Hernandez in control, but title chase still wide open
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/JEGS_Pro_Mod_08.jpg" alt="JEGS_Pro_Mod_08" align="right"borders="0"/>
RICHMOND, Va. (Oct. 8) -- With a 59-point cushion in the current JEGS ProMod Challenge championship point standings, reigning series champion Josh Hernandez has a comfortable but not insurmountable lead heading into this weekend's third annual Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.
In all, seven racers remain mathematically alive in the chase for the 2008 JEGS ProMod Challenge title as the tour hits its ninth of 10 events. Following Hernandez in the rankings is Tony Pontieri, former series champion Jay Payne, Danny Rowe, Kirk Kuhns, Joe Baker, and Ray Commisso.
Assuming a national record could be set at each of the final two races -- the JEGS ProMod Challenge ends Halloween weekend in Las Vegas -- one racer could earn a maximum of 276 points with back-to-back sweeps. A sweep would constitute qualifying No. 1, setting a national record, and winning the race, which would be worth 138 points at each event.
The chase pack needs Hernandez and his Team Rage Camaro to hit a speed bump, something they haven't done much in the past two seasons. The reality is the reliable Texan would probably be ready to clinch the title in Virginia if he hadn't been forced to skip a race earlier this year due to a scheduling conflict. Although, he did have a rare first-round loss in Bristol, proving he's human, he's since raced to the final round at every event, winning twice to push his season total to three victories.
Pontieri, who led the way in his Quality Plus Compressors '57 Bel Air after three events earlier this season, has the most realistic shot at catching Hernandez. His current deficit of 59 points puts him three rounds down with eight left on the table. He needs Hernandez to bow out early in either of the last two races while he goes for broke and reaches at least the final round of both events to make it interesting.
Conversely, if Pontieri loses in the first round this weekend, Hernandez would have an outside shot at clinching should he out-qualify his Canadian counterpart and go on to win the race, or at least reach the finals and set a national record.
The next three racers on the grid -- Payne, Rowe, and Kuhns -- are within four points of one another but find themselves more than 180 points off the lead (-185, -187, and -189 points back, respectively.) Bottom line, these three men need Hernandez to either DNQ or lose in the first round at both of the remaining races, while they storm to the finals with some record numbers along the way to catch and pass him.
Considering Hernandez has qualified for all 40 JEGS ProMod Challenge events he's entered, he'll likely make the cut in Virginia and Vegas, meaning Payne, Rowe, and Kuhns need to set records at both races, collect the trophies, and have Hernandez lose in Round 1 to catch him. If Hernandez reaches the final round at VMP, everyone but Pontieri will be eliminated.
In the "mathematically alive" column are Baker and Commisso. If Hernandez reaches the semis in Richmond, Baker is done. If he simply qualifies for the race, Commisso is out. It was still a great year for the two professionals. Baker won his first two events, while Commisso recorded a runner-up finish and was No. 1 qualifier twice.
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/JEGS_Pro_Mod_08.jpg" alt="JEGS_Pro_Mod_08" align="right"borders="0"/>
RICHMOND, Va. (Oct. 8) -- With a 59-point cushion in the current JEGS ProMod Challenge championship point standings, reigning series champion Josh Hernandez has a comfortable but not insurmountable lead heading into this weekend's third annual Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.
In all, seven racers remain mathematically alive in the chase for the 2008 JEGS ProMod Challenge title as the tour hits its ninth of 10 events. Following Hernandez in the rankings is Tony Pontieri, former series champion Jay Payne, Danny Rowe, Kirk Kuhns, Joe Baker, and Ray Commisso.
Assuming a national record could be set at each of the final two races -- the JEGS ProMod Challenge ends Halloween weekend in Las Vegas -- one racer could earn a maximum of 276 points with back-to-back sweeps. A sweep would constitute qualifying No. 1, setting a national record, and winning the race, which would be worth 138 points at each event.
The chase pack needs Hernandez and his Team Rage Camaro to hit a speed bump, something they haven't done much in the past two seasons. The reality is the reliable Texan would probably be ready to clinch the title in Virginia if he hadn't been forced to skip a race earlier this year due to a scheduling conflict. Although, he did have a rare first-round loss in Bristol, proving he's human, he's since raced to the final round at every event, winning twice to push his season total to three victories.
Pontieri, who led the way in his Quality Plus Compressors '57 Bel Air after three events earlier this season, has the most realistic shot at catching Hernandez. His current deficit of 59 points puts him three rounds down with eight left on the table. He needs Hernandez to bow out early in either of the last two races while he goes for broke and reaches at least the final round of both events to make it interesting.
Conversely, if Pontieri loses in the first round this weekend, Hernandez would have an outside shot at clinching should he out-qualify his Canadian counterpart and go on to win the race, or at least reach the finals and set a national record.
The next three racers on the grid -- Payne, Rowe, and Kuhns -- are within four points of one another but find themselves more than 180 points off the lead (-185, -187, and -189 points back, respectively.) Bottom line, these three men need Hernandez to either DNQ or lose in the first round at both of the remaining races, while they storm to the finals with some record numbers along the way to catch and pass him.
Considering Hernandez has qualified for all 40 JEGS ProMod Challenge events he's entered, he'll likely make the cut in Virginia and Vegas, meaning Payne, Rowe, and Kuhns need to set records at both races, collect the trophies, and have Hernandez lose in Round 1 to catch him. If Hernandez reaches the final round at VMP, everyone but Pontieri will be eliminated.
In the "mathematically alive" column are Baker and Commisso. If Hernandez reaches the semis in Richmond, Baker is done. If he simply qualifies for the race, Commisso is out. It was still a great year for the two professionals. Baker won his first two events, while Commisso recorded a runner-up finish and was No. 1 qualifier twice.
