Battle For The Belts Breakdown: Pro Junior Dragster & Extreme Pro Stock

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The biggest race of the season is just days away as the ADRL prepares for the Speedtech “Battle For The Belts” at the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals VI at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, TX.Only the eight best drivers in each of the ADRL’s six classes get a chance at a coveted World Championship and it’s time for a little breakdown, as in a “Battle For The Belts Breakdown.”We’ll look at all the matchups in every class and dive into how it could all pan out on what will surely be a memorable night in Ennis.TODAY: Extreme Pro Stock and Pro Junior DragsterWEDNESDAY: Extreme 10.5 and Pro Extreme MotorcycleTHURSDAY: Pro Extreme and Pro NitrousEXTREME PRO STOCKThis field featured plenty of late movement in the bottom portion of the qualifying field during the final race weekend of the regular season, but everything seems to go through the three heavy hitters in the class.Cary Goforth is in the driver’s seat, winning twice in Norwalk, OH to climb to first and earn that all-important first-round bye.He’ll get the winner of Pete Berner and Bob Bertsch (pictured), which is a classic matchup for these two talents. Berner is capable of incredible times and has a strong friendly rivalry going with Goforth, but don’t overlook Bertsch, either.He set an XPS track E.T. record earlier this year in Virginia and has enough power to run with anyone.Goforth, though, needs only one win to advance to the finals, where he could see all sorts of interesting matchups.Cale Aronson made a major move to the No. 6 spot on the final weekend and he’ll get a rematch of sorts against Brian Gahm. These two standouts met in the finals of the Gateway Drags in August, where Gahm took the victory.John Montecalvo will get the winner of Jeff Dobbins, who climbed back into the mix in Norwalk, and Elijah Morton. During Montecalvo’s stretch of four straight wins, he met - and beat - both of these drivers in finals. He’s also had entertaining finals battles with Gahm this year, while Aronson upset Montecalvo in two straight races late in the season.Montecalvo had the most dominant stretch of anyone in the class this year, but Gahm has been the most consistent of anyone on that side of the bracket.Ultimately, the smart money might be on Goforth, but with a class this talented, it might be best to limit the smart money to small change.He might have the hot hand headed to Texas Motorplex, but there are seven other drivers just as capable of leaving with it - and a shiny new belt as well.PRO JUNIOR DRAGSTERMorgan Benfield enters as the No. 1 qualifier and she certainly deserves every bit of that first-round bye after becoming the first Pro Junior Dragster driver to win three times during an ADRL season.Alexander Oppen and Ty Tutterow are the only other drivers in the top eight to have event wins, but just making it this far proves that everyone is capable of going rounds. KJ Nowling (pictured), who races Kendall Thiesse in the first round, has won events before and has numerous No. 1 qualifiers to his credit, so he is certainly a threat as well.Arguably the most interesting matchup is a sibling versus sibling duel to get into the field, as No. 7 qualifier Tia Tutterow faces No. 8 qualifier Ty Tutterow. Ty got a win at Dragstock to jump into the field and that will be a race that will draw everyone’s attention.That winner gets Timmy Clifton, while Tyler Allen and Oppen is the other marquee first-round matchup.All have big race experience, so it will be interesting to see who thrives under the big lights the most at Texas Motorplex.(Photos by ADRL/Richards)

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