BF's BS

By Bill Foland

02/03/2002

Here I am again after just watching one of the best played Super Bowls ever. Those people that said it was going to be a cakewalk for the Rams are nowhere to be found now. It was great entertainment and a fitting end to the game of the year as the Patriots won one for America in the thrilling, 20-17, gut wrenching victory.

I have a couple of thing that need to be said as my great Uncle Clarence passed away this past week after a lengthy illness. He was a proud man that carried a huge presence when he was around you. He also was a huge Rams fan and I am sure that he would not have liked the outcome, but he would have liked the tenacity that the Patriots brought to the game. You will be missed Uncle Clarence. ...and everybody that has ever came in contact with him will also miss him. I hope Aunt Florence and the rest of the family can get through this time of sorrow, as we are all thinking about you. Rest in Peace, Clarence Bettencourt.

Texan Ronald Laney will also be greatly missed as his life came to an end this past Wednesday at East Bay Speedway in Florida. He was leading the B-Main when something broke sending him into the wall, and the reported cause of death was a severed spinal cord. Once again, one of the young up and coming superstars of our sport has perished too soon, with his best days yet to come. Ronald's huge smile and outward personality made him one of the most popular driver's not only on the Gumout circuit but all of sprint car racing. To the Laney family, in this time of grief and sorrow, you have the support of family, friends and fans to get you through this. We will miss you Ronald Laney.

Now as the 2002 season begins, I do my final 2001 top 50 in points. This is a points system that includes only WoO, WoO Gumout Series,All-Stars, SCRA, California 360's and 410's, ASCS National, NCRA, Pennsylvania Posse, USAC (includes Midgets-National and Western States, Sprints-National and Western States, Silver Bullet and BCRA Midget). So if you don't see your favorite driver on here, remember that it only includes those races from those organizations with a point breakdown as follows:

Driver Wins 2nds 3rds 4ths 5ths Total
Lance DeWease 21 12 12 7 8 207
Danny Lasoski 13 15 11 12 11 193
Mark Kinser 20 7 10 10 4 182
Fred Rahmer 15 10 7 12 10 170
Steve Kinser 9 14 10 9 8 161
Todd Shaffer 14 8 9 4 4 139
Cory Kruseman 15 5 8 5 4 133
Keith Kauffman 11 11 4 7 7 132
Tim Kaeding 18 5 4 2 1 127
Donny Schatz 10 7 7 4 8 125
Craig Dollansky 6 14 6 6 6 122
Andy Hillenburg 10 7 4 8 9 113
J.J. Yeley 6 11 5 9 2 109
Dave Darland 6 11 5 6 3 104
Tracy Hines 9 8 5 2 6 102
Brent Kaeding 8 10 4 3 2 100
Gary Wright 11 6 3 3 2 96
Richard Griffin 9 7 3 4 5 95
Joey Saldana 4 7 6 10 6 92
Tim Shaffer 5 5 12 8 5 90
Cris Eash 5 9 4 7 3 90
Stevie Smith 9 3 3 7 7 87
Jay Drake 5 7 6 6 2 85
Kenny Jacobs 5 7 6 4 4 83
Greg Hodnett 4 7 5 8 4 83
Billy Wallace 8 5 6 2 1 83
Jeff Shepard 6 8 1 5 6 81
Wayne Johnson 8 4 2 8 2 80
Don Kreitz Jr. 5 4 7 4 5 75
Kasey Kahne 9 4 1 2 1 69
Todd Hestor 2 5 6 8 1 66
Dave Steele 5 5 4 2 2 63
Andy Forsberg 4 3 6 1 8 60
Shane Stewart 9 2 0 1 3 58
Tony Elliott 5 2 5 4 1 57
Bud Kaeding 6 2 4 1 4 56
Tony Jones 4 4 4 2 3 55
Danny Wood 5 3 3 2 4 54
Mike Kirby 3 4 3 5 4 54
Larry Neighbors 2 6 6 1 0 54
Sammy Swindell 4 0 7 2 4 52
Daryn Pittman 3 3 4 4 4 51
Paul McMahan 1 2 8 4 7 51
Tommy Tarlton 2 6 3 3 2 51
Floyd Alvis 4 2 7 1 0 51
Greg Wilson 5 2 3 5 1 51
Peter Murphy 1 3 7 4 4 50

Well that is it for the top 50 in point in 2002.

Some notes from the 2002 season so far…Jason Sides has been outstanding the the 360 action so far in Florida, Lance DeWease continues his winning ways as he picked off a win in the Al Hamilton 77…Gary Wright has also been strong with a win under his belt…Chris "Cajun" Good jumped the shark in 2001 and now works at the Roofing Supply company and is not know as Cajun anymore…Andy Hillenburg is still looking for a sponsor for the 2002 year and if one isn't found he will not compete…Sammy Swindell will start the year out in the 83jr car on the west coast…Brent Kaeding will return to the black 69 with Al's Roofing Supply as his sponsor…Bud Kaeding will be making an all out assault of the USAC series this year and hopes to run in all the series…Kasey Kahne will be running a Busch Series car for Robert Yates, Congrats buddy…That is all I have so far, I hope you all have a great season coming up and maybe I will see some of you at the daytime opener in Perris next weekend. See ya at the races, BF

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