World Standings Jockeying to be Expected in San Jose

SAN JOSE, Calif. – How much closer can the World Championship race become?

With the Top-5 riders in the world standings separated by only 560 points, current world leader Eduardo Aparecido will be heading into this weekend’s Cooper Tires Take The Money and Ride, presented by Wrangler, as the tone setter for the race.

A victory at the final Built Ford Tough Series regular-season finale could push him another 700 points ahead of the field. Whereas a victory by any of his closest challengers could make the world title race that much closer come the 2017 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals on Nov. 1-5.

Aparecido leads No. 2 Cooper Davis by 236.67 points. No. 3 Kaique Pacheco (-412.5 points), No. 4 Derek Kolbaba (-510 points) and No. 5 Jess Lockwood (-552.5 points) could also potentially leave San Jose as the new world No. 1 bull rider.

Hater (1-0, BFTS) stands in Aparecido’s way in Round 1 on Saturday night. This will be Hater’s second BFTS out after he bucked off Cody Nance in 5.39 seconds way back in January in Sacramento, California.

Davis used a sweep of the event title and 15/15 Bucking Battle last year in San Jose during his march toward the world title.

This year things are different with Davis heading into the Bay Area riding a tad bit of a cool streak. After winning the 15/15 Bucking Battle and placing third in Austin, Texas, last month, Davis is only 4-for-12 in the last three events.

Davis will attempt to get back on track against War Cry (6-2, BFTS). War Cry was recently ridden by Claudio Montanha Jr. for 85.25 points in Tacoma, Washington, and has been a good fit for right-handed riders.

Pacheco is only 7-for-23 since Sept. 1, but he is still very much alive in the world title race if he can get back to riding like the World Champion contender he was in 2015 and 2016.

The 23-year-old will look to start things off with a qualified in Round 1 against Blackberry Smoke (1-3, BFTS). No. 6 Chase Outlaw won Round 1 in Nampa, Idaho, with an 88.75-point ride on Blackberry Smoke.

Pacheco and Outlaw are the only two riders in the Top 6 six with rematches in San Jose.

Outlaw will first half to get past Moldy (0-0, BFTS) in Round 1, but he has a tremendous rematch on Sunday against Americana (13-14, BFTS). Outlaw rode Americana for 91 points last year at a Touring Pro Division event and for 85.25 points two years ago at the World Finals.

Pacheco takes on Calypso, who he has previously ridden for 85.25 points two years ago, in Round 2.

Meanwhile, Kolbaba and Lockwood have drawn Hitman (1-1, BFTS) and Devil in a Bottle (7-2, BFTS), respectively, for Round 1.

Joao Ricardo Vieira rode Hitman for 85.5 points in Nampa.

In other San Jose draw news, the race to qualify for the World Finals got that much more contested this week with the announcement that two-time World Champion J.B. Mauney will be competing at the World Finals.

The decision has a huge impact on the race at the bottom of the world standings as the No. 35 ranking in the world standings truly is the cutoff to qualify for the World Finals.

If Mauney had decided to remain out for the season, the No. 36 spot in the world standings at the conclusion of the Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour Finals would have qualified.

There are currently no riders inside the Top 35 expected to miss the World Finals because of injuries.

However, there are no guarantees how many rounds Mauney, No. 14 Matt Triplett (torn labrum), No. 17 Stetson Lawrence (torn groin) may be able to last.

Regardless, the necessity to be ranked within the Top 35 is now even larger for any of the bubble riders competing at PBR sanctioned events in San Jose, California; Tucson, Arizona; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Mackay, Australia, this weekend

The Top 35 qualifiers for the World Finals will be set based on the world standings after the Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour Finals on Oct. 30.

Five Wild Card riders from the Velocity Tour Finals will also qualify: the top international invite performer, the top two riders in the Velocity Tour final standings and the top two riders in the event results.

Lachlan Richardson is currently the holder of the final 35^th spot this weekend in San Jose, but he is only 3.75 points ahead of No. 36 Troy Wilkinson.

Richardson has drawn Gangster Can Do for Round 1 and Wilkinson will face off against Just Juan (8-5, BFTS).

Wilkinson is one of five alternates competing in San Jose.

No. 37 Alex Marcilio (-30 points behind Richardson), No. 38 Jordan Hansen (-52.5 points), No. 39 Nathan Burtenshaw (-79.17 points) and No. 40 Skeeter Kingsolver are replacements in the draw for Mauney, Lawrence, No. 20 Shane Proctor, No. 24 Dakota Buttar (personal) and No. 33 Aaron Kleier (personal).

Buttar opted to stay home as wildfires rage within 20 miles of his home in Kindersley, Saskatchewan, while Kleier continues to compete at PBR Australia events.

There are two invites competing in San Jose as well.

No. 78 Colten Jesse, who won the Velocity Tour event in Corpus Christi, Texas, last week, and No. 79 Francisco Morales – the No. 1 rider from PBR Mexico. The 35-year-old is competing at a BFTS event on American soil.

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko