Looking forward to the new year

Hope everyone had a great holiday season, but as soon as we all know it, the 2015 racing season will be here.

This “beginning of winter” portion of the year is a time to reflect, while also looking ahead to the season upcoming. Sure, the banquet kind of realistically wrapped up 2014, and with rule meetings already taking place, the 2015 season is more on the mind than most. Yes, as a track, there are still some things to tie up. Ken Cunning and Lawrence Hopper are working diligently on the rules, making sure they are worded right, the intent is correct (you know how some racers like to find those grey areas to push the boundaries, right?) and are out before teams really start attacking their rides for the upcoming year, the promotional staff is working on signing new partners and re-signing familiar faces for 2015.

But, I’m here to talk about racing, so let’s do that.

Reflecting on the 2014 season, and looking ahead to the 2015 season, let’s take a light look at what some drivers might have on their “wish list” for next season.

AARON BOUTILIER - A “REBOUND SEASON”
Okay, okay. I use “rebound season” lightly.

Leading into the 2014 season, Aaron Boutilier’s name has been thrown around on every finale day. Maybe 2009 and 2010 were a little longer shot than the previous three seasons, but Boutilier had still been involved in that championship conversation.

This year, that conversation at the end of the season involved defending champion Darren Wallage, veteran Harry Ross White and sophomore DJ Casey. Two points, three drivers, we’ve spoken about it before, but no Boutilier, who had won more races than any of the championship trio.

While the first half of the season went well for Boutilier, who was Wallage’s main competition in the opening stages of 2014, two blips on the radar when it came to looking at the standings on June 20th and the crushing blow on August 29th kept Boutilier 32 points back heading into the final race of the season. Boutilier and his #4 CARSTAR Collision Centre/Ritchies Renovations Ford struggled this season with some motor problems, both at home and on the road in away races, which shot them down ultimately in the point race, but when they were running, they were running well. In addition to the three feature wins, Boutilier appeared on the podium four more times and finished fifth in the Dartmouth Dodge 100, for eight of the 12 races.

For most teams, they would be proud to have a season that Boutilier had. Heck, I’m sure his team are happy with their accomplishments, but I’m also sure they reflect on what could have been with a second Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman Series title to go with the one earned in 2012. I’m sure when we sit here in 2015, we will be talking about the red #4 Ford being in the hunt down to the wire, but for now, it’s something to write down on the list for the upcoming year.

TRAVIS ROMA - “A BREAK”
Too bad close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Travis Roma has had a few close calls in the last few season when it comes to getting into victory lane. He’s been flirting with the checkered flag on a few occasions, but it seems like every time he gets close, it gets swept out from under him.

With all the fury of the Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman Series championship battle, it appeared that Roma was looking at stealing the show by picking up his first victory in September as he mixed it up with guys like Phil Barkhouse Jr and DJ Casey at the front. That was before his #38 Doug Forbes Century 21 Classic Chevrolet began to overheat and was forced to pit road with five laps to go.

Earlier in the year, Roma ran second to Aaron Boutilier and it was looking like the win was going to fall into his hands. With Boutilier’s car coughing and sputtering in the final five laps, it was only a matter of time before the speed would begin to rub off as his car slowed down but the checkered flag came out before Boutilier’s car died, giving Boutilier the win and Roma having to settle for second.

Sure, second place is nothing to shake a stick at in your second full time season in a stock car. Keep in mind, prior to Roma sliding into the window of the #38, he hadn’t driven a stock car at the Speedworld. But, when you’ve been close to the victory a few times, so close you can taste it, the top fives and leading half of features before something going wrong can get old hat mighty quick.

Roma will win races in this division. When that first one comes, there will be more to follow I’m quite sure. He’s easily one of our brightest young stars to enter this sport without the aid of the Bandolero class in recent memory and shows it every time on track. He just needs all those cards to fall right, and that break to happen.

THE COORS LIGHT TRUCK DIVISION - A CHAMPIONSHIP UPSET
If you ask three time champion Dan Smith, he had an “off year.” That “off year” included 11 top five finishes, five of those being podium finishes and one of them being a win. He also had three heat wins and accumulated more points than any other driver in the class.
He was consistent, week in and week out. He won the championship. That’s a dangerous “off year,” folks.

That top five and accumulated more points than any other may have been the only two statistical categories Smith may have led when it boils down to it. Jason Fenton was dominant in 2014, winning six races, finishing second twice more and adding a third place finish to go with. He had four heat wins compared to Smith’s three and, by the definition of the rule, had the highest handicap in the division, averaging 104.36 points to Smith’s 102.75.

The difference for Fenton was a blown motor on Night Two. He scored six lonely points in that heat and could not make it out for the feature. Not to put salt in the wound, but if Fenton could have made a lap in the feature, he would have scored 84, or last place points. If you do the math, that would have been enough to put Fenton over the top for a championship.

But, this is racing and mechanical breakdowns are a part of racing.

On the other side of the coin, it’s rare in racing when a driver like Dan Smith comes along. To win a race in this sport is tough. To win a championship is that much more difficult. To win three in a row in a feat rarely done, and was not done at our track according to our history buffs until Dan Smith pulled it off. A lot can happen in three seasons, drivers and teams come and go.

For example, only six of the top ten drivers from Smith’s first championship season ran a Coors Light Truck race in 2014, with only two of those, Smith and Fenton, being full time in each of Smith’s championship seasons. Robbie Watts came into the division in 2013, and left following his fourth place finish that year, which included one feature win. Larry Vaughan chose the class to which end his career in racing in 2013, hanging up the helmet after sharing the Truck with grandson Matt Vaughan, who did a great job wheeling the #08 truck in 2014.

The one thing that hasn’t changed? Dan Smith is still on top of his game. He’ll be back for four this year, but you better believe Fenton, Vaughan, Cory Leonard, Kevin Clark Jr and a handful more will be looking for that “off year” to try and capitalize and pull off what would probably have to be classified as an upset.

STRICTLY HYDRAULICS LEGENDS - MUCH THE SAME
Much like the Coors Light Trucks, we have a three time consecutive champion. Minutes after Smith pulled the feat in September, Cole Butcher held up his end of the deal and crossed the line as a three-time champion in the class.

Butcher’s 2014 championship had shades of his 2010 Hydraulics Plus Bandolero championship year, with seven feature wins in eight races (he had nine feature wins in his Bandolero championship year). While Emily Meehan cracked the code in the middle of his winning run, and Nicholas Naugle, Justin MacNeill and Tony Gaudet Jr. each found victory lane later in the year, the damage in the standings had been done, and minus a crash early in the year and a race where Butcher pulled off with one lap left to go in the race, his season was virtually run without a blemish.

Now, Butcher’s plans for next year and Smith’s in the Coors Light Trucks after their third titles differ, at least right now. While Smith plans to defend and run for four, Butcher says that the Weekly Legends program for Legends isn’t in the cards and will run a select schedule throughout the year in the Legend car while focusing on the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour. With a newly minted deal with Farbo Motorsports down south, which included a win in the INEX Pro Legends Race of Champion and includes a date with INEX Winter Nationals in Orlando, Florida in February, that mind might change between now and May. Cole’s brother Jarrett is also planning on running Legends full-time in 2015, which could also lure him out to play more than he currently has planned.

Regardless if he comes back or not, there are plenty of drivers who are hungrier for a championship season at Scotia Speedworld than they are for a well prepared ham or turkey dinner over the holidays. Mmmmm, turkey does sound good.

Wait, got to stay focused.

Nicholas Naugle proved in his rookie season that he more than belongs with two wins on the Strictly Hydraulics Legends division. Emily Meehan lit the lamp last year and is no stranger to top five territory in the point standings. Danny Harvey, Paul Goulden, Jeff Atkinson and Jeff Cruickshank are all veterans that missed victory lane last year but could be dangerous when it comes to discussing championship contenders.

Then you have some young guns moving up like Cole Tanner, Adam Meehan and Cory Hall, just to name a trio. They all came from the Bandolero division that Naugle just graduated from and where Butcher cut his teeth. These three will be dangerous too when it comes to looking at victory lane contenders in 2015. Championship material in their rookie season? I don’t think anyone can look that far into their crystal ball - yet.

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING - Ummmm…
Let’s see, the racing was phenomenal last year in both four cylinder classes. You had two point battles that came down to the last race. You had finishes in both classes that left fans on the edge of their seats, and rivalries that brewed throughout the year.
What’s missing? Honestly, I don’t know.

Sure, the car count was lower than previous years, but every track is struggling for counts and we still boast the highest counts in all divisions compared to other tracks in the region. Yes, if you have 15 cars, you want 20. If you have 20 cars, you want 25. It is general thinking, you always want more of a good thing.

The on track product is as good as it has ever been. Our Four Cylinder classes typically steal the show on a weekly basis. It’s hard to find something to make it better.
BANDOLERO DRIVERS – THE “NEXT STAR”
We mentioned earlier, and will probably say it again before the green flag flies in May, that this is a transition year. The 2013 Champion and 2014 runner-up Adam Meehan, multi-time feature winner and track champion in New Brunswick Cole Tanner are both moving up to the Legends class. Meehan has won 11 features in the last two seasons, while Tanner took home three of his own this season at the Speedworld.

With those two moving up, who do we look to as becoming the “next stars” of the division?
Sure, Braden Langille is back and will be looking for a second consecutive title. Wyatt McCulloch and Luke Ettinger are prime candidates, with the two being former winners. Then you have a dozen or so drivers who are looking for that breakout year. Not saying that these guys are not stars yet, but a track championship can really put you on the map and put new eyes on you. Three of our former champions call the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour home while one more has his eyes set on the Rookie of the Year Award on that series in 2015.

Ettinger had a breakout year last year, winning his first feature race and running for the title early in the year, question is, who is the driver, or drivers, that will step up and become the “next one?”

One thing that most drivers will be looking for next season will be driving suits and gloves. While suits have been mandatory in four of our six divisions and gloves have been an INEX rule for years, it is now becoming a must in all divisions in the Maritimes. Whether you’re racing at Petty Raceway, Oyster Bed Speedway or here in Halifax, all major tracks in the region are requiring all of their drivers to have driving suits and gloves. Safety is paramount, and it is great to see the Maritime tracks and series come together to make this mandatory.

While there are many racing and performance shops in the region, if you believe in shopping local, be sure to give R&D Performance a call in Lower Onslow. The guys at R&D Performance are major supporters of our sport and can be seen at every one of our events in the white trailer, and can help you with all your 2015 requirements. You can check them out at rdperformance.ca or call toll free at 1-800-565-3795.

Be sure as well to grab your INEX membership if you are a Legend or Bandolero team that will be competing at Scotia Speedworld in 2015. A competitor membership is $100USD while an associate membership in $75USD and can be ordered via US Legend Cars International at www.uslegendcars.com.

Until then, keep the hammer down and we’ll see you at the track!