By JEFF MILLS
FARMINGTON, Mo. -- (Aug. 28, 2004) Mother Nature has been rough on the Racing Association of Mini Stocks (RAMS) Points Series this season. Following Saturday night's rain-out of the race at the St. Francois County Raceway in Farmington, a total of six of the 14 races have already been washed away. Since the series does not make-up any of the rained-out events, it all boils down to one very big race at the Montgomery County Speedway in New Florence on Saturday, Sept. 11th, to decide it all.
Going into the final night, 15-year-old Jon Paul Reando of Festus holds a slight margin over three other racers, including the 2003 RAMS Points Series Champion Rick Ruch of Perryville.
Reando, who will turn 16 on Sept. 22nd, finished sixth in the RAMS Points Series last year. He started racing mini stocks at the end of the 2002 season when he raced in just a pair of events. Before racing a mini stock he had competed in quarter midgets.
"He had won a couple of track and regional titles in the quarter midgets," said Reando's father, John Reando. "It was kind of like what we have here with the RAMS series."
For Ruch winning the 2003 RAMS championship was important, but he would love to make it back-to-back titles.
"Last year was great," Ruch said. "This year we've really had to work for everything we've got, but we've still got a good shot at it again. We just need some good luck and some good weather."
Shannon Burch of Farmington and Dave "The Wolf" Wofford of Farmington also have an outside chance of winning the title but they are going to need some help.
Maybe this year's biggest surprise comes from a man driving a camouflaged Chevette. Steve LeGarce of Troy is currently fifth in the points race during his rookie season with the RAMS. LeGarce, known as "Duck" or "Duckhunter 330," is being challenged by another newcomer, Jack Tschannen of Foristell. The two will also be instrumental to the new RAMS Mini Stock class at the Montgomery County Speedway next season when the class becomes a full-tme class at the track. LeGarce will be the president of the northern division of the RAMS while Tschannen will be the vice-president.
This will be the final year of the current system the RAMS use for their points series. Next season tentative plans are to go to a system similar to what UMP tracks use. So far both the Fredericktown Raceway and the Montgomery County Speedway have signed up for the new points series, but other tracks may be joining the series in what will be known as the Missouri State Mini Stock Championship Series. Currently a major sponsor is being sought to go along with the smaller corporate sponsorships. For more information on the new Missouri State Mini Stock Championship Series contact Jeff Mills at (573) 747-0566 or LeGarce at (636) 462-2803. You can also find out more about the RAMS by going to their website at: www.ramsministocks.net .
This year the series is being sponsored by Detailers N' More of O'Fallon, Mo., Mouser Steel of Patton, Mo., Rayfield Racing Components of O'Fallon, Mo., and Burch Fencing of Farmington.
Here are the current RAMS Points Series standings going into the final night of competition. In case of a rain-out, these would be your final standings.
#16 Jon Paul Reando, Festus - 612 points
#6 Rick Ruch, Perryville - 604
#8 Shannon Burch, Farmington - 575
#5 Dave Wofford, Farmington - 565
#330 Steve LeGarce, Troy - 475
#20 Jack Tschannen, Foristell - 457
#90 Wes Kintz, Piedmont - 452
#5x Chris Boyd, Park Hills - 323
#9 Jimmy Todd, Steelville - 280
#3 Brian Cox, Ste. Genevieve - 253
#21 Bill Nickelson, DeSoto - 249
#52 Marty Boyer, Potosi - 226
#1 C.J. Wright, Bismarck - 212
#75 J.J. Johnson, Patton - 211
#29 Brian LeGarce, Troy - 184
#2 Rusty Voyles, Hillsboro - 180
#13 Joe Ketcherside, Bismarck - 160
#67 Ron LeGarce, Troy - 155
#7 Steve Wright, Bismarck - 149
#33 Gary Oliver, Wright City - 98
#73 Mike Henderson, Hillsboro - 92
#3c Clyde Cox, Ste. Genevieve - 88
#24 Josh Harris, Belgrade - 32
#59m Mike Meyer, Sikeston - 15
FARMINGTON, Mo. -- (Aug. 28, 2004) Mother Nature has been rough on the Racing Association of Mini Stocks (RAMS) Points Series this season. Following Saturday night's rain-out of the race at the St. Francois County Raceway in Farmington, a total of six of the 14 races have already been washed away. Since the series does not make-up any of the rained-out events, it all boils down to one very big race at the Montgomery County Speedway in New Florence on Saturday, Sept. 11th, to decide it all.
Going into the final night, 15-year-old Jon Paul Reando of Festus holds a slight margin over three other racers, including the 2003 RAMS Points Series Champion Rick Ruch of Perryville.
Reando, who will turn 16 on Sept. 22nd, finished sixth in the RAMS Points Series last year. He started racing mini stocks at the end of the 2002 season when he raced in just a pair of events. Before racing a mini stock he had competed in quarter midgets.
"He had won a couple of track and regional titles in the quarter midgets," said Reando's father, John Reando. "It was kind of like what we have here with the RAMS series."
For Ruch winning the 2003 RAMS championship was important, but he would love to make it back-to-back titles.
"Last year was great," Ruch said. "This year we've really had to work for everything we've got, but we've still got a good shot at it again. We just need some good luck and some good weather."
Shannon Burch of Farmington and Dave "The Wolf" Wofford of Farmington also have an outside chance of winning the title but they are going to need some help.
Maybe this year's biggest surprise comes from a man driving a camouflaged Chevette. Steve LeGarce of Troy is currently fifth in the points race during his rookie season with the RAMS. LeGarce, known as "Duck" or "Duckhunter 330," is being challenged by another newcomer, Jack Tschannen of Foristell. The two will also be instrumental to the new RAMS Mini Stock class at the Montgomery County Speedway next season when the class becomes a full-tme class at the track. LeGarce will be the president of the northern division of the RAMS while Tschannen will be the vice-president.
This will be the final year of the current system the RAMS use for their points series. Next season tentative plans are to go to a system similar to what UMP tracks use. So far both the Fredericktown Raceway and the Montgomery County Speedway have signed up for the new points series, but other tracks may be joining the series in what will be known as the Missouri State Mini Stock Championship Series. Currently a major sponsor is being sought to go along with the smaller corporate sponsorships. For more information on the new Missouri State Mini Stock Championship Series contact Jeff Mills at (573) 747-0566 or LeGarce at (636) 462-2803. You can also find out more about the RAMS by going to their website at: www.ramsministocks.net .
This year the series is being sponsored by Detailers N' More of O'Fallon, Mo., Mouser Steel of Patton, Mo., Rayfield Racing Components of O'Fallon, Mo., and Burch Fencing of Farmington.
Here are the current RAMS Points Series standings going into the final night of competition. In case of a rain-out, these would be your final standings.
#16 Jon Paul Reando, Festus - 612 points
#6 Rick Ruch, Perryville - 604
#8 Shannon Burch, Farmington - 575
#5 Dave Wofford, Farmington - 565
#330 Steve LeGarce, Troy - 475
#20 Jack Tschannen, Foristell - 457
#90 Wes Kintz, Piedmont - 452
#5x Chris Boyd, Park Hills - 323
#9 Jimmy Todd, Steelville - 280
#3 Brian Cox, Ste. Genevieve - 253
#21 Bill Nickelson, DeSoto - 249
#52 Marty Boyer, Potosi - 226
#1 C.J. Wright, Bismarck - 212
#75 J.J. Johnson, Patton - 211
#29 Brian LeGarce, Troy - 184
#2 Rusty Voyles, Hillsboro - 180
#13 Joe Ketcherside, Bismarck - 160
#67 Ron LeGarce, Troy - 155
#7 Steve Wright, Bismarck - 149
#33 Gary Oliver, Wright City - 98
#73 Mike Henderson, Hillsboro - 92
#3c Clyde Cox, Ste. Genevieve - 88
#24 Josh Harris, Belgrade - 32
#59m Mike Meyer, Sikeston - 15
