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2008 PROJECTIONS

 

AFTER A VERY INTERESTING 2007 SEASON WE ARE GETTING READY TO GEAR UP FOR 2008. THIS BEING THE CASE......WHO ARE THE DRIVERS TO WATCH IN 2008, AND WHO MIGHT BE HEADING FOR A SLUMP?

 

LIKE ANY OTHER SPORT, DEMOLITION DERBY HAS IT STAR PERFORMERS, ROOKIE SENSATIONS, "HAS BEEN'S" AND "ALSO RAN'S" (NOT MENTIONING ANY NAMES).

 

FOR THE FIRST TIME WE WILL OFFER A SNEAK PEAK INTO WHO YOU MIGHT WANT TO KEEP YOUR EYE ON IN 08'.....

 

2008

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SCOUTING REPORT

2007 KEY

STORIES

2007 HIGHLIGHTS & LOWLIGHTS

 

#1619 TAKES VICTORY IN THE 2007 LAND OF LAKES CHAMPIONSHIP

AGAINST ALL ODDS DARREN WONNENBURG WON THE 2007 LAND OF LAKES CHAMPIONSHIP, WHICH CAME AFTER HAVING TO BATTLE 5 DETERMINED EASTERN DRIVERS, WITH ONLY THE HELP OF 1 TEAMMATE (MARTY KOVACS).  IN FACT, DARREN'S CAR WAS SO BATTERED AFTER THE LOL RUN HE WAS UNABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIS EARNED AUTOMATIC QUALIFICATION TO THE KINGSTON FAIR FEATURE HEAT.

 

#1 ROY COLLIER RUNS AWAY WITH THE PRO SERIES POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP

DESPITE A VERY HUMBLE ATTITUDE, ROY COLLIER CAME OUT OF NOWHERE TO TAKE THE PRO SERIES POINTS TITLE BY A LANDSLIDE.  ALTHOUGH HE DIDN'T WIN A FULL SIZE FEATURE EVENT, ROY MANAGED 3 RUNNER UP FINISHES, 1 2ND RUNNER UP FINISH, AND MANY HEAT AND CONSOLATION WINS.  HE WAS CLEARLY ON A MISSION.

 

DR. JOHN PULLED FROM THE FEATURE HEAT IN ROCKLAND 

IT'S NOT CERTAIN IF "DR. JOHN" CHARTRAND #48 WILL RETURN TO THE ODD  PRO SERIES IN 2008, AFTER BEING PULLED FROM THE FEATURE HEAT LINEUP IN ROCKLAND.  DESPITE EFFORTS FROM HIS CREW, THE CAR WAS DEEMED "UNSAFE" BY HEAD OFFICIAL DOUG GRANT, AND DQ'D.    IT WAS CLEAR JOHN WAS NOT PLEASED WITH THE DECISION, BUT WHAT ISN'T CLEAR IS IF HE WILL RETURN IN 2008.

OTTAWA REGION

 

WHO'S ON THE RISE...

 

#232 DAVID GRAVELLE

DAVID HAS EMERGED OVER THE PAST 2 SEASONS AS ONE OF THE STRONGEST DRIVERS IN THE PRO SERIES.  HE HAS CAPTURED SEVERAL FEATURE WINS AND VICTORIES, INCLUDING THE 2006 LAND OF LAKES CHAMPIONSHIP. 

 

DAVID FINISHED BETTER THAN 5th IN BOTH THE PRO AND 4 CYLINDER SERIES, AND IS POISED TO MAKE A RUN FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2008.

 

#21 MARTY KOVACS 

MARTY STARTED AND FINISHED 2007 OFF THE RIGHT WAY; WITH A WIN IN KARS IN FEBRUARY, AND 1st PLACE IN ROCKLAND IN OCTOBER.  IT'S A SAFE ASSUMPTION HIS ASSOCIATION WITH DDT DEMO TEAM HAS PAID OF IN DIVIDENDS.  LOST ANY AXLES LATELY MARTY?

 

THIS MOMENTUM IS GOING TO CARRY HIM FORWARD IN 2008, UNLESS OF COURSE THE OTHER EASTERN DRIVERS GET THEIR CLAWS INTO HIM.  MARTY MAY HAVE MADE FRIENDS IN CENTRAL ONTARIO, BUT HE HAS SOME SCORES TO SETTLE AT HOME.

 

#007 1/2 MATT CASWELL

IF YOU'RE RUNNING AGAINST MATT YOU MIGHT WANT TO TIGHTEN YOUR HARNESS.  MATT HAS THE MENTALITY OF AN OLD SCHOOL DRIVER...IF IT MOVES OR MAKES NOISE HIT IT.

 

MATT WAS A STRONG CONTENDER IN 2007, AND COULD BE A CONTENDER FOR THE 08' POINTS TITLE.

 

 

 

WHO COULD STUMBLE...

 

#1 ROY COLLIER

ROY COLLIER ACCOMPLISHED SEVERAL THINGS IN 2007.  FIRST, HE CONVINCINGLY CAPTURED THE 2007 PRO SERIES POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP.

 

BUT HE ALSO PASTED A BIG OL' BULLSEYE RIGHT ON HIS CAR FOR 08'.  KEEP YOUR HEAD UP ROY.  YOU'RE NOW A TEAM OF 1.

CENTRAL REGION

 

DRIVERS COMING INTO THEIR OWN...

 

#7 TIM PETTIT

2007 WAS A LEARNING YEAR FOR MOST, BUT NONE MORE THAN GOODERHAM'S TIM PETIT.  TIM ONLY MANAGED A HAND FULL OF EVENTS PER SEASON, BUT IN 2007 HE MADE THEM COUNT.  HE MANAGED A STRONG FINISH OF 3RD IN MINDEN (2nd YEAR IN A ROW), ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING HIS COMPETITION (#243 & #1619). HE ALSO HAD A STRONG FEATURE FINISH IN HIS HOMETOWN OF GOODERHAM.  KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE #7 TO WIN EITHER OF THESE EVENTS IN 08'

 

#09 JEFF DAWSON

IT'S HARD NOT TO PERFORM WELL WITH VETERAN DRIVER BRIAN BALL AS YOUR MENTOR AND TEAMMATE.  JEFF HAS BURST INTO THE SPORT GAINING SOME REAL TRACTION IN 2007 WITH A HEAT WIN IN GOODERHAM, AND A FEATURE RUNNER UP POSITION IN KINGSTON. 

 

HE LOOKS LIKE HE COULD BE IN CONTENTION FOR A POINT CHAMPIONSHIP RUN IN 2008, BUT KEEP IN MIND THINGS MIGHT CHANGE IF THE #243 HANGS IT UP FOR GOOD...

 

#171 KARL COUSINEAU

YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO KEEP YOUR EYE OUT FOR ONE COUSINEAU OR ANOTHER, BUT THIS YEAR THE #171 OF KARL COUSINEAU WAS ON A TEAR.  A COMBINATION OF SMART DRIVING AND VERY STRONG BUILDING SKILLS (2nd GENERATION) MAKE KARL A CONTENDER IN ANY EVENT.  IF HE EVER DECIDES TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE CENTRAL ONTARIO AREA HE COULD EASILY MAKE A CHAMPIONSHIP RUN

 

 

RUMORS OF RETIREMENT?...

 

#243 BRIAN BALL

NOTHING HAS BEEN MADE OFFICIAL, BUT EACH YEAR FANS SEE LESS AND LESS OF THE #243 OF BRIAN BALL. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT BRIAN ISN'T STILL VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THE SPORT, BUT HE SEEMS TO BE TAKING ON MORE OF A COACHING ROLE TO HIS TEAMMATES. 

 

SO FAR NO COMMITMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THE 2008 SEASON.

KINGSTON REGION

 

WATCH OUT FOR....

 

#169 SHAWN WAUGH

SHAWN HAS RUN ONLY 1 ONTARIO DEMOLITION DERBY EVENT, BUT IT WAS AN INITIATION.  SHAWN HAD TO FACE DOWN 3 MEMBERS OF DDT DEMO TEAM IN HIS QUALIFYING HEAT IN ROCKLAND, WHICH IS NO EASY FEAT.  HE MANAGED TO FEND THEM OFF FOR THE HEAT WIN, ALONG WITH A STRONG FINISH IN THE FEATURE.

 

ALTHOUGH THE ONTARIO FORMAT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HE'S USED TO, I THINK WE'LL SEE SHAWN BACK FOR 08'.  I DON'T THINK HE'LL ATTEMPT TO MAKE A RUN FOR THE POINTS TITLE, BUT IF HE SHOWS UP HE'S DEFINITELY A CONTENDER FOR THE EVENT WIN. 

 

#1827 DERBY DAVE WRIGHT

DON'T BE FOOLED JUST BECAUSE HE'S QUIET.  HE'LL KNOCK YOUR BLOCK OFF IF YOU DON'T KEEP YOUR EYE ON HIM.

 

DAVE RUNS ONLY A FEW ODD EVENTS A YEAR, BUT HE MAKES EVERY ONE COUNT.  HE WILL CERTAINLY BE BACK IN 2008, WITH A COUPLE SCORES TO SETTLE (PETERBOROUGH & KINGSTON PERHAPS). KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE #1827. 

 

#24 FRANK DONOVAN

OUR LAST TASTE OF FRANK WAS WITH A 3rd PLACE FINISH IN THE 2005 LAND OF LAKES CHAMPIONSHIP.  FRANK IS A VETERAN COMPETITOR, AND FORMER SIMCOE (WINNER, WHICH FOR THOSE WHO KNOW DERBIES, MEANS A LOT).  THE RUMOR IS HE MAY BEGIN RUNNING AGAIN IN 08', WHICH COULD MEAN A SHOWING IN KINGSTON.  IF THIS IS THE CASE IT WILL BE AN EVENT YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS. 

 

 

JUST CAN'T OVERCOME THE ROCKLAND CURSE?...

 

#420 JOE "FISH" WATSON

JOE IS WITHOUT A DOUBT ONE OF THE MOST ENTERTAINING DRIVERS TO WATCH ON THE TRACK.    HE'S THERE TO MAKE JUNK OF HIS CAR, AND ANY OTHERS THAT GET IN HIS WAY. 

 

WE BELIEVE HE'LL BE BACK IN ROCKLAND AGAIN IN 2008, BUT AFTER FINISHING IN THE RUNNER UP POSITION BOTH IN 06' AND 07', IT MIGHT BE TOUGH FOR HIM TO FINALLY GET THE ELUSIVE WIN AT THIS EVENT.