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XENIA — According to the latest Gem City Auto Racing points standings, you don’t have to win them all in order to be the series leader. It helps, sure. But consistency is shaping up to be a valuable points commodity as well.

Three weeks into the GCAR racing schedule, New Bremen’s Drew Charleson has yet to win a late model race. But thanks to some bad racing luck by Xenia’s two-time winner Ryan Fleming in the May 7 event, Charleson finds himself as the late model division points leader this week.

Fleming, who had won the series’ first two races, was battling Columbus driver David Carter Jr. for first place with about six laps left in Sunday’s Week 3 event when the two drivers’ cars collided coming out of the fourth turn. Fleming spun out while Carter continued. Race officials sent Fleming to the back of the lead pack of cars, since his incident brought out the yellow, and no foul was called on Carter.

Carter, who is nonw sixth in the points standings, went on to win the race while Fleming finished seventh. Charleson stayed out of trouble to finish third behind Grove City’s Chad Pendleton. He now leads Fleming by five points in the Late Model division.

In the Modified division, Beavercreek’s Jack Jones has both the most wins thus far and he’s been a pretty consistent finisher as well. Jones won GCAR’s first two Modified events, and on Sunday he finished second to Kettering’s Jamie Sites. With that string of consistency, Jones leads Marion’s Kyle Purvis by 20 points, with Troy’s Jerry Stapleton in third.

Columbus driver Phil Gussler Jr. won the first GCAR Street Stock feature back in April. He still has the points lead in the division, but fellow Columbusite Jacob Muncy has won the last two and is closing fast. Gussler currently has a 30-point lead in the Street Stock points.

Do you get the idea that a lot of the drivers are hailing from the Columbus area? The same holds true in the Compact Division. Nine of the division’s current top-10 Compact drivers are from the Columbus area, with fifth-placed Nick Barrett of Kettering the lone exception.

Columbus driver Dusty Harding hasn’t won a race yet, but he’s atop the standings with 115 points, just 15 better than Trey Gregory, who has won the last two races.

A big reason for the influx of Columbus drivers is that Columbus Motor Speedway closed after last season.

NEXT SCHEDULED RACE: June 4 at Kil-Kare Raceway, Xenia, including the Robbie Dean Memorial Race.

The Germain Ford F150 pace truck leads the Gem City Auto Racing series’ Late Model division down Kil-Kare Raceway’s front straight prior to a race earlier this season.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2017/05/web1_PaceTruck_PS.jpgThe Germain Ford F150 pace truck leads the Gem City Auto Racing series’ Late Model division down Kil-Kare Raceway’s front straight prior to a race earlier this season.

Jacob Muncy, of Columbus, does a post-race interview after winning the May 7 Street Stock feature race at Kil-Kare Raceway.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2017/05/web1_MuncyInterview_PS.jpgJacob Muncy, of Columbus, does a post-race interview after winning the May 7 Street Stock feature race at Kil-Kare Raceway.

Jack Jones, of Beavercreek, does a victory lap around Kil-Kare Raceway after his second consecutive feature win April 23 at the Xenia racing facility.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2017/05/web1_JonesFlagLap_PS.jpgJack Jones, of Beavercreek, does a victory lap around Kil-Kare Raceway after his second consecutive feature win April 23 at the Xenia racing facility.

Columbus driver Mike Holland brings his Chevrolet late model racer into the Kil-Kare Raceway paddock area after a recent practice run.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2017/05/web1_MikeHolland_PS.jpgColumbus driver Mike Holland brings his Chevrolet late model racer into the Kil-Kare Raceway paddock area after a recent practice run.

Drivers Scott Jones (foreground) of Marysville and Columbus’s Phil Gussler Jr. (background) put some finishing touches to their racers prior to the first weekend of Gem City Auto Racing series action at Kil-Kare Raceway in Xenia. Jones drives in the Modified class, while Gussler Jr. is in the Street Stock division.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2017/05/web1_SJonesPGussler_PS.jpgDrivers Scott Jones (foreground) of Marysville and Columbus’s Phil Gussler Jr. (background) put some finishing touches to their racers prior to the first weekend of Gem City Auto Racing series action at Kil-Kare Raceway in Xenia. Jones drives in the Modified class, while Gussler Jr. is in the Street Stock division.

Kil-Kare Raceway

Gem City Auto Racing series points standings

After Race 3, held May 7

(Position, driver, hometown, points)

Late Models

1. Drew Charleson, New Bremen — 125

3. Ryan Fleming, Xenia (w,w) — 120

4. Cody Evans, Camden — 110

5. Daryl McKay, Hilliard — 75

6. Mike Holland, Columbus — 65

7. David Carter Jr., Columbus (w) — 50

8. Bill Cantley, Columbus — 47

9. Dave Barnhart, Clayton — 45

9. Chad Pendleton, Grove City — 45

11. Cody Robinson, Kettering — 44

12. Calab Reschar, Xenia — 40

13. Brandon Oakley, n/a — 30

14. Tyler Garner, Galena — 24

15. Bill Browning, Columbus — 23

16. Bob Grubaugh, Columbus — 15

17. Jim Hursey, Columbus — 5

18. Russ Bobb, Beavercreek — 3

19. Eddie Smith III, Columbus — 2

20. Mike Rush, Columbus — 0.5

20. Neal McClellan, Monroe 0.5

Modifieds

1. Jack Jones, Beavercreek (w,w) — 145

2. Kyle Purvis, Marion — 125

3. Jerry Stapleton, Troy — 95

4. Ryan Fleming, Xenia — 80

5. George Lindsay, Groveport — 70

6. Jamie Sites, Kettering (w) — 69

7. Sean McNealy, Columbus — 60

7. John Donovan, London — 60

9. Brian Whetnall, Reynoldsburg — 55

10. Zach Stacy, Enon — 29

11. Scott Jones, Marysville — 25

12. Jeremy Menninger, Pataskala — 13

13. Evan Smith, Columbus — 10

14. Kevin Miller Jr., Columbus — 4

14. Gary Zink, n/a — 4

15. Andy Shutts, n/a — 2

Street Stocks

1. Phil Gussler, Jr., Columbus (w)— 130

2. Jacob Muncy, Columbus (w, w) — 100

3. Shawn Stansell, n/a — 90

4. James Harding, n/a — 85

5. David Stump, Xenia — 80

6. Mike South, S. Charleston — 70

7. Randy Walton, New Carlisle — 45

8. Jacob Heckman, n/a — 35

8. Jim Lewis Jr., Fairborn — 35

10. Josh Longstreth, W. Carrollton — 33

11. Brian Cottrill, n/a — 30

12. Devin Vincent, Columbus — 15

13. Jamie Sites, Kettering — 5

14. Steve Hursey, Grove City — 4

Compacts

1. Dusty Harding, Columbus — 115

2. Trey Gregory, Columbus (w, w) — 100

3. Corey Kyer, Columbus (w)— 99

4. Nick Barrett, Kettering — 70

5. Matt Hagood, Columbus — 60

5. Jimmy McElfresh, Columbus — 60

7. Jimmy Devouno, Obetz — 50

8. Jason Parsons, n/a — 40

9. Adam Miller, n/a — 35

9. Chris Lucas, n/a — 35

9. Dillon Higgenbotham, Columbus — 35

9. Ryan Smith, Columbus — 35

13. James Secrest, Columbus — 25

14. Shawn VanSickle, Grove City —20

15. Cody Wynn, Lewisburg — 20

16. Richard Lucas, Columbus — 4

17. Dan Brown, Grove City — 3

18. Matt Hunt, n/a — 2

(w) indicates number of race wins.

These are NOT official points, but instead based on a 5-point descending points system created by sports editor John Bombatch. An official points system should eventually be released by GCAR.

1st = 50 points, 2nd = 45, 3rd = 40 … descending in 5-point increments through 10th place, 11th = 4 points, 12th = 3 points, 13th = 2 points, 14th = 1 point, 15th = 1/2 point. Zero points for 16th or lower.

NEXT SCHEDULED RACE: June 4 at Kil-Kare Raceway, Xenia, including the Robbie Dean Memorial Race.