{"id":36510,"date":"2017-02-14T07:04:20","date_gmt":"2017-02-14T15:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/?p=36510"},"modified":"2017-02-14T07:04:20","modified_gmt":"2017-02-14T15:04:20","slug":"national-midget-driver-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/national-midget-driver-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"National Midget Driver of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n

\"National<\/p>\n

The National Midget Driver of the Year (NMDOTY) began in 1999. Midget auto racing publicist, announcer and columnist Bryan Gapinski, of Wisconsin, had the idea to recognize midget racing drivers from all parts of the country in a unique point series. It didn’t matter which primary sanctioning body they had. He devised an annual series of awards for all midget races in the country and included all sanctioning bodies and open-competition events.<\/p>\n

Gapinski created a sliding scale point system for main event victories and lower positions. The system used several key factors in awarding NMDOTY points. These factors were:<\/p>\n

Midget car count at the event.<\/p>\n

Total Midget Purse for each event.<\/p>\n

Prestige of the midget event. For example, the Tulsa (OK) Chili Bowl, Belleville (KS) Nationals, Hut Hundred in Indiana, and Turkey Night GP (CA) award the most points per position.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The first NMDOTY champion in 1999 was Jason Leffler. He ran 31 races, had 10 wins and scored 1,737 points. Total events that awarded points\u2014551; total drivers who earned points-224. Tracks \u2013 85 (11 dirt and 113 paved) in 25 states.<\/p>\n

\"National
Jason Leffler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2000 NMDOTY champion Kasey Kahne, from Washington, ran 27 midget races, won nine features and scored 1,531 points. Total events that awarded points\u2014527; total drivers with points 213. Tracks 63 (110 dirt and 103 paved) in 27 states.<\/p>\n

From 2001 on the NMDOTY champions were Tracy Hines, Aaron Fike (2002-03), Bobby East, Brad Kuhn (2005-06), Jerry Coons, Jr, Tracy Hines again, and Bryan Clauson (2009-10). Coons, from Tucson, compiled the highest point total during that period. He also ran the most races (47) and won the most features (14). The total number of races always topped 500 with 588 during 2008 being the most races in a year. Total number of drivers earning points in this national system varied from 179 to 226. Tracks varied from 63 to 83 with dirt tracks outnumbering paved tracks by three or four to one.<\/p>\n

In 2001 the NMDOTY began to award points based on chassis manufacturers and engines. The winners each year through 2010 were: Stealth, Beast, Stealth for three years in a row, and Spike for four consecutive years. Gaerte was the leading engine for the first four years through 2004. Esslinger won the next five seasons.<\/p>\n

The NMDOTY Rookie of the Year Award started in 2002. Some rookies honored went on to racing glory as you will notice in the names of NMDOTY honorees. They were: Indy 500 veteran James Chesson, Sean Caisse, Brett Anderson, Brad Loyet, Chase Barber, Brad Sweet, Nic Faas, NASCAR Cup driver Alex Bowman, Dalton Armstrong, and Jake Blackhurst.<\/p>\n

The 2014-16 NMDOTY point seasons have produced two USAC-based champions\u2014Christopher Bell (2014) and Tanner Thorson (2015-16). John Godfrey’s Spike chassis firm won the chassis manufacturer title each of the last three seasons and Esslinger engines did the same among engine builders. In 2014 Bell ran 16 races and won once while scoring 1,631 points. In 2015 Keith Kunz driver Thorson ran 30 times and won seven mains en-route to 1,232 NMDOTY points. Thorson’s 2016 totals were 50 races, 16 wins and 1,434 points. The most recent rookies of the year have been: Rico Abreu, Spencer Bayston, Kyle Schuett, and fast-rising 20-year old Carson Macedo, from central California in 2016.<\/p>\n

\"National
Tanner Thorson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NMDOTY 2016 Season: It is interesting to review the most recent midget season that culminated with the running of the USAC National and Western Series Thanksgiving Night Midget Grand Prix at Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway. There were 177 midget races in 2016 and 505 drivers scored NMDOTY points.<\/p>\n

The top ten in 2016 NMDOTY points by driver, with points races and wins in following columns were:<\/p>\n

Pos.\u00a0 Driver\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Points\u00a0\u00a0 Races Wins<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1 Tanner Thorson (Nev.)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1434 \u00a0 \u00a0 50\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 16<\/p>\n

2 Carson Macedo (Calif.)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1173\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 45\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 3
\n3 Spencer Bayston (Ind.)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1132\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 50\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 3
\n4 Zach Daum (Ill.)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1058\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 37 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 4
\n5 Brady Bacon (Okla)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 753\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 24\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1
\n6 Bryan Clauson (Ind.)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 744 \u00a0 \u00a0 21 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 5
\n7 Tyler Thomas (Okla) \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 685\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 28\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 0
\n8 Chad Boat (Ariz) \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 656\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 22\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 3
\n9 Justin Peck (Ind) \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 636 \u00a0 \u00a0 40\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1
\n10 Ryan Robinson (Calif) \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 602\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 45 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 0<\/p>\n

Other drivers of interest are:<\/p>\n

11 Rico Abreu (Calif)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 574\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 12\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 4<\/p>\n

14 Holly Shelton (Calif)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 558\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 47\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 0
\n17 Ronnie Gardner (Calif)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 493\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 15\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 6
\n22 Kyle Larson (Calif)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 376\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 5\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2
\n23 Shane Golobic (Calif)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 374\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 16\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1
\n43 Courtney Crone (Calif)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 221\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 17\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 0
\n47 Maria Cofer (Calif)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 210\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 20\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 0
\n49 Robert Dalby (Calif)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 202\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 17\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1<\/p>\n

The top ten car owners in 2016 NMDOTY points were:<\/p>\n

1 No. 67 Kunz\/Curb-Agajanian 1441<\/p>\n

2 No. 97 Kunz\/Curb-Agajanian 1323
\n3 No.71k Kunz\/Curb-Agajanian 1222
\n4 No. 5 Dan Daum\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1053
\n5 No. 63 Joe Dooling\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 694
\n6 No. 76 FMR Racing\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 648
\n7 No. 71 Kunz\/Curb-Agajanian\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 612
\n8 No. 91 Brian Thomas \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 591
\n9 No. 84 Boat\/Tucker \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 555
\n10 No. 7 Austin Brown\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 441<\/p>\n

The top five in the manufacturers championship were:<\/p>\n

1 Spike\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 58 wins<\/p>\n

2 Bullet\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 31 wins
\n3 Beast\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 17 wins
\n4 Boss\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 17 wins
\n5 Drinan\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 11 wins<\/p>\n

The top five engine builders were:<\/p>\n

1 Esslinger\u00a0\u00a0 65 wins<\/p>\n

2 Toyota\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 44 wins
\n3 Gaerte \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 17 wins
\n4 Stanton\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 14 wins
\n5 Fontana\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 10 wins<\/p>\n

NMDOTY Rookie of the Year<\/p>\n

1 Carson Macedo 1173 points<\/p>\n

2 Holly Shelton\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 558 points
\n3 Courtney Crone\u00a0\u00a0 221 points
\n4 Maria Cofer\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 210 points
\n5 Robert Sellers\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 84 points<\/p>\n

NMDOTY 2016 WESTERN POINT STANDINGS<\/p>\n

Driver\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Points\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Races \u00a0 \u00a0 Wins<\/p>\n

1 Ronnie Gardner\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 467\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 14\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 6<\/p>\n

2 Cory Elliott\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 394\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 20\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1
\n3 Michael Faccinto\u00a0 330\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 15\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2
\n4 Keith Rauch\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 299\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 9\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 7
\n5 Frankie Guerinni\u00a0\u00a0 269 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 16 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 0
\n6 Alex Schutte\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 221\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 9\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 5
\n7 Courtney Crone\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 213\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 17 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 0
\n8 Maria Cofer\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 199\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 12 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 0
\n9 Robert Dalby\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 192\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 17\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1
\n10 Tony Seidelman\u00a0 170 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 8 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 7<\/p>\n

WESTERN CAR OWNER STANDINGS<\/p>\n

1 No. 68 Six8 Racing\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 364 points<\/p>\n

2 No. 27 Petrauro Racing\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 299 points
\n3 No. 11 Cory Elliott \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 274 points
\n4 No. 35 Michael Faccinto\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 260 points
\n5 No. 28 Alex Schutte\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 173 points<\/p>\n

The NMDOTY website is: www.NMDOTY.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In 1999, Midget auto racing publicist, announcer and columnist Bryan Gapinski had the idea to recognize midget racing drivers in a unique point series.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":36513,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3470,5029],"tags":[1606,41,1632,2037],"class_list":["post-36510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-racing","tag-midget-racing","tag-news","tag-racing","tag-tim-kennedy"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/thorson-webaction.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p42YSK-9uS","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36510"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36510\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36514,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36510\/revisions\/36514"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}