One of the longest running events in motorsports will be contested Saturday afternoon. We take a look at the 68th Annual Race of Champions 250 at Lake Erie Speedway (PA) in this edition of “By the Numbers” on Speed51.com.
1: Despite all of his success competing in Modifieds, Patrick Emerling has only finished in the top 10 once in the Race of Champions. This weekend with be his eighth try and his second-place finish in 2016 is his best. He has an average finish of 17.71.
5: Dutch Hoag was one of the best there was in the Race of Champions, but his five wins all came on the dirt. He won five times in 15 starts. He also had three other finishes in the top three.
5: Only five points separate point leader Chuck Hossfeld and second-place runner Andy Jankowiak for the season-long championship. Last week at the U.S. Open Hossfeld finished outside of the top five, thus setting up this close battle.
5: What else can we say about Matt Hirschman. He’s won five of the last six Race of Champion 250 events. Those five wins have come at three different tracks and along the way he’s posted three other podium finishes.
18: Last year 18 of the 27 drivers completed all 250 laps.
22: The driver in the No. 22 car Chuck Hossfeld is seeking his third win in the Race of Champions. Hossfeld has a total of eight podium finishes at the Race of Champions.
53: A total of 53 drivers have earned points this season in the Race of Champions Modified division.
60: In 1977 and 1979 the Race of Champions started 60 cars in the main event. It was not uncommon in the 80’s to see as many as 50 cars start the main event.
68: This will be the 68th year for the Race of Champions making it one of the longest continuing races in the country.
250: The feature event will be 250 laps.
1951: This was the first year the race was run back in 1951.
All in the Family: The Hirschman family has nine wins at the Race of Champion between the father-son team of Tony and Matt Hirschman. The family also owns seven other podium finishes at the Race of Champions.
All in the Family Part 2: Jan Leaty has run the Race of Champions event 24 times in the past. Now the two-time winner watches his son Mike Leaty run it and looks to improve on a second-place finish in 2017. The younger Leaty family member will be making the 39th start for the family in this race.
Race of Champions Winners:
ROC at Lake Erie
2017 Matt Hirschman
ROC at Oswego
2016 Matt Hirschman
ROC at Chemung
2015 Matt Hirschman
ROC at Oswego
2014 Chuck Hossfeld
2013 Matt Hirschman
2012 Matt Hirschman
2011 Zane Zeiner
2010 Tony Hirschman
2009 Billy Putney
2008 Tony Hirschman
2007 Jan Leaty
2006 TJ Potrzebowski
2005 Chuck Hossfeld
2004 Eric Beers
2003 Sege Fidanza
2002 Tim Mangus
2001 George Kent
2000 George Kent
1999 Chuck Hossfeld
1998 Sege Fidanza
1997 Tony Hirschman
1996 Jan Leaty
Run at Flemington
1995 John Blewett III
1994 Tony Siscone
1993 Bill Pauch
1992 Lenny Boyd
Run at Pocono
1991 Satch Worley
1990 Mike Stefanik
1989 Tony Hirschman
1988 Reggie Ruggiero
1987 George Brunnhoelzl
1986 George Kent
1985 Brett Bodine
1984 Brian Ross
1983 Jimmy Spencer
1982 Greg Sacks
1981 George Kent
1980 Richie Evans
1979 Richie Evans (Big Track)
1978 Geoff Bodine (Big Track)
1977 Maynard Troyer (Big Track)
Run at Trenton
1976 Maynard Troyer
1975 Ray Hendrick
1974 Fred DeSarro
1973 Richie Evans
1972 Geoff Bodine
Run at Langhorn
1971 Roger Treichler
1970 Mev Treichler
1969 Ray Hendrick
1968 Dutch Hoag
1967 Dutch Hoag
1966 Will Cagle
1965 Bill Slater
Run at Langhorn on Dirt
1964 Freddy Adams
1963 Dutch Hoag
1962 Frankie Schneider
1961 Freddy Adams
1960 Dutch Hoag
1959 Jim Delaney
1958 Jim Delaney
1957 Glenn Guthrie
1956 Dutch Hoag
1955 Pete Corey
1954 Frankie Schneider
1953 Ted Swaim
1952 Jim Delaney
1951 Hully Bunn
-By Elgin Traylor, Speed51.com Southeast Correspondent
-Photo credit: Speed51.com / MoJo Photos
