Here is our news and outlook for the 2022 season
Escape pool cleaning Cup Series
2021 Cup Series Champion Nick Stroupe poses with the championship trophy
Escape pool cleaning will return to sponsor DNQ's oldest series. Nick Stroupe 2021's champion won 4 out of 10 races. Adam Welch won 2, Robert Showalter won 1along with L.J. McCleary , Trent Newman and Mike Rought. 2022 is up in the air for Stroupe as he insinuated that he would not return to full-time cup racing. This opens the door for the 2022 season championship. There will be no rule changes heading into the 2022 season. The DNQ Series will not return to the famed AAR Speedway this year.
2022 predictions & ranking
Who will challenge for the 2022 Cup series title based off of last seasons performance? Who do we pick to win it all? Lets dive into the 2022 outlook
#5 Mickey Roop
With crew chief Ronnie Carroll, Mickey Roop had a great season, Roop finished in the Top 3 for the first time in his cup series career. Along with that Top 3 Roop Finished 4th 2-times in 2021. The big question is consistency with Roop. With Ronnie Carroll helping out Roop there is no question that he will be a contender for a Top 3 finish in each race.
Mickey Roop At Hoosier Nationals 2021
#4 Mark Ellis
The 2021 Cup Series Rookie Of The Year got off to a late start. Ellis missed the first 4 races this season however, that did not stop him from finishing out the year strong. Ellis as a rookie finished 3rd in his first ever DNQ start, Ellis then went on to net a 4th & 5th before the end of the season.At the DNQ Nationals Ellis finished an impressive 3rd. Ellis with help from Stroupe & Rought has turned his effort into a very strong one. We feel like he will compete for wins & a championship in 2022.
Ellis Battles Adam Welch For The Lead At DNQ Nationals
#3 Mike Rought
The 2021 Iredell County Fair winner comes in at #3, after a scary wreck at Millbridge Speedway Rought rebounded in September when he passed Stroupe en-route to the Fair win. Rought also finished 2nd at the DNQ Nationals event. Rought is a strong contender, he has got to be on of the favorites to win the Milltona 50. He has come close before will this finally be the year he wins the title or the Milltona 50? Rought still slides in 3rd after missing some of the season.
Mike Rought Celebrates The 2021 Iredell County Fair Win
#2 Adam Welch
A 2 Time winner in the 2021 season Adam Welch will come in at the 2nd position. Welch won 3 races in 2021. Milltona 50 , Fall Final & Nationals. Welch has seemed to step his game up this season, (so much for not liking running the bottom). The new SKE chassis may have been the change that Welch needed to consistently compete for wins. He comes in at #2 because of his lack of consistency compared to our #1 contender. Welch is a serious threat for the 2022 title.
Welch Celebrates A Win At DNQ Nationals
#1 Robert Showalter
Future DNQ Hall Of Famer Bobby Showtime , comes in at #1 for the 2022 season. Showalter won 1 race this year but finished outside the Top 3 once. Showalter may have won the championship if it wasn't for a mechanical failure at the Iredell Fair. Consistency like that makes him our #1 contender. Expect a show between Rought, Welch & Showalter In 2022.
