset Speedway's Domino Pizza's thunder car rankings, but not by much. For his championship and power ranking hopes alike, Herb needs to start bringing home some hardware immediately.
Stephen Richmond (Delaware Super Stock, Delaware Open Wheel Modified)Has there been a driver coming out of Delaware Speedway in recent memory with as much hype and fanfare as young Richmond? All the praise and then-some is certainly well deserved for this 2nd year Super Stock driver. On top of the praise garnered for his impressive performances in the Peterbilt Super Stock division in 2007, the SRMotorsports team announced the purchase of an Open Wheel Modified in early February for Stephen to run on Super Stock off nights, with a full time Modified campaign slated for 2009. Richmond posesses a racer's true ability to learn as he goes, with his first Late Model start in last years APC 300 being proof. With the will to learn, the natural ability, and the experience of his supporters, Richmond's career has nowhere to go but up.
Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=7714.msg45622#msg45622
