By Kelly Brown
Camargo, IL — The 2009 Rookie-of-the-Year battle for the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions was one of the closest in recent history with four rookies vying for the title. It took up until the last race of the season for Daron Clayton to clinch the title of being the top rookie of 2009. In 2010, look for these rookie competitors to contend not only with each other, but also with the veterans of the series each race.
Cap Henry
At nineteen years old Cap Henry is quickly making a name for himself in the 410 sprint car world. The young gun had 26 starts in 2009 and made 19 A-main events with an average finishing position of twelfth. He had six top ten finishes, including a sixth and ninth place finish with the All Star Circuit of Champions. Overall Henry managed to place in the top ten in points in his Rookie Year finishing sixth overall at Fremont Speedway, eighth overall at Attica Raceway Park, and eighth overall in the F.A.S.T. series (Fremont Attica Sprint Title). Henry collected 410 Rookie-of-the-Year Honors at Fremont Speedway, Attica Raceway Park and The F.A.S.T. series championship. In fact, Henry has clinched five Rookie-of-the-Year titles in just two years of dirt sprint car racing.
Jerrod Ridge
A young gun that will be shooting for the Rookie-of-the-Year title will be Jerrod Ridge of Snohomish, Washington. Ridge will be trading his 360 engine with the ASCS and moving to the 410 full time with the All Star Circuit of Champions. In both 2008 and 2009 Ridge has finished second in the ASCS Northwest Region point standings. The Washington native also collected two wins this season in ASCS action at Electric City Speedway and Southern Oregon Speedway. In 2008 Ridge made his first start at the 360 Knoxville Nationals and placed eighteenth out of 125 cars present.
Keep your computer bookmarked to www.allstarsprint.com for the most up to date information as the 2010 season begins to take shape as there will be more drivers announced, and the 2010 season schedule will be released in the near future.