Poll Position presented by Keyser Manufacturing
Top 25: J.D. inches up, Dotson makes jump
By Kevin Kovac
DirtonDirt senior writer
Jonathan Davenport (joshjamesartwork.com)
With record-setting Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., rolling on as the No. 1-ranked driver in DirtonDirt’s power rankings for a fifth consecutive week, a resurgent Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., jumped forward to the third spot thanks to a $50,000 victory in Saturday’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Rumble by the River at Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway.
Pierce, 29, earned nine of the 10 first-place votes in the Keyser Manufacturing-sponsored Top 25 poll after capping a five-race World of Outlaws Late Model Series swing through Iowa with a solid week highlighted by a $20,000 victory Friday at Corning’s Adams County Speedway, pushing his single-season tour record win total to 20. He also finished fifth on Wednesday at Southern Iowa Raceway in Oskaloosa but experienced a frustrating outing on Saturday at Harlan’s Shelby County Speedway where he settled for a 13th-place finish after he couldn’t avoid hitting leader Daulton Wilson’s sideways car while making a last-lap bid for the win.
Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., received one first-place vote remained in the No. 2 slot following a week a steady weekend at Port Royal topped by a fifth-place finish in Saturday’s finale, but rising up behind him was Davenport. The 42-year-old superstar gained two spots in the poll after finishing third in Port Royal’s opener and then snapping a two-month winless skid with a flag-to-flag triumph in Saturday’s 50-lap headliner.
Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., who failed to crack the top-five at Port Royal, fell one spot to No. 4 and Nick Hoffman of Mooresville, N.C., also lost a position to sit at No. 5 after recording two top-fives in three WoO starts in the Hawkeye State.
Positions 8-14 remained status quo, but elevating to No. 15 was Ethan Dotson of Bakersfield, Calif. He made the week’s biggest jump, gaining four spots after finishing second Wednesday at Southern Iowa Raceway and pulling off a last-lap pass on Saturday at Shelby County for a $20,000 triumph that was his first of the season on the WoO circuit.
Rejoining the poll was a pair of South Carolina drivers: Gray Court’s Chris Madden (two fourth-place finishes at Port Royal) and Enoree’s Zack Mitchell (Southern All Star win at Kentucky’s Ponderosa Speedway). Dropping out of the rankings was Trey Mills of St. Augustine, Fla., and Cade Dillard of Robeline, La.
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: Pushes WoO single-season win record to 20 with Adams County victory, but Iowa swing ends on frustrating note at Shelby County with 13th-place finish after he runs into sideways Daulton Wilson while bidding for lead on last lap. World 100 assault up next. Series points: 1st (WoO); 5th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 1st (nc)
2. Hudson O'Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: Gains ground in Lucas Oil points with finishes of sixth and fifth at Port Royal, then has rare run out of the up-front mix driving Rumley No. 6 with 10th-place result in Tyler County’s Country Roads 100. Has a home-turf Northern Allstars show at Brownstown, Ind., on agenda. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil); 2nd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 2nd (nc)
3. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: Ends two-month absence from victory lane with $50,000 Rumble by the River win at Port Royal after 13th-to-third run in prelim. Now shifted into Eldora mode with chase for record-tying sixth World 100 globe trophy coming up. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 5th (+2)
4. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
Comment: Sees Lucas Oil points lead shrink with quiet seventh- and 12th-place finishes at Port Royal. Likely jumping into family-owned No. B5 for holiday weekend MARS action in Land of Lincoln. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil); 1st (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 3rd (-1)
5. Nick Hoffman, Mooresville, N.C.
Comment: Unable to snap winless streak stretching back to June 3, but WoO finishes of third at Adams County and fifth at Shelby County close Iowa trip on solid note. He’ll run this weekend in his car owner Tye Twarog’s home state at Portsmouth and Eldora. Series points: 2nd (WoO); 4th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 4th (-1)
6. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
Comment: Port Royal once again his happy place with $10,000 opening-night triumph and runner-up finish in finale. Contemplating Labor Day action with Lucas Oil Series idle. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil); 7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 7th (+1)
7. Devin Moran, Dresden, Ohio
Comment: Enhances chances for Lucas Oil title defense with finishes of second and sixth at Port Royal. Has big home-region weekend planned with high-paying races at Attica, Portsmouth and West Virginia Motor. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil); 3rd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 6th (-1)
8. Tyler Erb, New Waverly, Texas
Comment: Ends stretch of Iowa racing with strong three-night WoO burst, winning at speedy Oskaloosa and running fourth and sixth at Adams County and Shelby County. Trio of holiday-weekend Ohio shows ahead at Attica, Portsmouth and Eldora. Series points: 3rd (WoO); 6th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 8th (nc)
9. Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.
Comment: Fades to 12th-place finish in Port Royal opener but rebounds with third-place run in finale. Planning a World 100 tuneup in Sunday’s Baltes Classic at Eldora. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil); 7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 9th (nc)
10. Josh Rice, Crittenden, Ky.
Comment: First visit to Port Royal brings struggles with 10th- and 17th-place finishes. Eyeing Portsmouth’s unsanctioned $20,000 prize on Saturday. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil); 8th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 10th (nc)
11. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Scores runner-up finish at Adams County between pair of seventh-place runs during final week of WoO swing through Iowa. Massaging Briggs Transport equipment for World 100 competition. Series points: 4th (WoO). Previous ranking: 11th (nc)
12. Max Blair, Centerville, Pa.
Comment: Starts Port Royal weekend with fifth-place finish but misses top-10 by a spot in 50-lap finale. Has Lernerville’s Tuesday 100-lapper and Friday’s five-figure Iron-Man show at Attica on upcoming schedule. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 12th (nc)
13. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
Comment: Summer hot streak cools off with trouble-filled outings at Ponderosa and Lake Cumberland keeping him from top-10. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 13th (nc)
14. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa
Comment: Tallies a fifth-place finish at Adams County, but it’s his best of the week as he goes winless in WoO swing through his home state. Series points: 5th (WoO); 10th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 14th (nc)
15. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.
Comment: Closes Iowa trip with a bang, finishing second at Oskaloosa and pulling off dramatic last-lap pass at Shelby County for first WoO victory of the season. Series points: 6th (WoO). Previous ranking: T19th (+4)
16. Ashton Winger, Hampton, Ga.
Comment: After idle weekend, plotting Midwest trip to tackle La Salle, Farmer City, Fairbury and Eldora. Series points: 1st (HTF); 1st (Southern Thunder). Previous ranking: 16th (nc)
17. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.
Comment: Takes weekend off with focus fully on World 100. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 15th (-2)
18. Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill.
Comment: Records pair of top-five finishes in three St. Louis-area MARS events, including runner-up at Pevely. More MARS action on tap at La Salle, Farmer City and Fairbury. Series points: 2nd (MARS); 2nd (Summer Nationals); 8th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 17th (-1)
19. Tanner English, Benton, Ky.
Comment: Survives rough conditions for MARS triumph at Benton and adds runner-up finish in tour’s stop at reconstructed Belle-Clair. More MARS action coming up at Farmer City and Fairbury. Series points: Champion (Summer Nationals); 7th (MARS). Previous ranking: T19th (nc)
20. Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
Comment: Continues strong showings at Port Royal, finishing 11th in opener and rising to seventh in finale after a heat win. Has West Virginia Motor’s Hillbilly Hundred on schedule. Series points: 13th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 18th (-2)
21. Daulton Wilson, Fayetteville, N.C.
Comment: Absorbs heartbreaking final-lap WoO loss at Shelby County, but second-place finish completes solid three-race week that also included runs of fourth and seventh. Series points: 7th (WoO). Previous ranking: 21st (nc)
22. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
Comment: Haul north to Port Royal is productive with pair of fourth-place finishes. Readying to take another shot at elusive crown jewel glory at Eldora. Series points: None. Previous ranking: Unranked
23. Drake Troutman, Hyndman, Pa.
Comment: Forgettable three-race weekend with finishes of 15th and 19th (Port Royal) and 17th (Tyler County). Shooting for a turnaround starting with Tuesday’s 100-lapper at Lernerville. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 23rd (nc)
24. Zack Mitchell, Enoree, S.C.
Comment: Bags second victory in as many weeks for Team 22 Inc. with Southern All Stars at Ponderosa. Busy holiday weekend ahead with visits planned to Lavonia, Lake View and Cherokee. Series points: None. Previous ranking: Unranked
25. Garrett Alberson, Las Cruces, N.M.
Comment: Remains sidelined recovering from facial injuries suffered Aug. 8 at Florence. Series points: 8th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 22nd (-3)
Dropped out: Trey Mills, Cade Dillard
Others receiving votes: Brian Shirley, Shannon Babb, Trey Mills, Cade Dillard, Eli Ross, Dylan Thornton, Cody Overton, Chris Ferguson, Sam Seawright, Carson Ferguson, Ryan Unzicker, Mason Zeigler, Garrett Smith, Gregg Satterlee.
Editor’s note: Upcoming plans for drivers based on publicized schedules and best known information.
