DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 30, 2003) – Jerry Robertson appears focused this year on winning another regional championship in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series.
The veteran driver from Arvada, Colo., hopes to add a second title to the one he won in 2000. He may be well on his way – having led the standings of the Northwest Region since week one. With eight victories in 12 races this year at Colorado National Speedway north of Denver, Robertson tops the rankings this week with a Competition Performance Index of .8958.
Robertson faces some tough competition, however, from second-ranked Andy Stibal of Orondo, Wash., and Gary Madsen of Salt Lake City. Stibal has seven wins in 11 races at the Wenatchee (Wash.) Valley Super Oval, while Madsen has eight victories in 13 races at Rocky Mountain Raceways.
Eight weeks of competition in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series remain before the eight regional championships are decided after the weekend of Sept. 21.
THIS WEEK’S REGIONAL LEADERS …
Driver Home Track Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10 CPI Change*
1. Jerry Robertson Colorado National Speedway 12 8 11 11 .8958 - -
2. Andy Stibal Wenatchee Valley Super Oval 11 7 10 10 .8840 - -
3. Gary Madsen Rocky Mountain Raceways 13 8 11 12 .8365 - -
4. Scott Walker Yakima Speedway 12 7 10 12 .7998 +1
5. John Zaretske Evergreen Speedway 13 6 11 12 .7768 -1
6. Steve Thompson Tri-City Raceway 12 3 10 11 .7311 - -
7. Eric Schmidt Stockton 99 Speedway 14 4 12 13 .7267 - -
8. Bobby Hogge IV Watsonville Speedway 13 4 11 13 .6881 - -
9. Steve Jones Magic Valley Speedway 13 2 11 13 .6072 - -
*Editor’s Note: The +/- numbers in the “change” column indicate a driver’s movement in the regional standings, versus their position during the previous week. The dash marks indicate that a driver has maintained their position in the standings.
Dodge drivers on track … As a part of its NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series sponsorship, Dodge posts more than $80,000 in prize money for drivers who use Dodge vehicles. The highest finishing Dodge driver in the feature division at each track can receive a $500 bonus, while the highest finishing Dodge driver in each region can collect an additional $2,500. If the national champion drives a Dodge, they could receive a $25,000 national championship bonus. In order to be eligible for these special awards, drivers must use a Dodge body and motor in their race car for the entire season.
Among the top Dodge drivers in the Northwest Region is Steve Jones, Kuna, Idaho, who is currently ninth in the Northwest Region standings with two wins and 11 top-five finishes at Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls, Idaho.
Top top-five finishers … Consistency is a key factor for any championship contender. In the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, consistent top-five finishes are a measure of success in this category. Here’s a look at some of the steadiest finishers in the nation:
Driver Home track (region) Top-fives (thru 7/29)
Marty Ward Jr. Greenville-Pickens Speedway (Atlantic) 16
Matt Carter Hickory Motor Speedway (Atlantic) 15
Phil Rozum Lorain County Speedway (Northeast) 14
Scot Danzeisen Viking Speedway (Midwest) 13
Justin Labonte Caraway Speedway (Atlantic) 13
Tim Lance Peoria Speedway (Heartland) 13
Shaun Magnum Concord Motorsport Park (Southeastern Coastal) 13
Mark McFarland Old Dominion Speedway (Atlantic) 13
Brian Richardson Mesa Marin Raceway (Sunbelt) 13
Chuck Wares Tucson Raceway Park (Sunbelt) 13
