Poll Position presented by Keyser Manufacturing

Top 25: Modoc winners make major gains

October 27, 2026, 6:01 am

By Kevin Kovac

DirtonDirt senior writer

Cody Overton (joshjamesartwork.com)

As Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., maintained his hold on the No. 1 spot while spending the weekend moonlighting as a sprint car racer, Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., enjoyed a hot weekend in his native Southeast to shoot up DirtonDirt’s power rankings.

Thornton, 36, spent the weekend away from his Koehler Motorsports Dirt Late Model team to run 410 and 360 sprint cars in the Western World Championship at his home state’s Central Arizona Raceway, but his four-race win streak in the full-fender division kept him atop the Keyser Manufacturing-sponsored Top 25 poll for a second consecutive week. He received eight first-place votes with the other two nods going to Davenport, the soon-to-be 43-year-old star who rose four positions to No. 3.

Davenport had a very profitable weekend, ringing up podium finishes in all four of his starts. He started with a runner-up in Thursday’s FloRacing Night in America feature at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn., and a third-place outing in Friday’s World of Outlaws Late Model Series opener at Modoc (S.C.) Speedway, then ended the stretch with back-to-back wins in Modoc’s $25,000 finale and Sunday’s $30,000 Blue-Gray 100 at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C.

The idle Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., basking in his Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship, stayed at No. 2 in the poll. Nick Hoffman of Mooresville, N.C., fell one spot to No. 4 after registering two fifth-place finishes at Modoc and Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., held onto the No. 5 slot following a fifth at Bulls Gap and second in Modoc’s opener.

Cody Overton of Thomson, Ga., made the biggest advance in the rankings, vaulting five spots to No. 17 after celebrating his first-ever WoO triumph on Friday at Modoc. His $12,000 victory came at a track just 20 minutes from his native Evans, Ga.

Joining the Top 25 was Chris Madden of Gaffney, Ga., at No. 19 (three top-fives in four starts) and Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., who landed at No. 25 after snapping a year-long winless slump with a $20,000 FloRacing Night in America checkered flag at Volunteer. Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., and Ethan Dotson of Bakersfield, Calif., dropped out.

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. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.

Comment: Spends weekend back in native Arizona running wingless 410 and 360 sprint cars, but he’ll return to Koehler Motorsports Dirt Late Model to chase $50,000 top prize at Portsmouth, Ohio, on Halloween. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil); 7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 1st (nc)

2. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.

Comment: Seventh-place FloRacing finish at Bulls Gap precedes break for Rocket1 team before World Finals. Series points: Champion (Lucas Oil); 1st (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 2nd (nc)

3. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.

Comment: Four nights in the Southeast prove lucrative with rich wins at Modoc ($25,000) and Cherokee ($30,000) plus runner-up at Bulls Gap and a third in Modoc’s WoO opener. Taking Halloween weekend off to prep for World Finals. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 7th (+4)

4. Nick Hoffman, Mooresville, N.C.

Comment: Pair of fifths at Modoc keep alive hopes for WoO title when tour visits Charlotte for World Finals. Series points: 2nd (WoO); 5th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 3rd (-1)

5. Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.

Comment: Makes strong runs to the front at Bulls Gap (fifth) and in Modoc’s WoO opener (second), but mechanical trouble in Modoc 100 finale cuts into points lead heading to World Finals. Series points: 1st (WoO); 4th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 5th (nc)

6. Hudson O'Neal, Martinsville, Ind.

Comment: Three nights in Rumley No. 6 produce typically solid finishes with a third at Bulls Gap and sixth and third at Modoc. Another turn in Rumley’s machine upcoming at World Finals. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil); 2nd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 6th (nc)

7. Devin Moran, Dresden, Ohio

Comment: Lone start is disappointing one with flat tire dooming him to 15th-place finish at Bulls Gap. World Finals next on agenda. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil); 3rd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 4th (-3)

8. Tyler Erb, New Waverly, Texas

Comment: Bad luck hampers three-race weekend, though fifth-place finish in Cherokee’s Blue-Gray 100 after a flat tire offers some solace. He’ll unload trailer next at Portsmouth. Series points: 3rd (WoO); 6th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 8th (nc)

9. Josh Rice, Crittenden, Ky.

Comment: After weekend off, ready to tackle Portsmouth’s doubleheader. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 9th (nc)

10. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.

Comment: Middling trip to Modoc (13th, sixth) sends him to World Finals, where he can jump one spot in points to third. Series points: 4th (WoO). Previous ranking: 10th (nc)

11. Max Blair, Centerville, Pa.

Comment: With 2026 action complete, Lucas Oil Series regular plotting for ’27. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 11th (nc)

12. Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.

Comment: Big three-race weekend on familiar turf doesn’t go well with seventh in Modoc’s WoO opener his lone top-10. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 12th (nc)

13. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa

Comment: Bags second-place finish in Modoc’s finale, but three other starts in Southeast yield no result better than 16th. Planning visit to East Alabama for National 100. Series points: 5th (WoO); 10th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 13th (nc)

14. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.

Comment: Logs sixth-place finish at Bulls Gap. World Finals next action. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 15th (+1)

15. Ashton Winger, Hampton, Ga.

Comment: Settles for second in Whynot’s Fall Classic after late scrape with Drake Troutman allows Josh Putnam to sneak by for win. Series points: Champion (HTF); 2nd (Southern Thunder). Previous ranking: 16th (+1)

16. Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill.

Comment: Regular season complete but December’s Gateway Dirt Nationals in his crosshairs. Series points: 2nd (MARS); 2nd (Summer Nationals). Previous ranking: 14th (-2)

17. Cody Overton, Thomson, Ga.

Comment: Jumps for joy after winning first-ever WoO feature close to home at Modoc, but slap of outside wall knocks him from contention in weekend finale. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 17th (+5)

18. Drake Troutman, Hyndman, Pa.

Comment: Treks to Mississippi for Whynot’s Fall Classic and contends for victory before settling for third. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 18th (nc)

19. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.

Comment: Productive stretch in Southeast includes top-fives at Bulls Gap (fourth), Modoc (fourth) and Cherokee (second). Planning for World Finals (but will National 100 lure him?). Series points: None. Previous ranking: Unranked

20. Brian Shirley, Chatham, Ill.

Comment: Sits idle for weekend with World Finals and possibly Senoia’s FloRacing weekend still ahead. Series points: 8th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 17th (-3)

T21. Kyle Bronson, Brandon, Fla.

Comment: Takes weekend off after finishing Lucas Oil campaign. With new crew chief Anthony Burroughs on vacation, next action set for World Finals. Series points: 10th (Lucas Oil); 9th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 19th (-2)

T21. Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.

Comment: Rough weekend at Whynot concludes with ninth-place finish in Fall Classic. He’ll look to close Comp Cams championship season with sixth straight win on Nov. 7-8 at Arrowhead. Series points: 1st (Comp Cams). Previous ranking: 20th (-1)

23. Tanner English, Benton, Ky.

Comment: Basking in glow of 2026 DIRTcar weekly series title, he’s idle until December’s Gateway Dirt Nationals. Series points: Champion (Summer Nationals); 8th (MARS). Previous ranking: 23rd (nc)

24. Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.

Comment: Regroups after long Lucas Oil season with World Finals ahead. Series points: 13th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: T24th (nc)

25. Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.

Comment: Thrills home-state crowd with slump-busting $20,000 victory in FloRacing show at Bulls Gap. World Finals next on his schedule, but National 100 a possibility. Series points: None. Previous ranking: Unranked

Dropped out: Mike Marlar, Ethan Dotson

Others receiving votes: Ethan Dotson, Mike Marlar, Mason Zeigler, Dennis Erb Jr., Carson Ferguson, Clay Harris, Garrett Alberson, Shannon Babb, Josh Putnam, Rusty Schlenk, Dallon Murty, Trey Mills, Zack Mitchell.

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