Slim Jim Series Season 5 Power Rankings (Offseason)

Slim Jim Series Power Rankings -- Offseason

1. DJ Kurtis (#26 - Maverick GP) - DJ Kurtis is looking very poised right in testing since being promoted to a full-time ride. Kurtis, with Greg Marshall, performed like a championship contender and clinched the split car championship. If he had ran the full schedule, he would have beat Angel and LaTerza. Kurtis is bringing his Season 4 success into next season.

2. Sean Angel (#20 - Hamilton Autosports) - Reigning Slim Jim Series champion got a tall task to do. He is a favorite to win the title according to Vegas. But that late season stint almost cost him the championship. He needed LaTerza to blow up the car to win. Everyone is watching Angel to be the first double Slim Jim Series champion.

3. Alan Cavagnaro (#18 - Hamilton Autosports) - Cavagnaro had a bad start to last season. Then, he started to click after the 1 in 70. Cavagnaro just became the all-time series winner. However, he is missing a Slim Jim Series title. The Slim Jim Series schedule favors Alan Cavagnaro because of the short tracks and road courses.

4. Nick Pericles (#84 - Red Bull Racing) - Pericles now has experience with a good team. Red Bull Racing has poor durability with the cars, but Pericles is pushing everything he got. He has been very quick in testing, so bet on Pericles for the championship before he gets amazing early results.

5. Cyrus LaTerza (#17 - Maverick GP) - Indianapolis was the ultimate heartbreak for LaTerza. Maverick got the support from his teammates, but he has to beat them as well. Kurtis and Lewis may be too much for LaTerza to handle. If he has the performances from last season, he would surely win a couple of races.

6. Jill Richards (#88 - S3 Motorsports) - So, Jill Richards made me a dumb butt. She finally got a breakout year which included a 1 in 70 win. She is back to win herself a champion with the aid of S3 Motorsports. With a breakout season and a signing from S3, Richards is looking for a championship since her days at IRCA.

7. Will Lewis (#99 - Maverick GP) - Will Lewis, go home and you're drunk. Well, he is sober, and William Duncan convinces him to come back from retirement and fight for the championship. Lewis will provide his talent to win the championship. However, can he get lucky breaks?

8. Dillon Young (#5 - S3 Motorsports) - Young had a good year but fell flat in the end. Even though Dillon Young been with S3 Motorsports since Day One, Jill Richards will overshadow Dillon Young. I don't think Dillon Young has the will to win a championship.

9. Jeffery Finguy (#2 - Porsche Developments) - The most talkative driver in the garage is a favorite to win the championship. Finguy has shown great speed in testing. He is a bit down, because Finguy and Porsche Developments are having a feud. It could be a downfall of Jeffery Finguy if he burns the Porsche's' bridges.

10. Ryder Smith (#12 - Porsche Developments) - Nice choke on the ROTY, dude. You made everyone feel like butt, and Las Vegas was very happy and laughing their butts off. Ryder Smith is a championship contender but likes to be inconsistent at times. Smith needs to clean it up, or it will be more of the same.

11. Matt Duncan (#16 - Maverick GP) - This is not an overreaction. Duncan is coming off a great IES season. Matt will be leading the Double Duncan duo with Foxy. While Foxy is good at times, Duncan is more experienced and talented. Matt Duncan has enough speed to give Maverick GP another split car championship.

12. Nasu Tsunemochi (#87 - Okumura Motors) - Tsunemochi has the wackiest second-year season in Slim Jim Series history. I thought it was going to be a bust in the first half and the European Tour II. After Talladega, he finally got back into his ROTY form and even won at Indianapolis. With a new team and great fan support from Japan, Tsunemochi is going to entertain the racing world.

13. Christopher Bryant (#15 - RJ Manson Racing) - Junior Series champion Christopher Bryant is here. Bryant looks good in testing, and the Bryant hype train is moving. This schedule will be difficult since Slim Jim Series is very road course-heavy. If you put him on an oval, Bryant drives like a veteran.

14. Greg Marshall (#28 - Boost Autosports) - Who the hell is this guy? Greg Marshall came out of nowhere, helped the 26 team win split car champion, and won ROTY over Ryder Smith and Henry Sandfer. Marshall is looking very great despite going to Boost, Maverick's sister team. He is a dark-horse championship contender.

15. Kyle Collins (#11 - Hamilton Autosports) - He got a good first season with Hamilton, but no one knows if he is going to contend for the championship. With Angel and Cavangaro on the same team, Collins' hunt for the championship is asking for too much. Collins is a dark-horse contender so I rather not give up just yet.

16. James Shelly (#66 - Nexxus Motorsports) - Shelly encounters horrible luck last season, and he is going to try to turn it around. If Shelly clean up his misfortunes, Shelly will be a threat to the championship title.

17. Raphael Vonlanthen (#3 - Porsche Developments) - The Swiss is looking very good right now. Vonlanthen is excited to go to a new team, but his performances, to some people, are not good as Tsunemochi back at RJ Manson. Vonlanthen is a great bet if you are looking at him to win a race.

18. Shane Carter (#10 - Dodge Motorsports) - Carter is Dodge's best driver in the team--but as a split car driver. If Shane Carter has a full-time ride, he would be a top 15 driver instantly. Dodge Motorsports could have plans stored for Carter if Dalton is not panning out.

19. Jake Baskinger (#48 - S3 Motorsports) - Baskinger is like...I don't know. He has some moments but falls flat. He is on a boom-or-bust year. It is going to be lots of questions on how S3 Motorsports is going to handle Baskinger if he does not perform well.

20. Chris Louviere (#40 - The Wrecking Balls) - Louviere has been the best driver of the team since Season 3. Even though his team's roster is not great, Louviere shows some speed and unusual patience. He does have the will to fight and gain every point he can get. Binky is strangely faster than Chris, but he is slow starter in the beginning of the season.

Honorable Mentions: Foxy Duncan, Henry Sandfer, Jason Percle, Chris Dodd, Binky Louviere