Photo credit: Matthew Kalish
No. 17 Serve/eBay Motors/Best Buy Mobile Ford Fiesta, Olsbergs MSE
STANDINGS: 5th, 42 points, one heat win
POSITIVES: For a driver in his first fully professional season, Binks is sure racing at a high level. He’s made it to the final in all four events thus far, one of only four drivers to do so, and scored his first heat win of the season at X Games. He may be the fourth-best driver on his team right now, but when the three ahead of him are first, third, and fourth in points, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
NEGATIVES: Binks may not have had much of a problem getting into finals, but he does seem to have a hard time converting those appearances into strong results. Charlotte saw him careen into a barricade in the hairpin, while mechanical failure ended his day at X Games and robbed him of a potential podium at New Hampshire, right now, his best finish remains a fifth place at Texas.
OUTLOOK: Right now, Binks needs to remain patient, as he’s shown through his speed that his time will definitely come. Missed opportunities can wear down on a driver, especially when the bad luck persists, but the truth is that this team is as strong as any in the series, and it’s hard to keep a good team down for too long. Fifth in points despite only one top five finish is a testament to how consistent Binks is, and that will come back to help him someday.
- Chris Leone
