The 2018 Rookie of the Year race is truly setting up to be a race to the finish. Prior to this event the top contenders were Jake Whitaker, Ray Hanselman and Roy Hawk. He came out of the gate strong at the first event on Lake Martin, while scoring 2nd- and 3rd-place finishes early in the season. Hanselman, a Texas pro, took it away in his home state with a strong finish at Lake Travis. Whitaker gained ground at the Mississippi River while his fellow contenders did not.
And here we are at the St. Lawrence River. Going into Day 3, Hawk and Whitaker were tied for first place with 521 points apiece. Hanselman struggled and fell out of the race, missing the cut and finishing 64th. Hawk started the day tied in points with him and was 19th in the event. If Hawk moves up from 19th he will have the outright lead, but if he falls below the lead goes back to Whitaker.