2002 Non-Winged Sprint Poll Driver of the Year

J.J. Yeley is National Non-Winged Sprint Poll "Driver Of The Year"

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. (DEC. 5, 2002) - J.J. Yeley of Phoenix, Ariz., has been voted non-winged sprint car racing's "Driver of the Year" for 2002, according to the National Non-Winged Sprint Car Poll voting panel of manufacturers, media members, promoters and sanctioning officials. Yeley, the runner-up in United States Auto Club (USAC) and Non-Winged World Championship (NWWC) points, earned twelve of the seventeen (17) first-place ballots cast.

Ranked second in the poll is Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) and Non-Winged World Championship titlist Richard Griffin of Silver City, N.M., with four first place votes. Rounding out the top five drivers are USAC national point champion Tracy Hines of Indianapolis, Ind., defending "Driver of the Year" Cory Kruseman of Ventura, Calif., and Brandon "Bud" Kaeding of Campbell, Calif. Kruseman earned one first place vote.

Other point champions in the "top 25" are Chad Nichols of the USAC Western States Sprint Car Series in 17th, and Eric Wilkins of the Arizona Sprint Car Association (ASCA) in 23rd.

The National Non-Winged Sprint Car Poll, and the National 360- and 410-Sprint Car Polls, are official awards programs of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum Foundation, Inc.

<pre> 2002 FINAL National Non-Winged Sprint Car Poll

Rank Driver (First Place Votes) Hometown/State Points

  1.  J.J. Yeley          (12)    Phoenix, AZ        1,400
  2.  Richard Griffin     ( 4)    Silver City, NM      940
  3.  Tracy Hines                 Indianapolis, IN     517
  4.  Cory Kruseman       ( 1)    Ventura, CA          419
  5.  Brandon "Bud" Kaeding       Campbell, CA         324
  6.  Damion Gardner              Concord, CA          323
  7.  Tony Jones                  Corona, CA           205
  8.  Rip Williams                Yorba Linda, CA      139
  9.  Tony Elliott                Kokomo, IN           130
 10.  Jay Drake                   Val Verde, CA        121
 11.  Kevin Briscoe               Bloomington, IN      119
 12.  Dave Darland                Walton, IN           110
 13.  Derek Davidson              Indianapolis, IN      80
 14.  Rickie Gaunt                Torrance, CA          48
 15.  Mike Kirby                  Lomita, CA            42
 16.  Levi Jones                  Olney, IL             39
 17.  Chad Nichols                San Carlos, CA        34
 18.  David Steele                Tampa, FL             28
 19.  Boston Reid                 Logansport, IN        23
 20.  Tony Hunt                   Rancho Cordova, CA    19
 21.  Steve Ostling               Corona, CA            18
 22.  Jeremy Sherman              Phoenix, AZ           14
 23.  Eric Wilkins                Peoria, AZ            12
 24.  Scott Hansen                Simi Valley, CA       11
 tie  Bob Ream, Jr.               Glendale, AZ          11

Also receiving multiple votes: Mike Boat, Jimmy Crawford, Brandon Petty, Travis Rilat, Troy Rutherford, Derek Scheffel, John Wolfe.

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