BALLOTS ARE OUT FOR 2008 AUTO RACING ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Fri, 2008-11-21 09:00
Voting has begun among more than 300 members of the motorsports press to select the 2008 Auto Racing All-America team.
The annual vote is conducted among the membership of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association. Two nominees from each of seven categories will be named to the first team, to be honored at the annual AARWBA banquet Jan. 10 in Ontario, Calif.. The winner of the Jerry Titus Award will also be announced at the banquet. The Titus Award honors the team's top driver -- the one earning the most votes in the balloting regardless of category.
Among those on the ballot are former Jerry Titus Award winners Tony Schumacher (2006), Dan Wheldon (2005) and Tony Kannan (2004). The ballot also includes a driver who is among the top-10 with the most All-America first-team honors -- Scott Pruett (nine times), and the only driver ever earning more than honorable mention from write-in votes -- Danica Patrick (second team 2005). Voting has begun among more than 300 members of the motorsports press to select the 2008 Auto Racing All-America team.
The annual vote is conducted among the membership of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association. Two nominees from each of seven categories will be named to the first team, to be honored at the annual AARWBA banquet Jan. 10 in Ontario, Calif.. The winner of the Jerry Titus Award will also be announced at the banquet. The Titus Award honors the team's top driver -- the one earning the most votes in the balloting regardless of category.
Among those on the ballot are former Jerry Titus Award winners Tony Schumacher (2006), Dan Wheldon (2005) and Tony Kannan (2004). The ballot also includes a driver who is among the top-10 with the most All-America first-team honors -- Scott Pruett (nine times), and the only driver ever earning more than honorable mention from write-in votes -- Danica Patrick (second team 2005).
Also on the ballot seeking selection in one of seven categories -- Open Wheel, Stock Car, Road Racing, Drag Racing, Short Track, Touring Series and At Large -- are 13 drivers who could be making their first-ever All-American appearance.
The balloting will also determine a second team of the drivers placing third and fourth in each category, and honorable mentions to all other drivers receiving at least 5 percent of the vote. AARWBA members have annually chosen an All-America Auto Racing Team since 1970.
The banquet is open to the public. Ticket information is available from AARWBA, 922 N. Pass Ave., Burbank, Calif. 91505, or call (818) 842-7005.
The drivers listed below are on the 2008 All-America ballot. In endurance road racing, teammates sharing the same car are nominated as a single entity. Numbers in parentheses indicate previous times elected to first team/second team/honorable mention; *** indicates first time on ballot.
OPEN WHEEL
Ryan Briscoe (***) – Fifth in IndyCar, three wins
Helio Castroneves (0/2/1) – Second in IndyCar, two wins
Scott Dixon (2/1/0) – IndyCar Champion, six wins including Indy 500
Tony Kanaan (1/2/0) – Third in IndyCar, one win
Danica Patrick (0/1/0) – Sixth in IndyCar, one win, first female driver to win an IndyCar race
Dan Wheldon (1/2/0) – Fourth in IndyCar, two wins
STOCK CAR
Greg Biffle (0/2/1) – Third in NASCAR Sprint Cup, two wins
Clint Bowyer (0/1/0) – NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion, one win; fifth in Sprint Cup, one win
Kyle Busch (0/1/0) – 21 wins in NASCAR’s top three series (eight in Sprint Cup, 10 in Nationwide, three in Craftsman Trucks)
Carl Edwards (0/2/0) – Runner-up in both Sprint Cup and Nationwide series, nine Cup wins, seven Nationwide wins
Jimmie Johnson (2/1/1) – Nextel Cup Champion for third consecutive year, seven wins
Brad Keselowski (***) – Third in Nationwide series, two wins, highest-ranked non-Cup regular in Nationwide
ROAD RACING
Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas (0/1/0 - 0/1/0) – ALMS P2 champions, four wins including two times first overall
David Brabham/Scott Sharp (0/1/1 - 2/1/1) – ALMS P2 runners-up, four wins (one overall)
Jon Fogarty/Alex Gurney (1/0/1 - 1/0/0) – Grand-Am Rolex Daytona Prototype runner-up, one win
Lucas Luhr/Marco Werner (*** - 0/0/2) – ALMS P1 Champions, eight wins (six overall)
Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell (*** - 0/1/1) – ALMS GT1 Champions, eight wins
Scott Pruett/Memo Rojas (9/1/1 - ***) – Grand-Am Daytona Prototype Champions, six wins including 24 Hours of Daytona
DRAG RACING
Greg Anderson (0/4/0) – NHRA Powerade Pro Stock runner-up, six wins
Jeg Coughlin (0/2/1) – NHRA Pro Stock Champion, three wins
Spencer Massey (***) – IHRA Nitro Jam Top Fuel champions in rookie season, four wins
Cruz Pedregon (0/1/0) – NHRA Funny Car Champion, three wins
Tony Schumacher (5/0/0) – NHRA Top Fuel champion (fifth straight), 15 wins
Tim Wilkerson (***) – NHRA Funny Car runner-up, six wins
SHORT TRACK
Jerry Coons Jr. (1/1/0) – USAC K&N Silver Crown Champion, Sprint Car Champion, five wins (1 SC, 3 Sprint, 1 Midget)
Tracy Hines (0/1/0) – Leading USAC Midget Series (one race left), third in Sprints, sixth in Silver Crown, three wins
Darrell Lanigan (***) – World of Outlaws Late Model Champion, two wins
Jason Meyers (***) – World of Outlaws Sprint Cars runner-up, nine wins
Donny Schatz (2/0/0) – World of Outlaws champion (third straight), 18 wins, also won Knoxville Nationals for third straight year
Cole Whitt (***) – Second in USAC Midgets (one race left), Fourth in USAC sprints, Four wins
TOURING SERIES
Justin Allgaier (***) – ARCA Re/Max Series Champion, six wins
Johnny Benson (1/0/0) – NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Champion, five wins
Ted Christopher (0/0/1) – NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion, four wins
Benny Gordon (0/0/1) – USAR Hooters ProCup Champion, also won Noerthern Division, six wins
Eric Holmes (0/0/1) – NASCAR Camping World West Champion, four wins
Matt Kobyluck (***) – NASCAR Camping World East Champion, four wins
AT LARGE
Jorg Bergmeister/Wold Henzler (2/0/0 - ***) – ALMS GT2 Champions, four wins
Laurie Cannister (0/1/0) – IHRA Alcohol Funny Car Champion, six wins
Rob MacCachren (2/1/0) – CORR Pro-2 and Pro Buggy leader (2 races left), sic Pro-2 wins, four Pro Buggy wins
Frank Manzo (1/3/1) – NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car champion (his 12th), seven wins; NHRA Div. 1 TAFC champion, 5 wins
Travis Pastrana (1/0/0) – Rally America champion, three wins; also won X Games Rally
The annual vote is conducted among the membership of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association. Two nominees from each of seven categories will be named to the first team, to be honored at the annual AARWBA banquet Jan. 10 in Ontario, Calif.. The winner of the Jerry Titus Award will also be announced at the banquet. The Titus Award honors the team's top driver -- the one earning the most votes in the balloting regardless of category.
Among those on the ballot are former Jerry Titus Award winners Tony Schumacher (2006), Dan Wheldon (2005) and Tony Kannan (2004). The ballot also includes a driver who is among the top-10 with the most All-America first-team honors -- Scott Pruett (nine times), and the only driver ever earning more than honorable mention from write-in votes -- Danica Patrick (second team 2005). Voting has begun among more than 300 members of the motorsports press to select the 2008 Auto Racing All-America team.
The annual vote is conducted among the membership of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association. Two nominees from each of seven categories will be named to the first team, to be honored at the annual AARWBA banquet Jan. 10 in Ontario, Calif.. The winner of the Jerry Titus Award will also be announced at the banquet. The Titus Award honors the team's top driver -- the one earning the most votes in the balloting regardless of category.
Among those on the ballot are former Jerry Titus Award winners Tony Schumacher (2006), Dan Wheldon (2005) and Tony Kannan (2004). The ballot also includes a driver who is among the top-10 with the most All-America first-team honors -- Scott Pruett (nine times), and the only driver ever earning more than honorable mention from write-in votes -- Danica Patrick (second team 2005).
Also on the ballot seeking selection in one of seven categories -- Open Wheel, Stock Car, Road Racing, Drag Racing, Short Track, Touring Series and At Large -- are 13 drivers who could be making their first-ever All-American appearance.
The balloting will also determine a second team of the drivers placing third and fourth in each category, and honorable mentions to all other drivers receiving at least 5 percent of the vote. AARWBA members have annually chosen an All-America Auto Racing Team since 1970.
The banquet is open to the public. Ticket information is available from AARWBA, 922 N. Pass Ave., Burbank, Calif. 91505, or call (818) 842-7005.
The drivers listed below are on the 2008 All-America ballot. In endurance road racing, teammates sharing the same car are nominated as a single entity. Numbers in parentheses indicate previous times elected to first team/second team/honorable mention; *** indicates first time on ballot.
OPEN WHEEL
Ryan Briscoe (***) – Fifth in IndyCar, three wins
Helio Castroneves (0/2/1) – Second in IndyCar, two wins
Scott Dixon (2/1/0) – IndyCar Champion, six wins including Indy 500
Tony Kanaan (1/2/0) – Third in IndyCar, one win
Danica Patrick (0/1/0) – Sixth in IndyCar, one win, first female driver to win an IndyCar race
Dan Wheldon (1/2/0) – Fourth in IndyCar, two wins
STOCK CAR
Greg Biffle (0/2/1) – Third in NASCAR Sprint Cup, two wins
Clint Bowyer (0/1/0) – NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion, one win; fifth in Sprint Cup, one win
Kyle Busch (0/1/0) – 21 wins in NASCAR’s top three series (eight in Sprint Cup, 10 in Nationwide, three in Craftsman Trucks)
Carl Edwards (0/2/0) – Runner-up in both Sprint Cup and Nationwide series, nine Cup wins, seven Nationwide wins
Jimmie Johnson (2/1/1) – Nextel Cup Champion for third consecutive year, seven wins
Brad Keselowski (***) – Third in Nationwide series, two wins, highest-ranked non-Cup regular in Nationwide
ROAD RACING
Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas (0/1/0 - 0/1/0) – ALMS P2 champions, four wins including two times first overall
David Brabham/Scott Sharp (0/1/1 - 2/1/1) – ALMS P2 runners-up, four wins (one overall)
Jon Fogarty/Alex Gurney (1/0/1 - 1/0/0) – Grand-Am Rolex Daytona Prototype runner-up, one win
Lucas Luhr/Marco Werner (*** - 0/0/2) – ALMS P1 Champions, eight wins (six overall)
Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell (*** - 0/1/1) – ALMS GT1 Champions, eight wins
Scott Pruett/Memo Rojas (9/1/1 - ***) – Grand-Am Daytona Prototype Champions, six wins including 24 Hours of Daytona
DRAG RACING
Greg Anderson (0/4/0) – NHRA Powerade Pro Stock runner-up, six wins
Jeg Coughlin (0/2/1) – NHRA Pro Stock Champion, three wins
Spencer Massey (***) – IHRA Nitro Jam Top Fuel champions in rookie season, four wins
Cruz Pedregon (0/1/0) – NHRA Funny Car Champion, three wins
Tony Schumacher (5/0/0) – NHRA Top Fuel champion (fifth straight), 15 wins
Tim Wilkerson (***) – NHRA Funny Car runner-up, six wins
SHORT TRACK
Jerry Coons Jr. (1/1/0) – USAC K&N Silver Crown Champion, Sprint Car Champion, five wins (1 SC, 3 Sprint, 1 Midget)
Tracy Hines (0/1/0) – Leading USAC Midget Series (one race left), third in Sprints, sixth in Silver Crown, three wins
Darrell Lanigan (***) – World of Outlaws Late Model Champion, two wins
Jason Meyers (***) – World of Outlaws Sprint Cars runner-up, nine wins
Donny Schatz (2/0/0) – World of Outlaws champion (third straight), 18 wins, also won Knoxville Nationals for third straight year
Cole Whitt (***) – Second in USAC Midgets (one race left), Fourth in USAC sprints, Four wins
TOURING SERIES
Justin Allgaier (***) – ARCA Re/Max Series Champion, six wins
Johnny Benson (1/0/0) – NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Champion, five wins
Ted Christopher (0/0/1) – NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion, four wins
Benny Gordon (0/0/1) – USAR Hooters ProCup Champion, also won Noerthern Division, six wins
Eric Holmes (0/0/1) – NASCAR Camping World West Champion, four wins
Matt Kobyluck (***) – NASCAR Camping World East Champion, four wins
AT LARGE
Jorg Bergmeister/Wold Henzler (2/0/0 - ***) – ALMS GT2 Champions, four wins
Laurie Cannister (0/1/0) – IHRA Alcohol Funny Car Champion, six wins
Rob MacCachren (2/1/0) – CORR Pro-2 and Pro Buggy leader (2 races left), sic Pro-2 wins, four Pro Buggy wins
Frank Manzo (1/3/1) – NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car champion (his 12th), seven wins; NHRA Div. 1 TAFC champion, 5 wins
Travis Pastrana (1/0/0) – Rally America champion, three wins; also won X Games Rally
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