Best Single-Seasons in Maritime Racing (2001-2023) By Performance Score! (Just for fun)
August 16th, 2024
[For the Pro Stock Tour version from in-between the 2023-2024 season, see here: All-Time Pro Stock Tour Driver Rankings by Performance Score (Just for fun!) — Maritime Late Models]
[For the Super Late Model Series version from in-between after Race 5, before Race 6 of the 2024 season, see here: All-Time Super Late Model Series Driver Rankings by Performance Score (Just for fun!) — Maritime Late Models]
Disclaimer: This is intended entirely for fun, it doesn’t represent a true ranking, it’s not meant to be taken seriously. I created a basic equation model to calculate an “MFS” ranking for a big handful of many of the most prominent/prolific drivers (Multi-Factor Score). Basically: I factored in wins, top-5s, and top-10s in different weighting, to reward both wins, and consistency of different tiers, and then contrasted it to total number of races, to account for sample size effects. PS: This is strictly for the Super Late Model Series.
The simplified Multi-Factor Score (MFS) model:
MFS = (Win% × 0.6) + (Top 5 Ratio × 0.3) + (Top 10 Ratio × 0.15)
The model awards both wins, and consistency with different weightings.
Note that I slightly modified the weighting, from 0.5 for win to 0.6, and from top-10 0.2 to 0.15. I recognized a bit of a flaw with the prior weighting, and going forward when I do more of these, I will use this new version. I will also continue to include the modifier to account for significant sample size differences when appropriate, such as for All Time Stats for the Pro Stock Tour.
The Fun Stuff!
This time, I selected what I consider to be 31 best single seasons for individual drivers in the Maritimes from 2001-2023, plus some honourable mentions that were really close to making the cut.
Wayne Smith (2001): 68.75
John Flemming (2002): 68.18
Cole Butcher (2021): 66.67
Wayne Smith (2007): 66.00
Craig Slaunwhite (2021): 65.00
Cole Butcher (2018): 64.09
Craig Slaunwhite (2022): 57.50
Dylan Blenkhorn (2019): 56.25
Shawn Tucker (2013): 53.75
Shawn Turple (2017): 53.75
Cole Butcher (2017): 53.18
Jarrett Butcher (2023): 51.82
Jonathan Hicken (2014): 51.25
Rollie MacDonald (2005): 50.45
John Flemming (2013): 50.00
Craig Slaunwhite (2023): 48.00
Shawn Tucker (2009): 47.73
Bobby White (2001): 47.50
Dylan Blenkhorn (2018): 47.50
Jonathan Hicken (2019): 47.50
Dylan Blenkhorn (2015): 47.50
John Flemming (2003): 46.36
Cole Butcher (2016): 46.25
Shawn Tucker (2007): 43.50
Wayne Smith (2009): 42.27
Wayne Smith (2006): 42.27
Shawn Tucker (2011): 41.25
Wayne Smith (2011): 41.25
Nicholas Naugle (2023): 40.91
John Flemming (2012): 40.00
Darren MacKinnon (2015): 40.00
Honourable mentions to:Donald Chisholm (2015): 38.75
Shawn Turple (2010): 38.18
Lonnie Sommerville (2008): 38.18
Brad Mann (2006): 38.18
Jonathan Hicken (2012): 37.50
Shawn Turple (2008): 36.82
Gordie Ryan (2006): 36.82
Mike MacKenzie (2004): 36.82
Shawn Turple (2009): 36.82
George Koszkulics (2001): 35.00
Shawn Turple (2012): 35.00
Note that all seasons were from the Pro Stock Tour. A lot of drivers had strong SLMS seasons last year, but there is only 1 complete season, and it featured high parity.
Drivers with 4 Appearances:
Cole Butcher
2021: 66.67
2018: 64.09
2017: 53.18
2016: 46.25
Dylan Blenkhorn
2019: 56.25
2018: 47.50
2015: 47.50
2014: 43.75
Wayne Smith
2001: 68.75
2007: 66.00
2009: 42.27
2006: 42.27
John Flemming
2002: 68.18
2013: 50.00
2003: 46.36
2012: 40.00
Shawn Tucker
2013: 53.75
2009: 47.73
2007: 43.50
2011: 41.25
Drivers with 3 Appearances:
Jonathan Hicken
2014: 51.25
2019: 47.50
2012: 37.50
Craig Slaunwhite
2021: 65.00
2022: 57.50
2023: 48.00
Season with the Most Appearances:
2015 has the most appearances with 4 (Cole Butcher: 43.75, Dylan Blenkhorn: 47.50, Donald Chisholm: 44.99, Darren MacKinnon: 40.00)
Seasons That Did Not Appear (2001-2023):
2004
2008
2010
2020
2020 was not calculated, due to very few races, and racers (COVID-19 Lockdowns).
As far as parity, I compared Statistics from here: Part 2: Decades on the Track: The Rise, Peak, and Shift of the ECI Pro Stock Tour — Maritime Late Models regarding closeness in points, and driver counts, and did notice that the years that did not feature one of the dominant seasons, were in fact years where competition parity and car counts where at some of their highest, as expected. Meanwhile, 2015 which featured the most spots on this list, had one of the lower car counts, while parity wasn’t far from the average that year. As expected, a lot of the best single seasons by individual drivers, also coincide with years that driver counts were on the lower side.
PS: Here is the ranking using my previous formula, which I decided to update, and add to:
Craig Slaunwhite (2021): 74.29
Cole Butcher (2021): 74.29
Cole Butcher (2018): 72.73
Dylan Blenkhorn (2019): 70.42
Wayne Smith (2001): 68.33
Shawn Turple (2017): 68.33
John Flemming (2002): 68.18
Wayne Smith (2007): 67.5
Craig Slaunwhite (2022): 67.5
Shawn Tucker (2013): 65.83
Jonathan Hicken (2014): 64.17
John Flemming (2013): 64.17
Cole Butcher (2016): 64.17
Jonathan Hicken (2019): 61.67
John Flemming (2014): 61.67
Wayne Smith (2011): 61.67
Jarrett Butcher (2023): 59.55
Dylan Blenkhorn (2015): 59.55
Dylan Blenkhorn (2018): 59.17
Cole Butcher (2015): 59.17
Dylan Blenkhorn (2014): 57.5
Shawn Tucker (2009): 52.55
Rollie MacDonald (2005): 51.82
Donald Chisholm (2004): 46.36
