WHERE’S WALDO: Who has the most momentum heading into the ROAR Nationals?

0 June 20, 2017, 4:30 p.m.

By Aaron Waldron
LiveRC.com

LiveRC contributor Tyler Hooks put together a sweet spreadsheet using results of major races in 2017 to get an idea of who is riding high entering the ROAR Fuel Off-Road Nationals this week, and who will be hoping their luck turns around at the biggest stateside race of 2017.

This spreadsheet looks at six premier events held in the U.S. so far this year: Dirt Nitro Challenge, Silver State, Psycho Nitro Blast, Pro-Line Gas Champs, Manufacturers World Cup and Alabama Manufacturer Shootout, assigning the winner 100 points and dropping one point each for each position thereafter. Each driver’s best three results were added together, and these are the top 26 drivers who’ve attended at least two of these six races. (Unfortunately, 26th on the list — Tyler Vik — won’t be competing in Indiana this week).

Is this ranking scientific? Well, it’s just using numbers - but it’s not exactly a perfect comparison. The Dirt Nitro Challenge and Silver State both attracted more diverse competition than the others, especially from Europe. And the Manufacturers World Cup was held Reedy Race-style (sorta), rather than a traditional single A-Main like the others. Is this a perfect system? Does momentum really matter in a winner-take-all race? No and no, but it’s fun to discuss anyway.

It’s no surprise that, with wins at DNC and Silver State backed up by a second-place finish at the heads-up Manufacturers World Cup, Ryan Maifield is atop this chart - and surely the favorite to take the title on Sunday night. It seems that only a DNF, like he suffered at the Gas Champs, can stop him this season in a single main event.

After a ninth-place finish at the Dirt Nitro Challenge, Ryan Lutz hasn’t finished outside the top four - including wins at the Psycho Nitro Blast and Gas Champs. Is this the year that Ryan Lutz and Tekno RC claim their first ROAR Fuel Off-Road National Championships?

Jared Tebo, who won both the Truck and Buggy championships back in 2010, might be peaking at the right time - with a second place finish at the AMS backing up a two-spot at the Psycho Nitro Blast highlighting fifth and sixth place finishes at the other events he has attended. Can Tebo win his second title?

Don’t let Ryan Cavalieri’s Silver State suspension overshadow the year he’s had. With three finishes inside the top four, as well as another Reedy Race title, this two-time (2005 and 2011) champ will be a contender.

Could Joe Bornhorst be this week’s big sleeper? Though he was 11th at the Dirt Nitro Challenge and seventh at both the Dirt Nitro Challege and Manufacturers World Cup, he’s fifth on this chart with three top-four finishes.

There’s plenty of deep talent through the rest of the chart as well - three-time champion Adam Drake is sixth, with three top-five finishes so far.

Ty Tessmann’s fluke DNC DNF knocking him down to seventh despite a second-place finish at Silver State and Manufacturers World Cup win.

After forgettable performances at DNC and Silver State, which have him just eighth on this ranking chart, reigning champion Spencer Rivkin won the Alabama Manufacturer Shootout - showing he has the speed needed to take a shot at becoming the first driver to go back-to-back.

Dakotah Phend has had rough luck all year long, and is just 11th on this list, but he’s is one clean 60-minute run away from one of the few U.S. championships that he hasn’t yet won - and he has a bit of home-track advantage on his side.