by: Greg Parent UMSS Race Reports
Sixteen races into the 2010 UMSS season, the GRP Motorsports/BP Trading Company Rookie of the Year Award battle has come down to two competitors. Ronnie Erickson from Forest Lake and Jared Goerges from Brainerd are locked in a tight battle for the top spot. Ronnie has competed in 11 UMSS events this season while Jared has raced in 10 shows. Prior to blowing his motor at the Kouba Memorial, Princeton’s Andy Jones was in the heart of the battle as well.
The best 12 point shows will be used to determine the 2010 Rookie of the Year award winner. Drivers racing in more than 12 shows will be allowed to throw out their lowest scores. Weather permitting, Erickson and Goerges have the potential to race in three more shows before the 2010 season concludes. If that occurs, Erickson will have 14 shows and be able to throw out his two worst point shows while Goerges will have 13 shows and be able to throw out his worst show only. The top prize, which will be paid at the UMSS banquet in January 2011, is $800 while the runner-up will earn $300. The current GRP Motorsports/BP Trading Company Rookie of the Year standings are listed below.
UMSS GRP Motorsports/BP Trading Company Rookie of the Year Standings:
1. Ronnie Erickson #62 = 2,187 points (11 races)
2. Jared Goerges #9 = 2,115 points (10 races)
3. Andy Jones #73 = 1,566 points (8 races)
Note: Goerges was awarded only 150 show points for the July 9 Elko race even though he earned 205 actual race points due to the fact it was his third race of the season, and he elected not to start in the tail of each of his races that night. Erickson and Jones did start tail-end in their first three races under UMSS rookie race procedures.