Biggest Surprise this early in the season

[Pennsboro23]

1.) The success of Brian Shirley. Hope to see him keep it up all year long.

2.) Birky and Frye's return.

3.) Flinner/Wilmoth on national tours.

[onlyfacts]

Biggest surprise to me is all the changes and time that Lucas spent on the rules because of the 6 cars dominance last year. Lucas made the rules and nothing has changed if anything the 6 car is more dominant. He has 6 Lucas wins already and last year at this time he had 2. I predict he will win 20 plus Lucas races which is a great example of Karma. The other surprises I see is a couple guys switched chassis and got better, but most guys that switched have gotten way worse.

[toyracer]

I'd have to say Ross Bailes. 7 total races this season.

5 in supers 2 wins 2 top 5's
1 start in 604 finished 2nd but winner dq'd on tires. 3k to win race
1 start 525/limited 3k to win 34 cars 1 win.

4 wins in 7 starts.

More impressive is fact of those he has wins in 3 different brands of chassis, 3 different shock combinations & 2 different tire manufactures

Supers Longhorn
Crate Barry Wright
Fuel Mastersbilt

He can wheel anything he gets in period.

There is always a lot of talk about up & comers & people who deserve a shot & he needs to be in the conversation. Kid has the drive, determination & talent to be successful.

[CarolinaDirt]

Bailes came to my local track Tri-County for one of Ray Cook's Tarheel 53s and its a tough little bullring to drive. Having never seen the place he qualified in the top 10 and finished in the top 5 in Johnny Pursley's 09 car . He can drive and he is only getting better with each start . He ran top 5 in the Lucas Race at Cherokee last year .

[jog49]

As of now: Davenport - 10 wins, Richards - 10 wins.

[Barbecueboy]

I'd have to say Ross Bailes. 7 total races this season.

5 in supers 2 wins 2 top 5's
1 start in 604 finished 2nd but winner dq'd on tires. 3k to win race
1 start 525/limited 3k to win 34 cars 1 win.

4 wins in 7 starts.

More impressive is fact of those he has wins in 3 different brands of chassis, 3 different shock combinations & 2 different tire manufactures

Supers Longhorn
Crate Barry Wright
Fuel Mastersbilt

He can wheel anything he gets in period.

There is always a lot of talk about up & comers & people who deserve a shot & he needs to be in the conversation. Kid has the drive, determination & talent to be successful.

Those are some interesting stats about the different car,motor,tire combinations....thanks for bringing it up.

[Mcklovin85..]

Brian Shirley is in a longhorn by weaver.

[Finnfan]

For me, and I guess this goes back to last year, is the fall off in results in the Newport Nightmare's performance, that seems to be continuing this year (at least so far). Seems like as soon as Reece went over to Bloomquist, he hasn't really been able to consistently run up front, like he always used to do.

Yeah I know he finished high in points last year, and had some top 5's, and the success of Davenport, and new teams in '15 and '16, new chassis, etc...etc... but I have to wonder if we're starting to see the decline of the O show. I for one sure hope not. With the addition of the new talent in Lucas, it seems like Owens is no longer a threat to win at any given track. Just doesn't seem right watching #20 run mid-pack race after race.

[jog49]

Now that you mention it, the BIGGEST surprise might be the absence of Jimmy Owens from contention!

[kidrock]

For me, and I guess this goes back to last year, is the fall off in results in the Newport Nightmare's performance, that seems to be continuing this year (at least so far). Seems like as soon as Reece went over to Bloomquist, he hasn't really been able to consistently run up front, like he always used to do.

Yeah I know he finished high in points last year, and had some top 5's, and the success of Davenport, and new teams in '15 and '16, new chassis, etc...etc... but I have to wonder if we're starting to see the decline of the O show. I for one sure hope not. With the addition of the new talent in Lucas, it seems like Owens is no longer a threat to win at any given track. Just doesn't seem right watching #20 run mid-pack race after race.

Probably has to do more news teams and chassis. Nothing against them just might time to adjust to them

[CarolinaDirt]

While were on that subject , a huge surprise in the emergence of Jared Landers under Scott Bloomquist's mentoring . I remember when it was announced it was said on here that not even Scott could help Jared . He has calmed down , he has been consistent and he is a serious threat every time he unloads on the Lucas tour.

Scott has done alot for several drivers , to a lesser extent calming down Jonathan Davenport when he was in the Hammrick's ride . Jimmy Owens no question has been in decline since him and Bloomquist stopped working together. I think its more of that than Reece leaving . Chris Madden is slowly returning back to form , but there is no denying the influence Scott had over his racing program and career.

[onlyfacts]

As of now: Davenport - 10 wins, Richards - 10 wins.

Pretty big for both these guys. Davenport 10 out of 26 feature starts. Richards 10 out of 20 feature starts. Who would be next prob Shirley with 3 wins?

[Finnfan]

Excellent point CarolinaDirt, and I couldn't agree more. Hadn't thought about Landers emergence coinciding with Owen's decline until your post, but IMO you are spot on. Has to make a person wonder how many drivers have benefited from Bloomquist's assistance over the years.

[toloud]

Wilmoth

1.) The success of Brian Shirley. Hope to see him keep it up all year long.

2.) Birky and Frye's return.

3.) Flinner/Wilmoth on national tours.

Since Wilmoth was a no show at Duck river and they are in the process of scrapping the Bloomer ca r experiment and looking at chassis options that they are probably off the WOO tour.

[Pennsboro23]

Since Wilmoth was a no show at Duck river and they are in the process of scrapping the Bloomer ca r experiment and looking at chassis options that they are probably off the WOO tour.

It was a bad idea to start with WoO, especially when there's 5k to win every weekend within 5 hours of Clarksburg, WV.