Kendall Johnson's Midway Report

(It is a little late but who cares)

As the NOVAR Verizon Cup Series prepares for Sonoma, we have passed the halfway point in the season, I discuss about some of my personal awards for halfway through the season.

Top Driver of the Year:
#8-Walter Youthan
 - Consistently fast every week, takes advantage of contenders misfortunes despite just only one win this season.

Honorable Mentions
-#17 - Mike Hogan
-#59 - Shane Hardon

Flop Driver of the Year:
#26-Todd Pieper
 - A potential championship contender, has literally been nowhere other than the win at Atlanta, Pieper is trying to fight back, but the damage has already been done

Honorable Mentions
-#27-Keith Hales

Most Disappointing Driver:
#32-Shane Nargon
 - I honestly think this has be more of the champions bad luck, an expected favorite to successfully defend his title one year after tying for the championship has not recovered from a rocky start.

Honorable Mentions
-#22 - Cody Wyke
-#72 - Logan Chin

Worst Luck:
#09-Jke Jaze Jr.
 - Can't seem to catch a break when it comes to qualifying, has been tumbling down the standings.

Honorable Mentions
-#17 - Mike Hogan

Most Impressive Driver:
#59-Shane Hardon
 - Hardon is the only driver in the series to have mutiple wins, with 3.

Honorable Mentions
-#17 - Mike Hogan
-#51 - Ethan Lautenger

Most Improved:
#17-Mike Hogan
 - One year removed after his worst season of his career, Hogan is showing justice with good equipment, nearly winning a few times, while having fast cars in the rest.

Honorable Mentions
-#04 - Jason Kylaso
-#55 - Eddie Johns

Rookie Driver of the Year:
#51-Ethan Lautenger
 - Being 4th in the point standings kind-of explains it, along with wining at the Brickyard.

Honorable Mentions
-#96-Tobias Newbridge

Fill-In Driver of the Year:
#33-Keenain Forster
 - In car that wasn't expected to finish inside the top 20, and wasn't expected to finish on the lead lap, Forester finished 7th at Cayce, while finishing on the lead lap as well.

Honorable Mentions
-#14-Travis Johnson

Best Race of 2015:
Race 9 - Atlanta
 - Despite a long green flag run, the racing was action packed, and it came down to the wire

Honorable Mentions
Race 11 - New Jersey
Race 13 - New York Autoring


Worst Race of 2015:
Race 8 - Edmonton
 - zzzZZZzzz, Daemin Scott's blowout victory had really nothing to do with that.

Honorable Mentions
Race 14 - Branson


Most Exciting Finish:
Race 9 - Atlanta
 - A near 3-wide finish with Pieper winning it all.

Honorable Mentions
Race 1 - Dentsville
Race 14 - Branson

Worst Wreck:
Luke Warren's Lap 14 crash at Chicago
 - That crash reminded me of Steven Volk's crash at Vegas a few years ago

Save of the Year:
Leaders nearly run over lap cars at Daytona
 - It was lucky that they did not just simply plow into them.

Rivalry of the Year:
SGR vs E's Racing
 - It got really intense at Vegas, tempers settled at Vegas, although points battle might re-ensue the rivalry again


Best Paint Scheme:
Caroline Slavotoriz Waffle House
 - Simple, but stunning

Honorable Mentions
Casey Lester Miller Lite
Mike Hogan Coke Zero
Chadler Blake Zaxbys

Notable Predictions:
 - Shane Hardon will win 3 more races at Denver, Miami, and Phoenix, marking the first time in over 8 years that a driver has won 6 races in a season
 - Ethan Lautenger will win another race this season, at Salt Lake City
 - Salt Lake City will break into triple digit lead changes, and break its own record for most lead changes in one race, with 104.
 - The likely championship contenders leaving Texas will be Walter Youthan, Mike Hogan, and Shane Hardon

Championship Prediction:
 - Walter Youthan beats Mike Hogan by 34 points.