2002 UNOFFICIAL Speed Sedan World Challenge

[kmchow]

SUMMARY: If you recall my earlier post about 2 months ago, I have taken the results of the World Challenge touring car championship that runs over here in North America and threw out the teams/results racing coupes/hatchbacks. Leaving only the 4 door sedans, you now have my series, the UNOFFICIAL Speed Sedan Touring Car Championship!!

Looking back at the first round of the UNOFFICIAL Speed Sedan World Challenge, it looked like 2002 was shaping up to be a very competitive year as more teams and cars enter the Speed World Challenge. Looking at the results of Round 2, the predictions couldn't have been more right!
After Mazda, VW and Lexus made their presence known by beating BMW at it's game, the BMWs have obviously taken the situation to heart. In Round 2, they have managed to take back the chequered flag. But BMW better not get too comfortable because it seems they will have to continue to defend it's reputation each and every race by race. In the Driver's Championship, there are numerous ties in standings all the way down to even 13th position!

DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP
Total
1) Will Turner 53
2) Mike Fitzgerald 50
3) Chuck Hemmingson 43
3) Paul Bonaccorsi 43
4) Bobby Sak 41
5) Scott Bradley 39
6) John Prall 36
7) Kevin Schrantz 32
8) Frank Selldorff 30
9) Robert Baxter 28
9) Charles Espenlaube 28
10) Hugh Stewart 26
10) Kevin German 26
10) Shauna Maurinus 26
11) Roger Foo 23
12) Gary Davis 16
13) Paul Lambert 15
13) Albert Mirko 15
14) Raan Rodriguez 14
15) Tom Fowler 13
16) Mark MacLean 12
17) Rob Hines 9
18) Terry McCarthy 8

And the Manufacturers' Championship is just as nerve racking as BMW, Mazda and Lexus are in unbelievable THREE WAY TIE!!! But since Volkswagen was just 1 point from joining the fray, no one better let down their guard!! And to spice things up, the arrival of Audi in Rd 2 will even force Mercedes to fight for it's spot!

MANUFACTURERS' CHAMPIONSHIP
Total
1) BMW 12 pts
1) Lexus 12
1) Mazda 12
2) Volkswagen 11
3) Audi 3
4) Mercedes 2

In the Teams' Championships, things are just as heated with the teams separated by just mere points!

TEAMS' CHAMPIONSHIP
Total
1) Tripoint Motorsports (Mazda 323/Protege) 129 pts
2) Turner Motorsport (BMW 3 Series) 126
3) Team Lexus (Lexus IS200) 62
4) Hagestad Racing (VW Bora/Jetta) 57
5) OPM Motorsports (Mazda 323/Protege) 56
6) Promotive Racing (Mazda 323/Protege) 51
7) Mirko Racing (Mazda 323/Protege) 47
8) Postini Racing (BMW 3 Series) 19
9) Stasis Engineering (Audi A4) 15
10) HSM Racing (VW Vento/Jetta) 14
11) McCarthy Racing (Mercedes C240) 8

[kmchow]

Well, it seems BMW's E46s are doing pretty well in the top US touring category as well. However, in this last year, it seems Mazda's 323/Protege and VW Bora have really given BMW a run for it's money. The Lexus IS300 has shown great speed/potential as well. The Mazda/Lexus are semi-factory supported efforts while the BMWs have largely been a privateer effort. It's too bad BMW hasn't moved in as a factory team now that their ALMS GTRs are history.