Poll Position presented by Keyser Manufacturing

Top 25: Hawkeye 100 win keeps Pierce on top

August 25, 2026, 7:41 am

By Kevin Kovac

DirtonDirt senior writer

Bobby Pierce (joshjamesartwork.com)

Enjoying a two-victory Iowa Speedweek that included a record-setting World of Outlaws Late Model Series checkered flag, Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., remained atop DirtonDirt’s power rankings for the fourth consecutive week.

Pierce, 29, started the four-race, two-tour stretch with a $20,000 FloRacing Night in America triumph at Marshalltown Speedway and ended it with a $25,000 WoO score in the Hawkeye 100 finale at Maquoketa Speedway. The Maquoketa success was his 19th of the season on the WoO circuit, establishing a new single-season win standard.

Earning nine of the 10 first-place votes in the Keyser Manufacturing-sponsored Top 25, Pierce fell just short of another unanimous No. 1 ranking. He was denied by Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., who received the other first-place nod while rising one spot to No. 2 on the strength of his Iowa Speedway championship-winning performance in the Kevin Rumley-owned No. 6 that included two victories and two podium finishes.

Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., slipped one position to No. 3, though he still was consistently solid throughout Iowa Speedweek. He was a runner-up in the opener at Marshalltown and didn’t finish worse than sixth.

Staying in the fourth and fifth spots were Nick Hoffman of Mooresville, N.C., who topped out with a second-place finish during Iowa Speedweek, and Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., who ran only the WoO twinbill at Maquoketa and tallied a third-place finish in the finale.

New to the poll was Drake Troutman of Hyndman, Pa., who returned at No. 23 after scoring a weekly win at Selinsgrove (Pa.) Speedway and finishing second at Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway. Cody Overton of Evans, Ga., dropped out of the Top 25.

Daulton Wilson of Fayetteville, N.C., whose had a pair of seventh-place runs at Maquoketa, was up four spots to No. 21. Other risers included Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz. (up two to No. 7 after three straight top-fives in Iowa) and Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., who picked up another spot to reach No. 13 as his summer hot streak continued with a $12,000 Hunt Front Super Dirt Series triumph at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn.

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 and finishes Iowa Speedweek with victories — setting a WoO single-season win record in the process — while adding third- and sixth-place finishes. Three more nights in Iowa with Outlaws before he starts prepping for World 100. Series points: 1st (WoO); 5th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 1st (nc)

2. Hudson O'Neal, Martinsville, Ind.

Comment: Two wins (FloRacing at Mason City, WoO at Maquoketa) highlight Hawkeye State stretch with Rumley No. 6 that also includes pair of podium finishes. Back in SSI Motorsports ride for Port Royal’s $50,000-to-win weekend. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil); 2nd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 3rd (+1)

3. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.

Comment: Runner-up finish in opener at Marshalltown is high-water mark of Iowa Speedweek, but subsequent runs of sixth, fourth and fifth keep Rocket1 team in the mix. Lucas Oil title chase resumes this weekend at Port Royal. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil); 1st (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 2nd (-1)

4. Nick Hoffman, Mooresville, N.C.

Comment: Runner-up at Mason City is one of two top-fives in Iowa for driver who salvages ninth-place finish in Maquoketa finale after rolling onto roof. Chance to rebound with WoO stops at Iowa’s Southern Iowa, Adams County and Shelby County. Series points: 2nd (WoO); 4th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 4th (nc)

5. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.

Comment: Lured to Maquoketa’s Hawkeye 100 by promoter Jeff Hoker, logs one bad night (23rd) and one good one (third). Eyeing big Lucas Oil payday at Port Royal. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 5th (nc)

6. Devin Moran, Dresden, Ohio

Comment: Tallies top-five FloRacing finishes at Marshalltown and Mason City before parking car for weekend to attend wedding of wife’s cousin in Montana. Ready for Port Royal’s doubleheader. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil); 3rd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 6th (nc)

7. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.

Comment: Progressively better finishes in Iowa (fifth, fourth, third) end with motor trouble in Maquoketa’s closer. Looking forward to defending Rumble by the River victory at Port Royal, where he’s won four times over last two years. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil); 7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 9th (+2)

8. Tyler Erb, New Waverly, Texas

Comment: Miserable Iowa Speedweek includes top finish of 10th at Mason City and a rollover in Maquoketa’s finale. Needs reset for final three nights of WoO swing through Hawkeye State. Series points: 3rd (WoO); 6th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 7th (-1)

9. Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.

Comment: Battling on Hunt the Front circuit, loses top-five at Tazewell because of mechanical trouble before running fifth at Smoky Mountain. Travels north to Port Royal for Rumble by the River. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil); 7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 8th (-1)

10. Josh Rice, Crittenden, Ky.

Comment: Departs Iowa after 17th-place FloRacing result at Marshalltown, then roars to $20,000 sweep of Northern Allstars doubleheader at Circle City and Brownstown. First trip to Port Royal on tap. Series points: 8th (Lucas Oil); 8th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 10th (nc)

11. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.

Comment: Runner-up finish in Maquoketa’s WoO opener is best of three top-10 runs during Iowa Speedweek. Briggs Transport team stays in Midwest for three more WoO shows in Hawkeye State. Series points: 4th (WoO). Previous ranking: 11th (nc)

12. Max Blair, Centerville, Pa.

Comment: Week spent working in Pennsylvania shop includes weekly show victory at nearby Tri-City Raceway Park. Staying in home state for Lucas Oil’s visit to Port Royal. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 12th (nc)

13. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.

Comment: Summer hot streak continues with $12,000 Hunt the Front triumph at Smoky Mountain. Next start to be announced. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 14th (+1)

14. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa

Comment: Speedweek in his home state doesn’t provide success he envisioned with pair of sevenths his best outings. Has three more chances for glory in front of familiar faces. Series points: 5th (WoO); 10th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 13th (-1)

15. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.

Comment: Logs second-place finish at Smoky Mountain. Likely will sit idle until World 100. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 16th (+1)

16. Ashton Winger, Hampton, Ga.

Comment: Maintains Hunt the Front points lead after using start-and-park outing at Tazewell as a drop and finishing sixth at Smoky Mountain. Taking last weekend of August off before spending Labor Day weekend racing with MARS at La Salle, Farmer City and Fairbury. Series points: 1st (HTF); 1st (Southern Thunder). Previous ranking: 15th (-1)

17. Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill.

Comment: Iowa Speedweek assault produces pair of top-10 finishes. Hitting midweek WoO show at Southern Iowa before returning to MARS trail at Benton, Pevely and Belle-Clair. Series points: 2nd (MARS); 2nd (Summer Nationals); 8th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 17th (nc)

18. Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.

Comment: Topless 100 winner flashes speed during Iowa Speedweek but eighth at Mason City is lone top-10 finish. Points hauler east for Port Royal’s rich weekend. Series points: 13th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 19th (+1)

T19. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.

Comment: Fails to crack top-10 in four Iowa Speedweek starts. Hoping for turnaround in final three WoO shows in Hawkeye State. Series points: 6th (WoO). Previous ranking: 18th (-1)

T19. Tanner English, Benton, Ky.

Comment: Records pair of top-10s in Northern Allstars competition at Circle City and Brownstown. Planning MARS tripleheader at Benton, Pevely and Belle-Clair. Series points: Champion (Summer Nationals); 8th (MARS). Previous ranking: 20th (+1)

21. Daulton Wilson, Fayetteville, N.C.

Comment: Solid WoO weekend at Maquoketa with back-to-back seventh-place finishes. Big Frog team sticking around Iowa for three more WoO shows. Series points: 7th (WoO). Previous ranking: 25th (+4)

22. Garrett Alberson, Las Cruces, N.M.

Comment: After successful facial surgery for North-South 100 injuries, timeline for return to action remains at more than month. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 21st (-1)

23. Drake Troutman, Hyndman, Pa.

Comment: Primed for Lucas Oil weekend at Port Royal after tuneup weekend yields win at Selinsgrove and runner-up at Port. Series points: None. Previous ranking: Unranked

24. Trey Mills, St. Augustine, Fla.

Comment: Doesn’t reach top-10 in either WoO starts in Iowa. Hoping to get back on track with remainder of WoO swing in Hawkeye State. Series points: 8th (WoO). Previous ranking: 23rd (-1)

25. Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.

Comment: Keeps Late Model in shop for second straight weekend. Next start TBA. Series points: 1st (Comp Cams). Previous ranking: 22nd (-3)

Dropped out: Cody Overton

Others receiving votes: Zack Mitchell, Brian Shirley, Cody Overton, Eli Ross, Clay Harris, Ryan Unzicker, Chris Madden, Sam Seawright, Carson Ferguson, Gregg Satterlee, Dalton Cook, Joseph Joiner.

Editor’s note: Upcoming plans for drivers based on publicized schedules and best known information.