This week's Potomac River Bassmaster Elite Series is the next-to-last of the circuit's 11 points events. Only the Top 36 in the Angler of the Year (AOY) race will qualify for the 2007 Bassmaster Classic, which leaves quite a few anglers with work to do to either maintain their positions within that cutoff mark, or move up to get inside of it.
Kenyon Hill, with 1,675 points, sits on the cut mark right now. Right behind him are Brent Chapman (37th, 1,674), Mike McClelland (38th, 1,661), Todd Faircloth (39th, 1,657) and Rick Clunn (40th, 1,646).
Those who are within the cutoff now but can't afford a major slip-up are Mark Tucker (30th, 1,719), Terry Scroggins (31st, 1,715), Jeff Kriet (32nd, 1,709), Terry Butcher (33rd, 1,699), Randy Howell (34th, 1,690) and Lee Bailey (35th, 1,689).
Howell appears to be the only angler among the trio who were disqualified and received zero points at Santee Cooper who's in any danger of having that penalty cost him a Classic berth. Kevin VanDam (4th in the points) and Alton Jones (22nd) were the other two.
Howell fished solidly prior to the DQ and has been strong since. Meanwhile, VanDam is making another run at the AOY (the chances of that seemed improbable back in April, but this is KVD we're talking about) and is riding a streak of three straight Top 10s in Elite Series events (not to mention a 2nd at the recent Bassmaster American Major).
Jones has bounced back nicely as well, with three Top 20s and no finishes outside the Top 50 since Santee Cooper.
Clunn, who's fished the Classic more times than anybody, can secure his 31st berth by moving up four spots over the next two tournaments.
