Most Outstanding Driver, Runner Up: MEAN GREEN MACHINE’S RYAN DECKER
Mean Green Machine’s Ryan Decker had a pretty impressive 2011 season. He was the best driver on the second best team, won numerous races after taking out several of the opposing teams’ cars and helped lead Mean Green Machine rise from the ashes of Second Night’s disastrous 3-on-4 performance against Orange Crush to winning the night Fourth Night and tying for second place on the season.
If there’s a footnote to Decker’s Runner Up Most Outstanding Driver status, it’s the fact that he was caught welding his frame seams before Third Night. He never raced a cheated car—the head of officiating, Shayn McMartin, told Decker the welds had to be removed before his cars would be allowed on the track and they were—but that didn’t stop people from discussing the matter as if he did. I, for one, am willing to give Decker a one-time pass on this. He tried to slip one by the officials and was caught.* So long as it doesn’t happen again, I harbor no ill will towards him and absolve him of his (one-time) act.
* I must admit I am fascinated by the fact that there were no penalties levied on Decker for his extra welding and even more intrigued by the fact that the TDA higher ups did everything they could to ensure that news of Decker’s welding didn’t make it out into the open. Not only was it not brought up at the driver’s meeting, but any and all mentions of it were removed from my columns.
Lost in the belief that Decker raced cheated cars that weren’t actually cheated is what a solid season the man had on the track. In five nights of racing, Decker quickly established himself as a crusher to be aware of. Quick, hard-nosed and willing to sacrifice himself in order to deliver monster hits, Decker is the type of driver who should scare the hell out of opposing runners. Throw in an ability to switch roles and run as well as crush and you’re looking at one of the most versatile drivers in the league. And the Most Outstanding Driver runner up.