Poll Position presented by Keyser
Top 25: Red-hot J.D. grabs No. 1 spot
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com managing editor
Jonathan Davenport. (joshjamesartwork.com)
Spurred by three victories and a pair of runner-up finishes over eight days and among three racing organizations, Jonathan Davenport jetted to the top of DirtonDirt.com's Top 25 power rankings.
The 38-year-old Blairsville, Ga., driver on the verge of entering May without a victory came alive in late April with an XR Super Series victory at All-Tech Speedway in Ellisville, Fla. ($50,000), a Castrol FloRacing Night in America victory at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway ($22,022) and a World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series victory at a dirt-covered Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway ($25,000).
Davenport grabbed the No. 1 spot for the 43rd time in his career, tying him with Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., for fourth on the all-time list.
In collecting seven first-place votes to knock Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., out of the top spot in the polling presenting by Keyser Manufacturing, Davenport also sprinkled in second-place finishes in Castrol action at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, and in the final dirt event of the season at Bristol.
Madden, who received three first-place votes, slipped to second despite a pair of top-five finishes at Bristol, where two victories a month earlier had put him in the No. 1 spot. Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., dropped to third after a pair of top-fives in Castrol action while Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., and Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., landed in the fourth and fifth spots.
Along with Davenport, other weekend winners made significant climbs, too, with Ricky Weiss of Headingley, Manitoba, up five positions to No. 9 after capturing the $25,000 Bristol finale. NASCAR Cup Series champ Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, Calif., who deftly handled a difficult surface in winning the Castrol tour opener at Ohio's Eldora Speedway, rose seven spots to No. 13 after a busy and successful week of Dirt Late Model action and Gregg Satterlee of Indiana, Pa., notched his richest victory of the season at Bedford (Pa.) Speedway to rise to No. 17 from his previous No. 22 slot.
The poll had no newcomers, but among others receiving votes were Kyle Hammer of Clinton, Ill., the top WoO performer in Bristol's big weekend, and Payton Freeman of Commerce, Ga., who won at Boyd's Speedway in Ringgold, Ga., for his first Valvoline Iron-Man Racing Series victory.
Voting is done by a 10-member committee made up of staffers and contributors to determine the Top 25 power rankings: Richard Allen, Jeff Broeg, Kelley Carlton, Ryan Delph, Robert Holman, Derek Kessinger, Kevin Kovac, Kyle McFadden, Mike Ruefer and Kyle Symons. Results are compiled and tabulated by Todd Turner, who serves as a voting alternate.
Rankings are tentatively scheduled for every Tuesday through mid-November, weather permitting.
1. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: Three victories over eight-day stretch at All-Tech, Brownstown and Bristol get things rolling for newly bespectacled driver; he's heading for Mississippi Thunder. Series points: 1st (Castrol); 2nd (XRSS). Previous ranking: T5th (+4)
2. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
Comment: Top-fives in WoO action at Bristol are solid, but doesn't match his $225,000+ take during XR Super Series action at Thunder Valley; Colossal 100 next up. Series points: 1st (XRSS). Previous ranking: 1st (-1)
3. Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.
Comment: Posts top-fives in Eldora and Brownstown's Castrol tour action, but passes on return to Bristol. His upcoming schedule uncertain. Series points: 3rd (Castrol); 6th (XRSS). Previous ranking: 2nd (-1)
4. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
Comment: After Eldora (fourth) and Brownstown (seventh), he'll formally begin his pursuit of the Lucas Oil title with Kentucky doubleheader at Ponderosa and Florence. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil); 4th (Castrol). Previous ranking: 3rd (-1)
5. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.
Comment: Engine refresh requires a break, but Shane McDowell Racing is targeting four nights of Colossal 100 action at Charlotte come mid-May. Series points: 4th (XRSS). Previous ranking: T5th (nc)
6. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Castrol performance at Eldora and Brownstown forgettable, but he tunes up for Florence's Ralph Latham Memorial with $3,000 victory. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 7th (+1)
7. Devin Moran, Dresden, Ohio
Comment: Skipping Castrol action and raining out on Lucas Oil tour, he returns to national series for Bluegrass State events at Ponderosa and Florence. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 4th (-3)
8. Tyler Erb, New Waverly, Texas
Comment: Debuts Longhorn at Eldora but learns little in shakedown; he'll be back in Best Performance Rocket for Lucas Oil's Kentucky twinbill. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 8th (nc)
9. Ricky Weiss, Headingley, Manitoba
Comment: His speed at Bristol finally pays off with $25,000 WoO victory in finale, but he lets previous night's lead slip away in final laps. Series points: 8th (XRSS). Previous ranking: 14th (+5)
10. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
Comment: After a solid third-place finish in Castrol tour action at Brownstown, he'll compete in Kentucky's Lucas Oil action at a pair of familiar tracks in Ponderosa and Florence. Series points: 9th (Castrol). Previous ranking: 11th (+1)
11. Chris Ferguson, Mount Holly, N.C.
Comment: Skipping a return to Bristol, he'll hit Florence's Latham Memorial before heading back to North Carolina for Charlotte's Colossal 100. Series points: 3rd (XRSS). Previous ranking: 9th (-2)
12. Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, Ill.
Comment: Not competitive at Bristol, WoO points leader will face more tough interlopers with $50,000 up for grabs in Mississippi Thunder finale. Series points: 1st (WoO). Previous ranking: 10th (-2)
13. Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, Calif.
Comment: Captures Castrol FloRacing Night in America opener at Eldora, giving him six winning divisions at the Big E. Adds a pair of top-fives and a near-miss at Bristol, where penalty rubs him wrong. Series points: 2nd (Castrol). Previous ranking: 20th (+7)
14. Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
Comment: Sixth and 10th at Bristol, his long-expected departure from Lucas Oil tour now set for his weekend trip to Mississippi Thunder for WoO tripleheader. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil); 9th (XRSS). Previous ranking: 12th (-2)
15. Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
Comment: Posts a runner-up finish in Castrol action at Brownstown and points his No. 32 toward Wisconsin for Mississippi Thunder's WoO visit. Series points: 5th (Castrol). Previous ranking: 13th (-2)
16. Max Blair, Centerville, Pa.
Comment: Middling week of action at Eldora and Bristol sends him to Mississippi Thunder, where he's suddenly among favorites in WoO title chase. Series points: 2nd (WoO). Previous ranking: 15th (-1)
17. Gregg Satterlee, Indiana, Pa.
Comment: Never worse than third in seven 2022 starts, he adds $12,086 to team's coffers with a victory at Bedford's Billy Winn Classic. ULMS action up next. Series points: 1st (ULMS). Previous ranking: 22nd (+5)
18. Hudson O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: After Double Down driver takes a weekend off thanks to rain, he'll try to return to form on Lucas Oil circuit at Ponderosa and Florence, where he was strong last season. Series points: 9th (Lucas Oil); 8th (Castrol). Previous ranking: 16th (-2)
19. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
Comment: Fifth in Castrol tour opener at Eldora and 10th the following night at Brownstown, he'll return to Lucas Oil with a pair of Kentucky outings. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil); 7th (Castrol). Previous ranking: T17th (-2)
20. Ashton Winger, Hampton, Ga.
Comment: Not in the mix of Castrol tour races at Eldora or Brownstown, he'll resume his rookie pursuit on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. Series points: 8th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 19th (-1)
21. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
Comment: Fourth in Bristol opener, engine woes keep him out of finale. He's targeting Florence for the Ralph Latham Memorial before a four-day trip to Charlotte. Series points: 7th (XRSS). Previous ranking: T17th (-4)
22. Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.
Comment: Lengthy, weather-caused break continues. Papich Racing driver will suit back up for Lucas Oil action at Ponderosa and Florence. Series points: 8th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 21st (-1)
23. Josh Rice, Verona, Ky.
Comment: Finished third at Florence in Latham Memorial tuneup. He'll try for a repeat in the $15,000 Lucas Oil event. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 23rd (nc)
24. Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.
Comment: Contenders in Castrol tour opener before shredding a tire late at Eldora (he ended up sixth). He's not a contender in two more Bristol events. Series points: 5th (XRSS). Previous ranking: 24th (nc)
25. Shane Clanton, Zebulon, Ga.
Comment: After a ninth-place Castrol run at Brownstown, he'll rejoin weather-plagued Lucas Oil Series for events at Ponderosa and Florence. Series points: 10th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 25th (nc)
Dropped out: None
