Post by jhracing72 on Nov 4, 2008 16:31:00 GMT -5
Press release found on South Jersey Dirt .......
'08 Slingshot National Crown to the "Flipper"
The Briggs & Stratton National Point Championship for the Slingshot by Tobias Series has become a must-have for many local small car racers and with the combination of national tour races and weekly or regional tour races counting, driver ability and car maintenance are very important in getting that recognition at season's end.The Elite 11 will be honored at the Slingshot by Tobias Banquet with over $5500 in point money being distributed with the Champion getting $1200 for their efforts as well as many Special Awards to be distributed.
Eynon,PA's Ben "Flipper" Whitaker has been a mainstay in National Points for the past few years aboard his famous black 13X.Ben's talents have branched out to other forms of racing but his love for the Slingshots still have him strapping in weekly at Hamlin Speedway and hitting the National events he had penciled in at the beginning of the season.
This season saw many National events lose out to Mother Nature and it took some serious wheeling and dealing to become a member of the Elite 11.Rainouts at some of the favorite stops such as Selinsgrove Raceway Park,Kutztown,Oswego,Talladega Short Track and all scheduled Nationals at Button Buck in Minnesota found tracks working OT on rain dates and teams scrambling to get the much needed 4 races in for their best chances at the title.
From the May 17 opening National at Penton Raceway in Alabama to the twice rescheduled National at Linda's on October 31st,Mother Nature tried her best to become the champion in 2008.
With an incredible 134 drivers gaining points this year,there was no clear cut frontrunner during any stages of the season.The Gulf Coast trio of Seth Wilson,Kurt English and Shawn Cater and the Great Lakes Dynamic Duo of Lucas Schott and Parker Hale were giving the Mid-Atlantic regulars something to worry about.
Whitaker's season was a crowning gem as he made the most of his visits to Hamlin in notching the coveted track crown by only 9 points over the "Sassy" one,Shannon Smith.Ben had to juggle a Friday night schedule of LM racing at Penn Can with occasional tour stops and his Saturday nights at Hamlin.Ben used a win at Paradise,a third at Hamlin and a fourth at Reading to combine with his 146 points earned from Hamlin in achieving the 2008 National Champion honors.Even during some regional events Ben was still successful as he headed to the Greenwood Valley Action Track and headed home a winner on August 9th.The Alan Whitaker prepared,Ben Whitaker driven 13X took on all challenges and withstood all comers in claiming their first National Championships as owner and driver.
"The Riegelsville Racer" Jim Housworth had the McNichol Lawn 72 to as many National stops as his schedule would allow and with use of his MA Gold Championship points and top 3 finishes at Paradise,Borgers and Linda's he gave Whitaker the strongest challenge as the season was winding down in settling in as the National runner-up.Jim also had a few regional race wins with his crew celebrating at GVAT twice in 2008.
"Sassy" Shannon Smith not only was noticed for her hotpink # 23 but for her on track ability to wheel the 39 HP race car around any track surface.The points runnerup at both Hamlin and Linda's,Shannon had a second half of the 2008 season that some drivers hope for in a career.Two National wins at both Hamlin and Linda's put over $2,000 in her bank account and moved her from 8th to a final standing of third.
Bangor,PA's Bill"The Dream" Weaver had a previous National standing of 7th.Bill knew he had the talent and the equipment to move up the ladder and with strong runs at Borgers and Linda's,Bill accomplished his 2008 goal as he jumped into the top 5 with some help along the way as Cody Kline relinquished his seat in the 59 for Bill to wheel at the always tough Reading Fairgrounds Nostalgia National.The MA Gold runnerup points did nothing to hurt Bill's chances either with the additional 127 points used wisely.
Rounding out the Famous 5 for the Slingshot National standings was "The Flemington Flyer",Matt Carman.Matt's season was one of determination and family togetherness.Matt could be found at the front of every race along the way and if not for some bad breaks,could've been a top 3 contender.The 2008 MA Silver Point Champ also laid claim as the winner of one of the closest National races in a long time as he and Emily VanInwegen raced side-by-side for 16 laps during the Nostalgia National at Reading.The Darryl Carman 2 was third in Weikel Complete standings,fourth in Empire standings and fifth in MA Gold as Matt's family was there to root him on and help as much as was humanly possible.
Sixth through eleventh in the National Points Standings could be referred to as the "who are they?"Truth be told, all of the drivers from 6th to 11th had to battle back from some adversity to get to where they were in the prestigious "Elite 11".
Cody Kline,"The Captain",came to the Slingshots with the hopes of some top finishes,but after a 4th place in points at Hamlin and a few wins,his stock just started to rise.A second place run at the Hamlin National and a third at Borgers put the Captain in the drivers seat for a top National finish.His sportsmanship at Reading quite possibly cost Cody a Famous 5 spot,after turning the drivers seat of the 59 to Bill Weaver.
The # 32 was seen at many weekly and tour stops during the 2008 season and for good reason,Brett "The Oley Jet" was good at wheeling this car around the speedways.Brett became a household name in Slingshot circles after his charge to the top 3 at Reading and also his working traffic at Linda's for a 4th place run after the 50 lap National was completed.If not for some mechanical problems at Borgers ,Brett could also have moved up a few spots in the final tally.
Rob Marino got his nickname "Rapid" for one reason....he was fast.Rob a former kart winner at Shellhammer's returned in a Slingshot and without losing a step won the return of the Slingshots to the popular karting oval in Leesport,PA.Rob had the 13 out in front at the Outback Oval at Oswego and also used his 2008 Empire Region Championship to add to his point totals in slotting in at a final tally of 8th.The crew member for modified star Ryan Godown hopped into the S&S rental near season's end and didn't miss a beat.
Going from Juniors to the regulars is not an easy step for many teenagers and after seeing the blue 19 leading the way at Reading it was apparent that "Amazing" Emily VanInwegen has what it takes to become a successful wheeltwister.The runnerup finish in the Nostalgia National was a springboard for the SparrowBush,NY lass as she combined her 11th place Hamlin points run with her steady National runs to garner 9th.One of Emily's favorite tracks,Selinsgrove's Raceway Park suffered a rainout of which Emily had high hopes of winning.
"Cool Hand" had the hot hand as Button Buck Speedway was built inside Deer Creek Speedway to give the Great Lakes Region racers a chance to mix it up on a spacious 1/5 mile.Lucas Schott who is still a relative newcomer came east with his family in 2007 to get an idea of how to make the car go faster.His father John's mechanical ability and Lucas' driving talents jelled as he waged a season long battle with Parker Hale to get himself the Great Lakes Region Championship which gave him the needed points to make the Elite 11.The Schott Hardwood Floors 69 knew how to get to the front and stay there with "Cool Hand" at the controls.Lucas also notched the inaugural season points at Button Buck for the Slingshots in both the Regular and Junior classes.
Crandall,GA just added a celebrity to it's town greeting sign as "The Crandall Charger" Seth Wilson becomes the 2nd Gulf Coast region driver to make the Elite 11 after an exciting run between him and another newcomer Kurt English to see who could get to the area Nationals victory lane the most.His final assault on Penton and the season ender at Dawgwood found the 99 winning both of them and climbing into the Elite 11 by just that margin.Seth's smooth driving style was evident at Penton when he got caught up in a minor spin,went to the rear and charged back for 2nd.
Just missing the Elite 11 and having much to be proud of were Parker Hale from Grand Meadow,MN who saw victory lane on a few occasions at Button Buck and Mike Carman from Flemington,NJ who could not transfer his luck from Regional events to National events.
All in all with 134 drivers being a part of this tour,these drivers had to make due with their bad nights and take notes from their good nights in their quest for perfection.
2008 Briggs & Stratton Slingshot by Tobias Elite 11
1. 547 Ben"Flipper" Whitaker # 13X Eynon,PA
2. 528 Jim"The Riegelsville Racer" Housworth #72 Riegelsville,PA
3. 489 "Sassy" Shannon Smith # 23 Kunkletown,PA
4. 477 Bill"The Dream"Weaver # 1 Bangor,PA
5. 475 Matt "The Flemington Flyer" Carman # 2 Flemington,NJ
6. 441 "Captian" Cody Kline # 59 Bangor,PA
7. 418 Brett "The Oley Jet' Bieber # 32 Oley,PA
8. 414 "Rapid" Rob Marino # 13 Frenchtown,NJ
9. 412 "Amazing" Emily VanInwegen # 19 SparrowBush,NY
10.403 "Cool Hand" Lucas Schott # 69 Chatfield,MN
11.389 Seth"The Crandall Charger" Wilson # 99 Crandall,GA
'08 Slingshot National Crown to the "Flipper"
The Briggs & Stratton National Point Championship for the Slingshot by Tobias Series has become a must-have for many local small car racers and with the combination of national tour races and weekly or regional tour races counting, driver ability and car maintenance are very important in getting that recognition at season's end.The Elite 11 will be honored at the Slingshot by Tobias Banquet with over $5500 in point money being distributed with the Champion getting $1200 for their efforts as well as many Special Awards to be distributed.
Eynon,PA's Ben "Flipper" Whitaker has been a mainstay in National Points for the past few years aboard his famous black 13X.Ben's talents have branched out to other forms of racing but his love for the Slingshots still have him strapping in weekly at Hamlin Speedway and hitting the National events he had penciled in at the beginning of the season.
This season saw many National events lose out to Mother Nature and it took some serious wheeling and dealing to become a member of the Elite 11.Rainouts at some of the favorite stops such as Selinsgrove Raceway Park,Kutztown,Oswego,Talladega Short Track and all scheduled Nationals at Button Buck in Minnesota found tracks working OT on rain dates and teams scrambling to get the much needed 4 races in for their best chances at the title.
From the May 17 opening National at Penton Raceway in Alabama to the twice rescheduled National at Linda's on October 31st,Mother Nature tried her best to become the champion in 2008.
With an incredible 134 drivers gaining points this year,there was no clear cut frontrunner during any stages of the season.The Gulf Coast trio of Seth Wilson,Kurt English and Shawn Cater and the Great Lakes Dynamic Duo of Lucas Schott and Parker Hale were giving the Mid-Atlantic regulars something to worry about.
Whitaker's season was a crowning gem as he made the most of his visits to Hamlin in notching the coveted track crown by only 9 points over the "Sassy" one,Shannon Smith.Ben had to juggle a Friday night schedule of LM racing at Penn Can with occasional tour stops and his Saturday nights at Hamlin.Ben used a win at Paradise,a third at Hamlin and a fourth at Reading to combine with his 146 points earned from Hamlin in achieving the 2008 National Champion honors.Even during some regional events Ben was still successful as he headed to the Greenwood Valley Action Track and headed home a winner on August 9th.The Alan Whitaker prepared,Ben Whitaker driven 13X took on all challenges and withstood all comers in claiming their first National Championships as owner and driver.
"The Riegelsville Racer" Jim Housworth had the McNichol Lawn 72 to as many National stops as his schedule would allow and with use of his MA Gold Championship points and top 3 finishes at Paradise,Borgers and Linda's he gave Whitaker the strongest challenge as the season was winding down in settling in as the National runner-up.Jim also had a few regional race wins with his crew celebrating at GVAT twice in 2008.
"Sassy" Shannon Smith not only was noticed for her hotpink # 23 but for her on track ability to wheel the 39 HP race car around any track surface.The points runnerup at both Hamlin and Linda's,Shannon had a second half of the 2008 season that some drivers hope for in a career.Two National wins at both Hamlin and Linda's put over $2,000 in her bank account and moved her from 8th to a final standing of third.
Bangor,PA's Bill"The Dream" Weaver had a previous National standing of 7th.Bill knew he had the talent and the equipment to move up the ladder and with strong runs at Borgers and Linda's,Bill accomplished his 2008 goal as he jumped into the top 5 with some help along the way as Cody Kline relinquished his seat in the 59 for Bill to wheel at the always tough Reading Fairgrounds Nostalgia National.The MA Gold runnerup points did nothing to hurt Bill's chances either with the additional 127 points used wisely.
Rounding out the Famous 5 for the Slingshot National standings was "The Flemington Flyer",Matt Carman.Matt's season was one of determination and family togetherness.Matt could be found at the front of every race along the way and if not for some bad breaks,could've been a top 3 contender.The 2008 MA Silver Point Champ also laid claim as the winner of one of the closest National races in a long time as he and Emily VanInwegen raced side-by-side for 16 laps during the Nostalgia National at Reading.The Darryl Carman 2 was third in Weikel Complete standings,fourth in Empire standings and fifth in MA Gold as Matt's family was there to root him on and help as much as was humanly possible.
Sixth through eleventh in the National Points Standings could be referred to as the "who are they?"Truth be told, all of the drivers from 6th to 11th had to battle back from some adversity to get to where they were in the prestigious "Elite 11".
Cody Kline,"The Captain",came to the Slingshots with the hopes of some top finishes,but after a 4th place in points at Hamlin and a few wins,his stock just started to rise.A second place run at the Hamlin National and a third at Borgers put the Captain in the drivers seat for a top National finish.His sportsmanship at Reading quite possibly cost Cody a Famous 5 spot,after turning the drivers seat of the 59 to Bill Weaver.
The # 32 was seen at many weekly and tour stops during the 2008 season and for good reason,Brett "The Oley Jet" was good at wheeling this car around the speedways.Brett became a household name in Slingshot circles after his charge to the top 3 at Reading and also his working traffic at Linda's for a 4th place run after the 50 lap National was completed.If not for some mechanical problems at Borgers ,Brett could also have moved up a few spots in the final tally.
Rob Marino got his nickname "Rapid" for one reason....he was fast.Rob a former kart winner at Shellhammer's returned in a Slingshot and without losing a step won the return of the Slingshots to the popular karting oval in Leesport,PA.Rob had the 13 out in front at the Outback Oval at Oswego and also used his 2008 Empire Region Championship to add to his point totals in slotting in at a final tally of 8th.The crew member for modified star Ryan Godown hopped into the S&S rental near season's end and didn't miss a beat.
Going from Juniors to the regulars is not an easy step for many teenagers and after seeing the blue 19 leading the way at Reading it was apparent that "Amazing" Emily VanInwegen has what it takes to become a successful wheeltwister.The runnerup finish in the Nostalgia National was a springboard for the SparrowBush,NY lass as she combined her 11th place Hamlin points run with her steady National runs to garner 9th.One of Emily's favorite tracks,Selinsgrove's Raceway Park suffered a rainout of which Emily had high hopes of winning.
"Cool Hand" had the hot hand as Button Buck Speedway was built inside Deer Creek Speedway to give the Great Lakes Region racers a chance to mix it up on a spacious 1/5 mile.Lucas Schott who is still a relative newcomer came east with his family in 2007 to get an idea of how to make the car go faster.His father John's mechanical ability and Lucas' driving talents jelled as he waged a season long battle with Parker Hale to get himself the Great Lakes Region Championship which gave him the needed points to make the Elite 11.The Schott Hardwood Floors 69 knew how to get to the front and stay there with "Cool Hand" at the controls.Lucas also notched the inaugural season points at Button Buck for the Slingshots in both the Regular and Junior classes.
Crandall,GA just added a celebrity to it's town greeting sign as "The Crandall Charger" Seth Wilson becomes the 2nd Gulf Coast region driver to make the Elite 11 after an exciting run between him and another newcomer Kurt English to see who could get to the area Nationals victory lane the most.His final assault on Penton and the season ender at Dawgwood found the 99 winning both of them and climbing into the Elite 11 by just that margin.Seth's smooth driving style was evident at Penton when he got caught up in a minor spin,went to the rear and charged back for 2nd.
Just missing the Elite 11 and having much to be proud of were Parker Hale from Grand Meadow,MN who saw victory lane on a few occasions at Button Buck and Mike Carman from Flemington,NJ who could not transfer his luck from Regional events to National events.
All in all with 134 drivers being a part of this tour,these drivers had to make due with their bad nights and take notes from their good nights in their quest for perfection.
2008 Briggs & Stratton Slingshot by Tobias Elite 11
1. 547 Ben"Flipper" Whitaker # 13X Eynon,PA
2. 528 Jim"The Riegelsville Racer" Housworth #72 Riegelsville,PA
3. 489 "Sassy" Shannon Smith # 23 Kunkletown,PA
4. 477 Bill"The Dream"Weaver # 1 Bangor,PA
5. 475 Matt "The Flemington Flyer" Carman # 2 Flemington,NJ
6. 441 "Captian" Cody Kline # 59 Bangor,PA
7. 418 Brett "The Oley Jet' Bieber # 32 Oley,PA
8. 414 "Rapid" Rob Marino # 13 Frenchtown,NJ
9. 412 "Amazing" Emily VanInwegen # 19 SparrowBush,NY
10.403 "Cool Hand" Lucas Schott # 69 Chatfield,MN
11.389 Seth"The Crandall Charger" Wilson # 99 Crandall,GA