Dillon Claims First RMCS Championship

NW Racing Veteran John Dillon Waits Nearly 20 Years for Second Championship  

BOISE, IDAHO (October 21, 2009) John Dillon of Eagle, Idaho scored his first CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series championship in 2009 dominating most of the action all season. The Northwest racing veteran scored three victories and seven top five finishes en route to the series title in a championship fight that went down to the final race. While Dillon’s dominance this season set the mark for others to follow, the road to the championship was anything but easy. 

Winning the points title in the RMCS means you have to be fast and also very skilled at working traffic. The RMCS inverts the top twenty for each race and Dillon had his work cut out for him at each race qualifying an average seventh meaning he started an average thirteenth at every event. What set Dillon apart from his rivals is that he finished an average of third in each race picking up on average thirty bonus passing points per race. Couple the passing points with six heat race wins and an average second place finish over the final four races, Dillon was unstoppable. 

“It was kind of a dream season,” Dillon said. “In racing there is nothing easy and you can never take anything for granted. This championship is special and I enjoyed racing this past year. The RMCS is tough and it took me a few years to figure things out but it all came together this season and I am thrilled for my family and my crew who have supported me and got me here."

While Dillon grabbed the headlines most of the season, there were plenty of other storylines to keep track of. Finishing in the runner-up spot this past year was Jeff Jefferson of Naches, WA driving for Tom Hill. Jefferson posted one win, six top five finishes, three heat wins, and two fast time awards but was unable to close the gap on Dillon in the final three races. “I had a lot of fun driving for Tom Hill and racing in the RMCS,” Jefferson said. “Racing ought to be about having fun and I had more fun driving then I have had in a long time. I am happy for John and his whole team. They did a fantastic job all year and hopefully we can go at it again next season.” 

Finishing third in the final standings was Craig Bell from Kuna, Idaho. Bell finished the season with two victories for BodyBuilding.Com/Minegar Racing and equaled Dillon’s seven top five finishes but struggled to find speed in qualifying starting an average of eighth in each race which spelled the difference in the championship outcome. “It was a great year for the team,” Bell said. “Winning at Meridian meant a lot to me and was the highlight of the year. We were good all season and they knew we were there at each race.” 

Former RMCS champion John Newhouse Twin Falls, Idaho had another solid run this season posting four top five and seven top ten finishes but was hampered down the stretch with bad racing luck. Newhouse, a perennial frontrunner, had his moments in 2009 posting two Sharp Powder Coating Fast Time Awards and spectacular drives from the rear of the field only to have racing luck befall the effort on several occasions. Newhouse will be a part-time competitor on the series going forward as he plans to devote his energy and resources towards his kids racing efforts as they graduate from karts to stock cars. “I have had so much fun racing the RMCS,” Newhouse said. “It has been a fun ride and filled with a lot of great times but my kids are getting older and I need to give them new opportunities in racing so I may not make all the events in the future but still plan to run a few.” 

Rounding out the top five this season was rookie Jonathon Gomez also of Twin Falls. Gomez scored two Sharp Powder Coating Fast Time Awards along with five top five finishes with a best finish of second. Gomez was perhaps the busiest of all drivers this past season as he ran races across the country in several different series’ gaining valuable seat time as matures behind the wheel of a stock car. 

While Dillon contemplates his racing career, accomplishments, and whether or not he will return to defend his title, Mike Minegar and his staff are busily preparing for the upcoming season putting together a schedule that will maximize fun and produce the kind of racing action fans have come to enjoy. Dillon will be honored as the RMCS champion on Saturday, November 7 at an awards gala at the Double Tree Riverside in Boise. 

The CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series will enter its seventh season of providing fan-friendly and exciting Late Model racing to the intermountain west in 2010. The series will add several new wrinkles that will continue to showcase the series as one of the best in the country. The RMCS utilizes a racing format not found in ANY other regional touring series around the country. The top 20 qualifiers are inverted for every race putting fast time in the 20^th starting position. This format ensures race fans see what they paid for and that is passing. Each driver is awarded three points per position gained in the event. Points are also awarded for qualifying and heat race finishes. Through the history of the series, the winning driver has averaged a 15^th place starting position. To ensure competition, the RMCS pays it purse based on total point accumulation for the event and provides several special performance awards for the event.  

The CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series is a regional touring series that allows all competitors to race and gain experience on different types of racetracks. It is a high-quality professional racing series that offers maximum opportunity at an affordable price serving the intermountain West. The motto of the series is to “Race Hard and Have Fun!” For all the latest news and information regarding the CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series log on to our website at www.rmcsracing.com.

~Distributed by RMCS Public Relations