Poll Position presented by Keyser Manufacturing
Top 25: Davenport knocks RTJ out of top spot
By Kevin Kovac
DirtonDirt senior writer
Jonathan Davenport (joshjamesartwork.com)
A dominant victory in Saturday’s Dave Smith Motors World Finals finale helped elevate Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., to the top spot in DirtonDirt’s power rankings for the first time in nearly a year, but his hold on the honor was by the slimmest of margins.
Davenport, 43, took over the No. 1 position from Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., who won Thursday’s World Finals 35-lapper at The Dirt Track at Charlotte to run his personal win streak to seven before placing fourth on Friday and failing to qualify for Saturday’s finale because of a flat tire and broken brakeline that knocked him out of a heat. Thornton, 36, earned six first-place votes to Davenport’s four, but Davenport accumulated more points overall to nip RTJ by a single vote (244-243) as he rose two spots in the Keyser Manufacturing-sponsored Top 25 poll.
Ending Thornton’s two-week run at No. 1, Davenport, who also finished second in Friday’s World Finals feature, sits atop the rankings for the first time since the final poll of 2026.
Nick Hoffman of Mooresville, N.C., who captured Friday’s World Finals feature, gained one spot to log in at No. 3. Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., recorded two podium finishes while clinching his second straight World of Outlaws Late Model Series title to climb one position to No. 4 and Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., slipped three spots to round out the top five after three top-10 runs at Charlotte.
Several drivers made significant jumps in the poll, led by Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., gaining five spots to reach No. 14 after a solid World Finals highlighted by a fifth-place finish on Friday. Cade Dillard of Robeline, La., who celebrated his Comp Cams Super Dirt Series championship with a sweep of the tour’s twinbill at Arrowhead Speedway in Colcord, Okla., moved four positions to No. 17, while three-spot improvers were No. 9 Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga. (two World Finals top-fives trying out a Rocket Chassis) and No. 10 Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa (third- and sixth-place runs at Charlotte).
Joining the Top 25 after strong World Finals debuts was Dallon Murty of Chelsea, Iowa, at No. 21 and Trey Mills of St. Augustine, Fla., at No. 22 as well as No. 23 Ethan Dotson of Bakersfield, Calif., who rallied in the Charlotte finale to finish eighth. Dropping out of the rankings was Kyle Bronson of Brandon, Fla., Dan Ebert of Lake Shore, Minn., and Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn.
Last week’s balloting was skipped because fewer than half the ranked drivers competed during the Oct. 30-Nov. 1 weekend.
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. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: Comes alive — with a little help from his pal Nick Hoffman — after quiet start to World Finals, placing second on Friday and leading all the way to capture $25,000 finale. Senoia next up. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 3rd (+2)
2. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
Comment: Runs win streak to seven in Charlotte’s opener before finishing fourth and then missing final feature following heat-race trouble. Ready to tackle Senoia. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil); 7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 1st (-1)
3. Nick Hoffman, Mooresville, N.C.
Comment: WoO title bid falls short, but first World Finals victory on Friday adds another flourish to farewell tour with Tye Twarog. Can he give his boss one more big win at Senoia? Series points: 2nd (WoO); 5th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 4th (+1)
4. Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
Comment: Runs conservative race Friday at Charlotte to clinch third WoO championship, but sandwiches 10th-place result with two podium finishes. Series points: Champion (WoO); 4th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 5th (+1)
5. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
Comment: Fails to crack top-five in World Finals, but a seventh and two eighths shows consistency. Headed to Senoia for last start of season in Rocket1. Series points: Champion (Lucas Oil); 1st (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 2nd (-3)
6. Hudson O'Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: Surprisingly uncompetitive World Finals in Rumley No. 6 with DNQ and finishes of 19th and 28th. Back in SSI Motorsports entry for Senoia. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil); 2nd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 6th (nc)
7. Tyler Erb, New Waverly, Texas
Comment: Tops out at Charlotte with ninth-place finish. Senoia on his agenda. Series points: 3rd (WoO); 6th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 8th (+1)
8. Devin Moran, Dresden, Ohio
Comment: Charlotte struggles continue with three World Finals DNQs for second straight year. Needs a pick-me-up at Senoia where he can bid for FloRacing title. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil); 3rd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 7th (-1)
9. Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.
Comment: Unloads a Billy Franklin-owned Rocket Chassis at Charlotte to try out a different brand and immediately impresses, leading opener before settling for second and placing fourth in finale. Plans another weekend in Rocket at Senoia. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 12th (+3)
10. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa
Comment: Solid trip to Charlotte includes third- and sixth-place finishes. Hopes to carry momentum to Senoia. Series points: 5th (WoO); 10th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 13th (+3)
T11. Josh Rice, Crittenden, Ky.
Comment: Makes all three World Finals features but finishes no better than 13th. More action down South coming up at Senoia. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 9th (-2)
T11. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Steady but unspectacular weekend at Charlotte (10th, 12th, 12th) caps WoO campaign. Series points: 4th (WoO). Previous ranking: 10th (-1)
13. Max Blair, Centerville, Pa.
Comment: With 2026 season over, he unwinds with family during week in South Florida that includes two Miami Dolphins games. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 11th (-2)
14. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
Comment: Fifth on Friday is best at Charlotte, but was contending for another top-five in finale when a scrape with Nick Hoffman while battling in lapped traffic put him to rear. Heading to Senoia’s FloRacing weekend. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 19th (+5)
15. Ashton Winger, Hampton, Ga.
Comment: Chasing Southern Thunder title, logs fourth-place finish at Thunderhill. Excited for FloRacing doubleheader at Senoia, his home track. Series points: Champion (HTF); 2nd (Southern Thunder). Previous ranking: 15th (nc)
16. Cody Overton, Thomson, Ga.
Comment: Hauls all the way to Oklahoma for Comp Cams weekend and records fourth- and eighth-place finishes. He’ll be closer to home this weekend at Senoia. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 17th (+1)
17. Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
Comment: Puts cherry on top of super Comp Cams championship season with $20,052 sweep at Arrowhead. Series points: Champion (Comp Cams). Previous ranking: T21st (+4)
18. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.
Comment: World Finals curtailed quickly by heat-race flip that leaves him sore. Season likely done. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 14th (-4)
19. Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill.
Comment: Looking toward Gateway Dirt Nationals next month. Series points: 2nd (MARS); 2nd (Summer Nationals). Previous ranking: 16th (-3)
20. Drake Troutman, Hyndman, Pa.
Comment: Qualifies for all three World Finals features but counts 13th-place finish as best. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 18th (-2)
21. Dallon Murty, Chelsea, Iowa
Comment: Makes memorable Charlotte debut, finishing sixth on Friday and reaching podium in finale with third-place result. Prep for 2027 national touring series assault starts now. Series points: None. Previous ranking: Unranked
22. Trey Mills, St. Augustine, Fla.
Comment: Racing at Charlotte for first time since a Crate appearance five years ago, finishes sixth on Thursday and fifth in finale — and could have placed even better on Friday if not for a flat left-front tire that forced him to relinquish third. Senoia run next. Series points: None. Previous ranking: Unranked
23. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.
Comment: Eighth in Charlotte is lone top-10 of weekend. Senoia ahead. Series points: Sixth (WoO). Previous ranking: Unranked
24. Tanner English, Benton, Ky.
Comment: DIRTcar national champion prepping for Dome competition. Series points: Champion (Summer Nationals); 8th (MARS). Previous ranking: 23rd (-1)
25. Brian Shirley, Chatham, Ill.
Comment: Forgettable trip to Charlotte yields no feature starts. Series points: 8th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 20th (-5)
Dropped out: Kyle Bronson, Dan Ebert, Jimmy Owens
Others receiving votes: Kyle Bronson, Mason Zeigler, Chris Ferguson, Dan Ebert, Dennis Erb Jr., Sam Seawright, Zack Dohm, Jimmy Owens, Wil Herrington, Terry Phillips, Dustin Sorensen, Frank Heckenast Jr., Rusty Schlenk, Trever Feathers.
Editor’s note: Upcoming plans for drivers based on publicized schedules and best known information.
