As we hit the summer portion of the year, this is when the points standings becomes more apparent in the views of many as they look to lead the standings by year end. Keeping the past couple nights in mind, here are five drivers to keep an eye on at Sunset Speedway.
Nic Montanari currently leads the points standings, 18 points ahead of Eric Yorke. After making his division debut last year with some solid top-10 finishes, here’s a driver that has exploded on the scene this year. With his worst finish all year being eighth, he has only finished outside of the top-five on two occasions with a pair of victories. There’s nothing like starting your year with a win, or getting a win at the mid-way point to get some momentum going into the second half. With speed on his side, here’s a second generation racer to keep an eye on,
While Montanari is fresh to the scene, Yorke is the opposite. He knows what it takes to win the championship, having done so in 2014 in this very division. There’s also contrast as Montanari has had all go his way so far, while Yorke has faced the trials of a year in engine issues on night one, followed by a crash a couple weeks ago. Though when he is able to keep everything going well, he can finish well with a top-seven finish on each occasion, including a pair of wins and five top-fives. If there’s anybody who can keep Montanari from his first title, here’s a good face to keep in mind.
Cory Young is the master of consistency and it’s paid off as he currently sits fourth in points, 23 points behind Montanari. While he has yet to pick up a win, he’s been in the top-seven each night except for two features, and five of those nights have produced top-five finishes. If you’re asking to see a new face in victory lane during the second half, this could be your solution.
Outside of the championship picture, there are drivers who are making their way to the front of the field and in the midst of discussion.
Charlie Smith is a veteran, but went the longest time without scoring a victory or even being close to the front. This year brings a whole new picture with a top-eight finish on each night, except the night he got DQ’d after finishing second. Since the DQ a couple weeks ago, though, Smith has come back stronger as he has a win and a fourth on the month so far. Now with things rolling, the second half of the year could see Smith rock his way to a couple more victories.
Brandon Crumbie has yet to reach victory lane, but he’s no stranger as he won the championship last year at Full Throttle Motor Speedway. He started off the year with a pair of top-six finishes, then struggled through the next couple of weeks. After posting a fourth place finish a couple weeks ago, look for Crumbie to be at the front once again on Saturday night.
