By Shawn Miller, ASCS Northwest Region (Sept. 1, 2009)
SHELTON, Wash. – The American Sprint Car Series Northwest Region championship is Roger Crockett’s to lose.
His competitors know this. Even he acknowledges it.
“We feel real comfortable with where we’re at,” said Crockett, a resident of Medford, Ore. “It’s definitely our championship to give away.”
And that only heightens the intensity of the three remaining races, including Sunday at the Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash.
Crockett has a 60-point advantage over Jared Ridge of Snohomish, Wash.
“I can’t control what happens to Roger,” Ridge said. “If he crashes or gets a little bad luck like I did, then great. If he continues to have good luck, keep his nose clean and draw good numbers for the starts, I can’t really control that.
“Anything can happen. Sixty points, that’s a pretty good cushion. Roger’s gotta have a night where he doesn’t finish a race. And then he’s gotta have another night where he’s off a little bit. And I’ve gotta be on both nights.”
Steven Tiner of Visalia, Calif., is 113 points behind Crockett and 53 back from Ridge, making three guys within striking distance of the title in the home stretch.
“For the second consecutive year there has been a great battle between several of our best drivers for the coveted point’s title,” Northwest Region Director Greg Burgess said. “The top three guys are from three different states and each has held the points lead at one time this season. You couldn’t ask for much more than the battle they are giving each other.”
With every feature counting 150 points to win, Crockett would have to miss an entire race to drop out of the top two. Or fail to qualify out of two B mains, which award 75 points for each driver who doesn’t advance to the feature.
However, both scenarios are unlikely for Crockett, who has claimed three of the Northwest Region’s 11 races at the Grays Harbor Raceway the past two years.
Crockett also became the first non-ASCS National tour member to win a Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series presented by K&N Filters feature when he finished first at the Grays Harbor Raceway on July 17.
“It’s got plenty of room to pass cars,” Crockett said of the 3/8th mile track. “I think it really helps with this format to be able to pass cars.”
Crockett has won a career-high 20 feature wins this year, including five in the Northwest Region.
“He’s been around so long he knows where to be and when to be there,” Ridge said. “He’s just got this sixth sense about where he needs to put himself every night. He always puts himself in a good spot. I guess I need to learn that sixth sense.
“Mathematically, it’s all possible for the top three guys to win it. It’s kinda unlikely though.”
The front gate opens at 4:30 p.m. with racing scheduled for 7 p.m. Tickets are $23 per adult and $8 for children ages 6 to 14. Children 5 and under enter for free.
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