Poll Position presented by Keyser Manufacturing
RTJ unanimous atop power rankings
By Kevin Kovac
DirtonDirt senior writer
Ricky Thornton Jr. (heathlawsonphotos.com)
A solid weekend at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway during which Ricky Thornton Jr. fell one spot short of another crown jewel victory propelled the Chandler, Ariz., driver to a unanimous No. 1 selection in DirtonDirt’s power rankings.
The 34-year-old Thornton finished second in the Lucas Oil Knoxville Late Model Nationals to Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., who mastered the inside lane in a charge forward from the 15th starting for the $75,000 triumph. Adding Knoxville preliminary finishes of fourth and sixth, Thornton received all 10 first-place votes to remain atop the Keyser Manufacturing-sponsored Top 25 poll for the third consecutive week.
Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., maintained the No. 2 spot in the rankings despite an unspectacular visit to Knoxville that saw the defending race winner top out with a fourth-place finish in Friday’s preliminary before power steering woes knocked him out of the finale. Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., also absorbed a DNF in Knoxville’s finale due to engine trouble after he led 34 laps, but prelim finishes of fifth and third helped him remain at No. 3 in the poll.
O’Neal, 25, made a two-spot jump to No. 4 following his first career Knoxville Nationals checkered flag, which came after he escaped injury in a wild flip during Thursday’s rain-shortened preliminary feature. Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, stayed at No. 5 after scoring a $10,000 prelim win and third-place finish in Saturday’s finale at Knoxville.
The largest jump forward in the week’s rankings was made by Cory Hedgecock of Loudon, Tenn., whose $7,500 triumph in Saturday’s Southern Thunder Super Dirt Series feature at North Georgia Speedway in Chatsworth shot him up three positions to No. 20.
Trey Mills of St. Augustine, Fla., meanwhile, joined the Top 25 for the first time in his budding career, landing at No. 25 after capturing Saturday’s Cotton Pickin’ finale at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, Miss. The 17-year-old earned a career-high $20,000 as he added the prestigious Gulf Coast event to his 2025 ledger that already includes the DIRTcar Summer Nationals-sanctioned Herald & Review 100 at Macon (Ill.) Speedway.
Gregg Satterlee of Indiana, Pa., was the lone driver to drop out of the poll.
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: Runner-up finish in Knoxville Nationals maintains his moment heading into Lucas Oil’s Chase for the Championship kickoff at Brownstown, Ind. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil); 3rd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 1st (nc)
2. Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
Comment: Bid for second straight Knoxville Nationals crown fizzles out due to blown power steering line while fifth just short of halfway mark. Open WoO weekend provides opportunity to run Brownstown’s Jackson 100. Series points: 1st (WoO). 1st (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 2nd (nc)
3. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: Top-five runs in prelims send him into Knoxville Nationals finale with high hopes, but engine woes end night early after leading three times for 34 laps. Seeking first Jackson 100 triumph since 2015. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil); 2nd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 3rd (nc)
4. Hudson O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: Lands in Knoxville Nationals victory lane for first time to complete epic comeback from prelim flip. Eager to start Lucas Oil title chase on home turf at Brownstown. Series points: T3rd (Lucas Oil); 5th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 6th (+2)
5. Devin Moran, Dresden, Ohio
Comment: Snares first-ever Knoxville win in Friday’s prelim, then leads four times for 21 laps in fall before settling for third-place finish. Eyeing Jackson 100 glory next. Series points: T3rd (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 5th (nc)
6. Nick Hoffman, Mooresville, N.C.
Comment: After weekend off, pointing Tye Twarog’s hauler to Brownstown for Jackson 100. Series points: 2nd (WoO); 9th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 4th (-2)
7. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
Comment: Makes a run at Knoxville Nationals prize but finishes fourth, just inches behind Moran. Aiming to add Jackson 100 to his career resume. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil); 5th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 7th (nc)
8. Garrett Alberson, Las Cruces, N.M.
Comment: Opens Knoxville weekend with meaningful victory for car owner Ken Roberts in rain-shortened prelim, but only manages seventh-place finish in headliner. Marches on to Brownstown. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil); 10th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 8th (nc)
9. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.
Comment: Finishes second Southern Thunder Series stop at North Georgia after leading early. Next start TBA. Series points: 9th (Hunt the Front). Previous ranking: 9th (nc)
10. Tyler Erb, New Waverly, Texas
Comment: Runs second in Knoxville rain-shortened opener before early spin in finale forces him to work hard from rear for ninth-place finish. He’ll battle at Brownstown next. Series points: 2nd (Summer Nationals). Previous ranking: 11th (+1)
11. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa
Comment: Rough weekend at Knoxville capped by 24th-place DNF in finale. Series points: 3rd (WoO); 6th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 10th (-1)
12. Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill.
Comment: Single start with MARS tour yields second-place finish at Illinois’s Brownstown Bullring. Two nights of MARS racing at Tri-City on tap. Series points: Champion (Summer Nationals); 1st (MARS). Previous ranking: 12th (nc)
13. Brian Shirley, Chatham, Ill.
Comment: Starts Knoxville weekend with blown tire sending him into wall in Thursday’s prelim but makes repairs and lands finishes of seventh and sixth. Taking weekend off to gear up for remainder of season. Series points: 5th (WoO); 8th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 15th (+2)
14. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Races close to Briggs Transport team’s Pennsylvania shop at Eriez and tallies second- and fifth-place finishes. Weekend schedule empty at the moment. Series points: 4th (WoO). Previous ranking: T13th (+1)
15. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
Comment: Remains idle with no action currently planned until next month’s DTWC at Eldora. Series points: None. Previous ranking: T13th (-2)
16. Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.
Comment: Raises spirits with runner-up finish in Friday’s prelim at Knoxville, but lasts just four laps in finale due to scrape that sends him into backstretch wall. Moves on to Brownstown. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 16th (nc)
17. Max Blair, Centerville, Pa.
Comment: Decides to keep race car in shop for weekend to enjoy some time with family. Returns to action at Brownstown. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 17th (nc)
18. Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, Ill.
Comment: Logs a third-place MARS finish at Brownstown Bullring. He’ll visit Indiana’s Brownstown next. Series points: 6th (WoO); 7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 18th (nc)
19. Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
Comment: Trek to Mississippi nets runner-up finish in Magnolia’s Cotton Pickin’ finale. Back on Hunt the Front trail for doubleheader in Milton, Fla. Series points: 1st (Hunt the Front); T2nd (Southern Nationals). Previous ranking: 21st (+2)
20. Cory Hedgecock, Loudon, Tenn.
Comment: Overtakes McDowell for $7,500 Southern Thunder triumph at North Georgia. Hunt the Front action coming at Florida’s Southern Raceway. Series points: 3rd (Hunt the Front). Previous ranking: 23rd (+3)
21. Josh Rice, Crittenden, Ky.
Comment: No racing as team preps for Brownstown’s Jackson 100. Series points: 1st (Northern Allstars). Previous ranking: 20th (-1)
22. Tanner English, Benton, Ky.
Comment: Pockets $10,000 for MARS victory at Brownstown Bullring. He’ll look for more success in Jackson 100 at another Brownstown in Indiana. Series points: 9th (WoO). Previous ranking: 24th (+2)
23. Ashton Winger, Hampton, Ga.
Comment: Rests on laurels of recent WoO win at Senoia. Next start uncertain. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 22nd (-1)
24. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
Comment: Dirt Late Model world awaits his unspecified return to action with car owner Ronnie Delk. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 19th (-5)
25. Trey Mills, St. Augustine, Fla.
Comment: Teenager earns career-high $20,000 victory in Magnolia’s Cotton Pickin’ 100, adding another major win to season that already includes Macon’s Herald & Review 100. Taking momentum to Ultimate Southeast doubleheader at Golden Isles. Series points: 5th (Summer Nationals). Previous ranking: Unranked
Dropped out: Gregg Satterlee
Others receiving votes: Daulton Wilson, Gregg Satterlee, Ethan Dotson, Zack Mitchell, Mason Zeigler, Donald McIntosh, Mark Whitener, Chris Ferguson, Rusty Schlenk.
