The CARS Tour’s Sophomore season kicks off on Sunday afternoon with 150-lap races for both the Super Late Models and the Late Model Stock Car series. In this preview we’ll look at who’s going to be the strongest drivers this season in the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car Series.
We’ve researched last years stats extensively on CARS Tour Digest and looked over race coverage here on RACE22.com. We have also looked into who’s running full-time, although someone easily might have decided to run full-time and we don’t know it. We try to predict who’s going to be the strongest this season.
With that said, we’re ready to debut the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car Power Rankings Pre-Season Edition as part of our Stock Car Steel and SRI Performance Series Profile of the CARS Tour.
Best of the Rest
Chris Hudspeth – He was one of the ten drivers to compete in all ten events in 2015 but finished 12th in points behind two other drivers who had only run nine of the events. Hudspeth has been improving and could find his way to climbing up the ladder this season.
Ryan Wilson – If he was to run all the races he’d easily be one of the top ten but Ryan Wilson will be in the hunt when he races this season.
Craig Stallard – He’s due a breakthrough after struggling in the eight events he raced in last season. He is coming off his best career finish of second at Myrtle Beach Speedway a couple of weeks back and that momentum could carry over into the CARS Tour.
Justin Johnson – His season is off to a pretty good start as he had a second place finish in the IceBreaker 200 at Myrtle Beach Speedway and a 7th place finish in a 32-car field at South Boston, so we think Justin can run good when he races with the CARS Tour.
Bradley McCaskill – He’s another guy that we don’t expect will run all the CARS Tour races but when he does he’ll be a guy who can win races. He stole a win last year at Concord and he could contend for some wins this season as well.
10 – Thomas Beane
He ran the entire tour last year with an average finish of 14.70 on the heels of three top ten finishes. He’s one of the underfunded guys in the tour but the new loyalty program and his experience last season could propel him into a better spot this season.
9 – Michael Fose
He didn’t run nearly as good as we thought he would in 2015 on the CARS Tour but Michael Fose is poised to make a run for some wins this season. Being teamed with veteran crew chief and car owner Wendell Davis and the experience he gained last season racing with Davis should help him step up his program this season.
8 – Justin Crider
Another one of the underfunded guys is Justin Crider but at the beginning of last season he had some great runs cracking into the top five twice during the season. Crider might not have the bank account that some of the others have but what he lacks there he makes up for with heart. Look for him to be even better than he was last season.
7 – Chase Purdy
If the way he’s ran so far this season is any indication, then we’ve got rookie Chase Purdy way too far down this list. Purdy is a wheelman and he’s already racked up three wins this season at Greenville Pickens Speedway and did we mention he’s driving the championship winning car and team from last year? Look for him to be a threat for victories right from the start.
6 – Austin McDaniel
He had a good season last year but his one top five finish and five top ten finishes was erased by three DNF’s. Austin McDaniel is driving a car for Lee Faulk Racing this season and we look for him to have a better season and build upon the success he had last year.
5 – Christian Eckes
Driving for JR Motorsports comes with high expectations and lots of pressure for sure but Christian Eckes is up to that challenge. He proved last season that he’ll drive anything at any race track and this year teamed with JR Motorsports and teammate Josh Berry he’s poised to make some things happen.
4 – Tommy Lemons, Jr.
It’s kinda hard not to have him further up this list but Tommy Lemons, Jr.’s track record in CARS isn’t really all that great compared to his performances in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series tracks around the region. Lemons had five top five finishes and eight top ten finishes last season and finished in fourth in points. This season he’s off to a hot start in the NWAAS races with wins already at Caraway and Myrtle Beach and he’s looking to contend for the championship in CARS.
3 – Deac McCaskill
Four top fives and eight top tens last season along with a lone victory propelled Deac McCaskill to finish second in points last season. McCaskill’s lone win came in the second trip to Southern National Motorsports Park and he’s hoping to get his season started off strong with a win in this Sunday’s race. McCaskill lead most of the season opener last year only to get moved on the final lap for the win. He’ll be a strong contender for the championship this season.
2 – Myatt Snider
Easily the most consistent guy in the series last year ripping off ten top ten finishes and five top fives but he didn’t garner a single win last season on the CARS Tour. He did breakthrough with a win at Myrtle Beach Speedway’s UNOH Battle at the Beach but that was a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event. This season he’s already off to a fast start winning the pole for the IceBreaker 200 at Myrtle Beach and leading in last ten laps at Caraway only to be spun. Snider is definitely the front-runner for this years championship in the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car Series.
1 – Josh Berry
He’s not planning to compete in all ten events this season but Josh Berry’s performances last season in the CARS Tour can’t be ignored. He’ll run nine of the ten scheduled events as he has a NASCAR Xfinity Series race on his schedule conflicting with an Orange County date. Berry won three races in four starts last season on the CARS Tour and finished in the top ten in all four starts. His driver rating according CARS Tour Digest for those four races 79.628 which is higher than anyone who competed for the championship last season, granted his was over four events and the others over all ten events. Look for Josh Berry to be one of the strongest contenders this season but missing a race will likely keep him from a chance at the championship.
