With three events and six actual Pro finals now in the books, it’s time to review how the 2012 ECS Rookie of the Year (ROTY) candidates are doing on-track.
Three athletes are battling for top honors as they tackle the challenge of Pro level competition; Chris Ackerman, Michael George and Jacob Muller. All three were stars during their time in Pro Lite (I know, we called it Semi-Pro back then – just what is a “Semi-Pro” anyway?) and were clearly ready to make the move in 2012.
With a half dozen finals now complete, Muller leads the current standings with 125 rookie points. Keep in mind, these tallies are based on the highest finishing rookie within each Pro final, and are based on 25, 20 and 15-point awards for the top three rookies in each race.
Do the math, and Muller comes out with a slight five-point advantage over Ackerman and a 10-point gap between himself and Mr. George. While he does have finishes of 10th (Plattsburgh Open) and 14th (Plattsburgh Stock) to his credit, Muller’s performance at Burke and Boonville give him the edge. Just as it is with the big guns fighting for the overall point titles, it’s all about consistency in ROTY action.
What should be noted here is that Mike George has already landed on the podium, with an impressive second place run in Pro Open at Burke Mountain.
For a rookie to hit the box his first time out is indeed spectacular, and we expect more solid runs like that from these talented first-year Pro riders. Ackerman hasn’t finished outside the top 10 in six starts, a real testament to his immense skills. As the season rolls on, it’s clear these three athletes are going to battle right down to the wire at Titus Mountain to earn the coveted ECS ROTY crown.
East Coast Snocross, presented by AMSOIL and Woody’s Traction, sanctions championship snocross races throughout the northeast. For more information, go to www.eastcoastsnocross.com
2012 ECS Rookie of the Year Update:
