DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA -- The following is a glance at the NASCAR Elite Division, Featherlite Southwest Series Victory Circle Chassis' Rookie-of-the-Year leader board heading into the Budweiser "125" presented by Havoline at Stockton 99 Speedway Saturday, April 26. This will be race 4 of 14 on the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series schedule. After the race at Cajon Speedway, Frank Deiny Jr. holds a one-point lead over JR Patton.
No. 1 - Frank Deiny Jr. (No. 70 Star Nursery Chevrolet), Q Motorsports. Last week's ranking: 1. Deiny holds on to the top spot in the rookie standings after an 11th place finish at Cajon Speedway. Deiny qualified second quick but started 7th after the invert was drawn. An early spin dropped Deiny down a lap. Deiny heads to Stockton 99 Speedway for the first time. No. 2 - JR Patton (No. 97 Las Cruces Chevrolet), Las Cruces Motorsports. Last week's ranking: 2. Patton is one point behind Deiny after finishing 15th at Cajon Speedway. Patton did not compete at Stockton 99 Speedway last season and will need to continue a solid qualifying effort to make the show. Former series regular, Scott Brandt, joins Patton's team this year and so far the combination is working as Patton has proven to be a strong qualifier.
No. 3 - Thomas Martin (No. 21 Sierra Mist Chevrolet), Fred Penney Racing. Last week's ranking: 5. Martin is qualifying for races and that is paying dividends in the Rookie race and the championship. Martin had a disappointing finish of 22nd at Cajon Speedway but scored seven rookie points to move into third place, just two points behind leader Deiny.
No. 4 - Kevin Vernon (No. 51 Action Towing Chevrolet), Vernon Racing. Last week's ranking: 4. Vernon maintains fourth place in the Rookie race despite a 23rd place finish at Cajon Speedway. Vernon is one of only five rookie drivers to qualify for the each of the first three races this season.
No. 5 - Danny Burson (No. 56 Great Western Electric Chevrolet), Burson Racing. Last week's ranking: 8. Burson was the top finishing Rookie at Cajon Speedway with a 10th place finish. Burson had to make the feature by wining the non-qualifiers race and starting at the back of the 125-lap race. His finish vaults him up three spots in the Rookie race and sits just five points behind Deiny. No. 6 - Greg Voigt (No. 09 Auto Pro Racing Engines Chevrolet), Voigt Racing. Last week's ranking: 6. Voigt failed to qualify for the race at Cajon Speedway which dropped him nine points out of the Rookie lead. The next race at Stockton 99 Speedway will prove critical in the Rookie race as qualifying will be at premium.
No. 7 - Randy Nelson (No. 68 Nelson Racing Ford), Nelson Racing. Last week's ranking: 3. Nelson wrecked his car in the non-qualifiers race at Cajon Speedway and will likely be sidelined for several weeks making repairs, thus dropping him from contention in the 2003 Victory Circle Chassis Rookie-of-the-Year title chase.
No. 8 - Nathan Thiesse (No. 88 Honda Cars of Corona Chevrolet), The Body Shop Racing. Last week's ranking: 7. Thiesse failed to qualify for the race at Cajon Speedway after an incident in the non-qualifiers race ended his night. Thiesse did not score Rookie points and falls 14 points out of the Rookie lead.
No. 9 - Mike Price (No. 3 AMI Metals Chevrolet), Price Racing. Last week's ranking: 9. Price did not attend the race at Cajon Speedway. No. 10 - Chris Hines (No. 96 Ironeagle Chevrolet) Pro Dyno Racing. Last Week's ranking: N/A. Hines had another difficult trip to the racetrack and did not qualify for the race at Cajon Speedway. Hines had a drive shaft break during practice and the crew had to spend most of the available practice making repairs. No. 11 - Richard Johnson (No. 47 Auto Glass Chevrolet), Johnson Racing. Last week's ranking: 11. Johnson did not qualify for the race at Cajon Speedway. Johnson is seeing many of the Featherlite Southwest Series tracks for the first time and learning that track experience can make the difference.
No. 12 - Ken Weaver (No. 93 Weaver Racing Chevrolet). Weaver Racing. Last week's ranking: N/A. Weaver did not compete at Cajon Speedway.
NASCAR Rookies this week: 1. Frank Deiny Jr., 23; 2. JR Patton, 22; 3. Thomas Martin, 21; 4. Kevin Vernon, 20; 5. Danny Burson, 18; 6. Greg Voigt, 14; 7. Randy Nelson, 14; 8. Nathan Thiesse, 9; 9. Mike Price, 2; 10. Chris Hines, 0.11. Richard Johnson, 0; 12. Ken Weaver, 0.
Weeks at No. 1: Frank Deiny Jr., 3.
Victory Circle Chassis' offers a season ending bonus of $5,000 to the top
finishing rookie at season ending banquet in December. Each rookie
competitor earns rookie points for each race they start. No rookie points
are awarded for races a rookie fails to qualify for. Points are awarded on a
declining scale with the top finishing rookie receiving 10 points then 9,8.7
and so on. Each rookie will count their best 12 finishes of the 14 race
schedule towards the 2003 Rookie-of-the-Year championship.
