With five different winners in eight races this season, the fans that have followed this series have
seen not only a variety of different winners, but
also exciting racing that is never decided until the checkered flag flies. 
The most recent winner of the series, rookie Joey Zampa,
#92, took the lead on the
98th lap to win his first ever SRL Late Models event. Zampa took advantage of
his pole speed car on the high line on Points leader, #76, Jeff Anthony to take home
his first victory.
Anthony has had a successful year as well. Winning with six top five finishes
that include three
wins at his home track Altamont Raceway Park, Anthony has
plenty to look forward to with still one race to go at his home track., where
he has dominated, Anthony, with 371 points, looks prepared to win his first SRL Points Championship unseating current champion Nathan Tucker. 
Second place in the standings and 56 points behind the leader, is Rick
Ruzbarsky, #51. Ruzbarsky, in his first year of competition in the SRL Late Models,
is also eligible for, and leading the Rookie of the year standings. Although
Ruzbarsky has not won a race yet this season, his veteran like consistency
with three top fives and seven top tens gives him plenty of reason to be
second in the points.
Ray Lawson,
#06, last season's runner up in the points championship, is
holding
onto third place 62 points behind Anthony going into the final stretch of the
season. Lawson has won two events at his home track Madera Speedway, and is
always a threat no matter what track the series stops at.
Although Nathan Tucker,
#41, has won a race at Stockton 99 Speedway and
finished in
the top five four times this season, it has been a season with many ups and
downs. Some racing incidents mid-way through the season have held Tucker back
in the points, but he is still not mathematically eliminated from contention
as he trails Anthony by 66 points. Fifth place and 72 points behind the leader is Tim Stratmayer, #28.
Stratmayer was
the 2001 Rookie of the year and he is looking for his first ever SRL Late
Model win and with four top fives and six top tens, a win should be just
around the corner for the increasingly skillful driver. Look for him to take
the checkered flag and be in the winners circle before the season is out.
With only three events and 300 laps left in the 2002 season the road to the
championship is no longer a very long one and not only will the top five be
fighting for every position they can, but so will every racer out there
because the SRL Late models provides short-track racing at its best. Davey
Hamilton's SRL Wild West Shootout - "Come Feel the Rush!" 