Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
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1. Chris Bell #31 - The Brandon Berryman owned team just picked up a 410 and Chris will shake it down at the Cappy Classic. The 19-year old Oklahoma phenom can wheel anything, anywhere and should be able to adjust to the black gumbo as the week goes on. An insane amount of natural talent combined with a rather weak rookie class makes Bell the favorite to win the award this year. Only question is can the rather unknown 31 car pull its weight. 

2. Gary Taylor #1st - The Washington native residing in Indiana has the best car number in the country, not to mention one of the sharpest looking machines. Another driver that is extremely versatile and in 2014 has added some more winged 410 racing to his jam-packed schedule. Ran all of Ohio Speedweek and looked solid with the highlight being quick time at Fremont and charging through his heat and was running 2nd in the feature before retiring because of a flat. Gary's motor pulls and with a good time trial lap, he may open some eyes this August. 

3. Andy Gregg #53 - The California product gets his elbows up and knows when to stand on the hammer. There's no question that the big half mile in Iowa will be a change of pace from the California bullrings, but Gregg has talent and has the added benefit of running 360 Nationals to get track time. Lack of experience at bigger tracks could play a factor in Gregg's week. 

4. Paige Polyak #19 - The top female driver in the country has not a good year in the 19 car. Her family operation that went up in flames tragically last year seemed to roll better. But there's no doubt she can drive. She is not afraid of the gas pedal. Better racer than qualifer. Will be down on horsepower from what I've seen thus far in 2014. Running 360 Nationals as well. 

5. Colby Copeland #5v - Another KWS driver making the long tow from California. To be honest, I haven't seen Colby run that often, but when I have he usually starts around mid-pack and drives up to about 8th. I truly believe that every 410 team in the country should run the Nationals at least once just for the experience so I'm glad to see Colby make the tow out. The question will be horsepower and with that team making the long tow out, I would think they might have a surprise under the hood come showtime.

Knoxville locals Chris Martin, Garrett Dollansky, Dakota Hendrickson and Jamie Ball could leap past any or all of these hopefuls because of track time. I will take Martin out of those 4. USAC's Tyler Courtney is putting the wing on, which usually provides for some entertainment but may be in trouble results wise. I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) that Curtis Evans is a ASCS driver and if that's the case the knock on them is that they can't qualify well which is essential to success at Nationals. Jason Tostenson could be a sleeper on the weekend if they have a strong powerplant, but that's  big if. IRA young gun Jeremy Schultz will struggle. Lee Grosz would make my list but I just don't have confidence he will show up, lol. I swear he's been pre-entered the last 3 years, if he does show I would put him in my top 5. 

To me, this list is much weaker than last year's rookie class that featured phenom Rico Abreu, Brent Marks, Brad Loyet and Danny Dietrich with the latter taking the honors as the only driver to qualify for the B main. Glad to see all 4 of them back at it this year. 

Feel free to rip me apart on this one my friends. 2 weeks until the greatest 4 days of the year...

DH

It's pretty spot on.  Before Bell entered, it was looking pretty bleak... ie, rookie of the Nationals was realistically going to be in the back of C or the D at the end of the night on Sat.  Martin, Dollansky, and Hendrickson are not that great (wildly inconsistent), but better candidates than any of the others (except Bell) because of the track time (in a 410) that you mentioned.  

seems like someone always surprises, based on talent, Bell would be my pick as Rookie, but luck has a lot to do with it too...

Pull the #1 pill on Thursday and the track rapidly slowing gives a guy a ton of points, and you never know what's going to happen in the heats (we've seen 4 cars wreck on the first lap and all of a sudden the guy starting 8th is starting on the outside of the front row), then it's just finish your prelim A and you're at the front of the B (or one of the last cars locked into the A).

Wouldn't be surprised if Jamie Ball sweeps in and becomes the rookie of the nationals.

With the new format, unless you have a really strong qualifying night you will be running Friday. Last year it came down to who ran better on Friday and Saturday (which is good) rather than in previous years where you could draw the 1 pill, go 9th quick and not pass a car all weekend and have a respectable point total. 

I'll still take Taylor over them. But I agree that they could be leapfrog Gregg, Polyak and Copeland if those 3 struggle to adapt. 

I'm not gonna knock GT... think he's a gasser and has talent.  But his limited laps at Knoxville have been in a midget ('07 and '08) and 360 ('08, '09, '11, and '12).  His best showing in a midget was a 10th, and best showing in a 360 was '12 when he qualified for the middle of the B-Main on Sat of 360 Nationals.  He proceeded to flip half the distance of the backchute at the start of that B-Main, but that's neither here nor there!  I believe he was in a Print Place team car in '12, so it was probably the highest funded ride he's had to date at Knoxville.  I'm not sure how well funded the 1ST team is -- but even if they are well funded, hesitate to place expectations on anybody that doesn't have any laps in a 410 at Knoxville and/or doesn't race 100 times a year.

There's no doubt there is no substitute for track time at Knoxville. Like you said originally it's a rather weak group and I'm fairly confident all rookies will be running the Friday program. 

The Berryman 31 car is a top notch operation, and Bobby Craft (crew chief) is no stranger to Knoxville.  If I'm not mistaken Craft has won both the 360 & 410 nationals.  I agree with Bell's biggest challenge being laps around Knoxville.  It's unique, but I believe he will adapt fast. 

I'll admit I don't know who Bobby Craft is... googled him.  It looks like he was on Garry Lee Maier's crew in '92 (360 Nationals champ) and also on Mark Kinser's crew in '96 (410 Nationals champ) ... so good call.  Bell has a lot of talent, but it sure doesn't hurt to have guys like Craft in his corner!

1. Chris Bell #31 - The Brandon Berryman owned team just picked up a 410 and Chris will shake it down at the Cappy Classic. The 19-year old Oklahoma phenom can wheel anything, anywhere and should be able to adjust to the black gumbo as the week goes on. An insane amount of natural talent combined with a rather weak rookie class makes Bell the favorite to win the award this year. Only question is can the rather unknown 31 car pull its weight. 

"Can the rather unknow 31 car pull its weight??

 The "Unknown 31" hasn't been out of the Top 5 Since Little Rock last year...

They won 2 out of 4 races at Speed Week ( Pretty Impressive).. can keep going...

Not to mention Brandon Berryman's 31 team has some of the best guys that wrench on that car...  Rodney Nidever, and two vertan mechanics... Bobby Craft and Jerry Russell.

I don't think there is a question if the 31 can pull it's weight....

So.. let's just sit back and wait till showtime...

* Veteran ^^

The 31B car was really fast in the desert with the ASCS National guys.  Who built the 410 they are running at Nationals?  Just curious!

Bell's team would be smart to bring Ferkel out with them him and Bell work very well together might take down the learning curve 

good read, are you by chance a horse race enthusiest too?  It takes someone passionate about the sport to recognise rookies, and or  "not" main stream drivers, it seems too easy to follow the coverage of media (main spotlight) media to forward information anyone could hear but the individual was not present ..  the drivers grassroots stories are what makes this sport entertaining to me,  many seem to be high on that moutain and considerably untouchable to john Q plublic.. regardless,   great post.

Jeremy Schultz is also registered for the Nationals this year as a rookie. He has had just about as bad of luck as anyone in the country this year. With both car and hauler. Will be interested to see if he decides to pull out of the Nationals after hurting another car at Wilmot this past weekend. He finished 2nd to Balog in IRA points last year as a rookie. If he has his stuff together he can be competitive. Not sure will if he will have the HP to make noise in Knoxville

Real race cars don't have fenders...

Rather unfamiliar to me I guess would be the more accurate phrasing, but I'm guessing there will be a fair amount of people asking who owns the 31 car come 2 weeks. How many 410 races has the 31 team ran? Thanks for the clarification. Hope Chris and the team open some more eyes this year. 

It'd be nice to see him run well, but given that the IRA King Billy Balog was in the E last year, I can't imagine someone behind him would fair significantly better. 

I do think Billy is a better driver than E calibar and I believe he'll show that this year. His 3rd place run with the WoO at Burlington was extremely impressive. 

The team is certainly no stranger to Victory Lane. . . . .

www.manvelmotorsports.com

Chris Bell, if he would happen to pick up the Rookie of the Knoxville Natls, it will be just ONE MORE Feather in his long list of career accomplishments and one more title for him as this YOUNG SHOE will not be on dirt very much longer, he is headed to the big time, and it wont be to long from now.   They have been dialing him in for a few years now, and when he takes the big next step, it will be a good one for Chris as he is one hell of a shoe.   Fearless, great grounded young man and can drive the wheels off just about anything you put him in.  He is a MUST SEE at the Natls and my pick for Rookie at Knoxville this year..

Go Get Em Chris.

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They will have about the same points as someone who times in 21st and doesn't pass anyone the entire night either.

As as discussed ad nauseam on this board...bottom line with the nationals format, if you don't do well in all three, trials, heats, and feature, you will not be in the top group for points.