Poll Position presented by Keyser Manufacturing
Top 25: Pierce-chasing Hoffman up to No. 2
By Kevin Kovac
DirtonDirt senior writer
Nick Hoffman (joshjamesartwork.com)
Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., retained the No. 1 spot in DirtonDirt’s power rankings for the second consecutive, but — just like in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series points standings — he has Nick Hoffman of Mooresville, N.C., breathing down his neck.
While the 29-year-old Pierce claimed nine first-place votes in the Keyser Manufacturing-sponsored Top 25 poll, Hoffman, 34, picked up the other first-place nod and vaulted three spots to No. 2 following a four-race WoO swing that he capped by scoring a career-high $100,057 victory in Saturday’s Blaster 57 Special at Mansfield (Ohio) Speedway.
Pierce, who leads the WoO standings by a scant nine points over Hoffman, enjoyed a solid trip east with a $30,000 triumph in last Wednesday’s Conor Bobik Memorial at Marion Center (Pa.) Raceway and third-place finishes on Thursday at Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio, and in Friday’s opener at Mansfield. He never contended for the lead in Mansfield’s 57-lap finale but charged from the 22nd starting spot to finish sixth.
Hoffman preceded his lucrative checkered flag at Mansfield — his WoO single-season career-high sixth win of 2026 — with solid outings at Wayne County (second) and in Mansfield’s Friday preliminary (seventh).
Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., who recorded two podium finishes and no run worse than seventh while splitting the four WoO races between Kevin Rumley’s No. 6 and the SSI Motorsports No. 71, dipped one spot to No. 3. Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., slid one rung to No. 4 after topping out at fifth in Mansfield’s finale over his three WoO starts and the idle Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., fell one spot to No. 5.
Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, was the week’s biggest mover, gaining five spots to land at No. 8 registering four top-10 WoO outings highlighted by a career-high $100,000 triumph in Mansfield’s 40-lap opener. Garrett Alberson of Las Cruces, N.M., who led the majority of Mansfield’s finale before a late restart bobble left him as the runner-up, also climbed multiple positions with a two-spot jump to No. 10.
There were three newcomers to the Top 25: No. 21 Cade Dillard of Robeline, La. (swept Comp Cams Super Dirt Series events at Arkansas’s 67 Speedway of Texarkana and his home state’s ArkLaTex Speedway); No. 23 Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill. (MARS tour winner Saturday at Red Hill Raceway in Sumner, Ill.); and No. 25 Joseph Joiner of Milton, Fla. ($20,000 Northern Allstars sweep at Indiana’s Bloomington and Brownstown speedways).
Dropping out of the poll was Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., Clay Harris of Jupiter, Fla., and Chris Ferguson of Mount Holly, N.C.
Voting is done by a 10-member committee made up of staffers and contributors to determine the Top 25 power rankings: Richard Allen, Bryan Ault, Jeff Broeg, Kelley Carlton, Ryan Delph, Josh James, Kevin Kovac, Kyle McFadden, Mike Ruefer and Kyle Symons. Results are compiled and tabulated by Todd Turner, who serves as a voting alternate along with fellow staffer Aaron Clay.
Rankings appear Tuesdays through mid-November provided at least half of the drivers in the current rankings are in action in the previous week.
1. Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
Comment: Starts WoO swing with $30,000 victory at Marion Center, then adds two thirds before capping trip with sixth in Mansfield’s finale. Ready to chase first-ever Dream win. Series points: 1st (WoO); 3rd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 1st (nc)
2. Nick Hoffman, Mooresville, N.C.
Comment: Long top-10 feature streak ends at Marion Center, but that’s forgotten after career-high $100,057 triumph in Mansfield’s Blast 57 Special. Confidence riding high heading to Eldora. Series points: 2nd (WoO).; 6th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 5th (+3)
3. Hudson O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: Splits WoO week between Rumley No. 6 (second, seventh) and SSI Motorsports No. 71 (fifth, third). Arrives at Dream as Dirt Late Model division’s winningest driver of 2026. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil); 2nd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 2nd (-1)
4. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
Comment: After flat tire robs shot at Wayne County WoO win, tops out during waltz through Ohio with fifth-place finish in Mansfield’s finale. Eyeing first crown jewel victory since return to Rocket1 seat last year as Dream arrives. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil); 1st (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 3rd (-1)
5. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: Takes weekend off to gear up for Eldora, where he’ll seek an unprecedented fourth straight Dream triumph. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 4th (-1)
6. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
Comment: Captures $12,000 WoO check at Wayne County but doesn’t finish better than 20th at Mansfield. Hoping to add Dream checkered flag to last year’s World 100 victory. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: T6th (nc)
7. Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.
Comment: Falls just short of six-figure payday with runner-up finish in Mansfield’s opener. Can he regain Eldora magic and join Davenport as a four-time Dream winner? Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil); 7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 8th (+1)
8. Tyler Erb, New Waverly, Texas
Comment: Displays utter joy in victory lane after grabbing career-high $100,000 booty for winning Mansfield’s opener. Hopes to extend success to Eldora, the track closest to his Best Performance Motorsports team’s race shop. Series points: 3rd (WoO); 4th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 13th (+5)
9. Devin Moran, Dresden, Ohio
Comment: Three home-state starts yield two sixths before falling to 19th in Mansfield finale. Will try again for first Eldora crown jewel victory. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil); 5th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: T6th (-3)
10. Garrett Alberson, Las Cruces, N.M.
Comment: Leads majority of Mansfield’s Blast 57 Special but settles for $25,000 second-place finish after late restart bobble. Running as strong as he has all season entering Dream week. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 12th (+2)
11. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa
Comment: Forgettable four-race WoO trip to Pennsylvania and Ohio doesn’t net a single top-10 finish. Needs a turnaround at Eldora. Series points: 6th (WoO). Previous ranking: 9th (-2)
12. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Fails to finish better than 11th during frustrating WoO week that ends with promising Mansfield finale run being dive-bombed by two early incidents that sweep him up. It’s a new day, though, when Briggs Transport team arrives at Eldora. Series points: 5th (WoO). Previous ranking: T10th (-2)
13. Max Blair, Centerville, Pa.
Comment: Runs fifth at Wayne County but retires early in both Mansfield features, then gets knocked from lead in Sunday Eriez Speedway after tangling with a lapped car. Eldora on tap. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: T10th (-3)
14. Drake Troutman, Hyndman, Pa.
Comment: Stands on podium at Marion Center but doesn’t finish higher than 10th rest of WoO week. Looking to crack Dream finale’s starting field for second time in as many attempts. Series points: 4th (WoO). Previous ranking: 14th (nc)
15. Josh Rice, Crittenden, Ky.
Comment: Stands out at Mansfield with fourth on Friday and top-five run in finale until rearend and radiator trouble ends hopes. Returning to Eldora one year after winning a $30,000 Dream prelim. Series points: 9th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 16th (+1)
16. Daulton Wilson, Fayetteville, N.C.
Comment: No fun in Pennsylvania and Ohio with 10th-place finish at Marion Center his best. Dream on agenda. Series points: 8th (WoO). Previous ranking: 15th (-1)
17. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
Comment: Cracks top-10 in Mansfield’s finale with ninth-place result. Anxious to take another stab at elusive Eldora crown jewel victory. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 18th (+1)
18. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
Comment: Fails to break into top-10 at Marion Center and Wayne County and then withdraws from Mansfield action after Friday’s heat races. Equipment ready for Eldora. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 17th (-1)
19. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.
Comment: Ninth-place finish in Mansfield’s opener is only result inside top-15 during WoO swing. ASD Motorsports hauler pointed toward Eldora. Series points: 7th (WoO). Previous ranking: 19th (nc)
20. Zack Mitchell, Enoree, S.C.
Comment: Time off has him ready for Eldora. Series points: 2nd (Hunt the Front); 7th (Spring Nationals). Previous ranking: T20th (nc)
21. Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
Comment: Sweeps Comp Cams weekend in Arkansas and Louisiana to tune of $10,000. Likely skipping Dream despite being pre-entered. Series points: 1st (Comp Cams). Previous ranking: Unranked
22. Ryan Unzicker, El Paso, Ill.
Comment: Claims third-place finish in MARS visit to Red Hill. Unsure of next action. Series points: 1st (MARS). Previous ranking: 22nd (nc)
23. Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill.
Comment: Eldora on docket after MARS victory at Red Hill. Series points: 2nd (MARS). Previous ranking: Unranked
24. Mason Zeigler, Chalk Hill, Pa.
Comment: Loses momentum during four-race WoO stretch, finishing 11th at Marion Center and 22nd at Wayne County before failing to qualify both nights at Mansfield. Looking to regain groove at Eldora. Series points: 1st (ULMS). Previous ranking: T20th (-4)
25. Joseph Joiner, Milton, Fla.
Comment: Makes long excursion to Indiana pay off with back-to-back $10,000 Northern Allstars triumphs at Bloomington and Brownstown. Hunt the Front driver’s trip moves on to Eldora. Series points: 3rd (Hunt the Front). Previous ranking: Unranked
Dropped out: Brian Shirley, Clay Harris, Chris Ferguson
Others receiving votes: Brian Shirley, Chris Ferguson, Trey Mills, Clay Harris, Dustin Sorensen, Dale McDowell, Gregg Satterlee, Kyle Bronson, Sam Seawright, Eli Ross, Jason Jameson.
