SCORE 2007-08 SEASON REVIEW
(6/2/08 - Reading,PA) Business as usual? Not this time around! If I had to use one word to describe this past season,it would be extraordinary.Statistically, just about everything took a jump for the better and, as a promoter,I'm still smilin'.There's so much to write about,the problem is where to start..
Attendance is,perhaps,the most noticeable topic. The finale at Pit Road V punctuated an already superb season in attendance.Fourteen drivers competed in the sprint program to set a SCORE record.The previous mark was 13.Twenty drivers competed during 2007-08,another new record.The peculiarity of attendance this season was the revolving door of trigger-men who raced each night.With SCORE regulars no-showing on a frequent basis,unexpected competitors filled the fields.Despite the fact that only Chuck Heller and myself made every program,the average number of drivers per program jumped from 6.0 to 7.7! The sprint division,at just 5.1 last season,had the biggest increase to 7.9 per feature.The midgets improved from 6.0 to 7.5 and the dirt champs from 6.2 to 7.7. Twenty drivers competed in the sprint division,15 in midgets,and 14 in champs.
Each SCORE campaign has always been highlighted by the quality of competition.This season was no exception! The USAC sprints,however,stole the show.In 12 races,there were 7 different winners and no one took home more than two checkered flags.Seven races were decided by just one point and the title battle came down to the final race as Heller won all the marbles with just a sixth place finish.It doesn't get much better than that! The dirt champs fared well,too.Five drivers earned victories and the point race was rather exciting as Mike Lengel,trailing at mid-season,put on a great stretch run to end my five year reign as divisional champion.Heller made a shambles of the midget division by setting a record 8 wins in 10 events.Surprisingly,the only driver to beat Heller was,of all people,Tim Musser,Sr. who grabbed a pair of wins at South Gate including the "Turkey Night 100",both by tie-breaker over me!The average margin of victory across the board fell from 3 points to 2.75.The sprint average was 2.2,midgets 3.6,and d.c's 2.5.Eleven races were won by a single marker plus 3 by tie-breaker.
Heller had the best season of all drivers as he ran to victory lane 11 times.Though 8 of them were in the midgets,he was the only one to win in all three divisions.He won half the 16 races at PRV and 3 at GNS. Next on the list were Brion Hassler and myself with 5 wins apiece.Hassler copped the "Boston Louie 100" in dirt champs while I added another "Flying Dutchman Classic" for sprints to my laurels.Lengel grabbed 4 checkereds with Dana Marsden,who missed a bunch of races,a mere 3.TM,Sr.,as mentioned,won 2 as Kerry Breon,Sr.and Dave Kurtz took lone victories. Five drivers won at PRV,3 at GNS in 8 events,and 5 at SGS,also,with 8 features.No one recorded wins at all three tracks.
From my standpoint as promoter,it was a whirlwind season.Once it started,it was like an unstoppable machine.We didn't have to postpone any race dates(only 3 features were run with just 5 drivers)and,for the first time,didn't have our usual Christmas hiatus. SCORE completed 32 features and 16 race dates,the most since ending the twin-20's sprint programs years ago. It was SCORE's 13th season.Unlucky? Hardly.
So,as SCORE's head honcho,more or less,I want to thank everyone who competed this past season.All things considered,it went rather smoothly thanks to a lot of cooperation from participants.From the building of PRV to the celebratory finale,it was a team effort that makes the 2007-08 campaign,perhaps,the best ever. Wishing everyone a great summer and hoping for continued success next season,
Wishing everyone a great summer and hoping for continued success next season,
Dave Balloch
