Poll Position presented by Keyser Manufacturing
Top 25: Pierce retains No. 1 as Wilson climbs
By Kevin Kovac
DirtonDirt senior writer
Daulton Wilson (heathlawsonphotos.com)
A third career victory in Saturday’s Illini 100 finale at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway kept Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., atop the DirtonDirt’s power rankings for the second consecutive balloting.
After voting for the Keyser Manufacturing-sponsored Top 25 poll was silent for one week due to limited action among ranked drivers, the 29-year-old star solidified his hold on the No. 1 spot by earning eight of the 10 first-place nods. His weekend on home turf wasn’t perfect — he had to rally from the rear in Friday’s World of Outlaws Late Model Series preliminary feature to salvage seventh after an incident amid traffic knocked him from second — but he was in vintage form in Saturday’s 60-lap headliner to record his fifth win of the season on the national tour.
Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., who lost the No. 1 ranking to Pierce in the last poll on March 31, remained in the second position after a trip North Georgia Speedway in Chatsworth, Ga., for a Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series doubleheader brought him a runner-up finish on Friday and a last-lap, $12,000 triumph on Saturday. He received the other two first-place votes.
Nick Hoffman of Mooresville, N.C., held steady in the No. 3 spot following a pair of podium finishes at Farmer City. Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., jumped two spots to No. 4 after a $27,000 sweep of the MLRA Spring Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., while a frustrating Illini 100 weekend for Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio (22nd- and 24th-place finishes) dropped him one spot to No. 5.
The biggest mover was Daulton Wilson of Fayetteville, N.C., who climbed three spots to No. 12 on the strength of two fourth-place finishes at Farmer City.
Two drivers were new to the rankings: Zack Mitchell of Enoree, S.C., at No. 23 and Kyle Beard of Trumann, Ark., at No. 25. Mitchell scored an $8,000 Hunt the Front victory Friday at North Georgia while Beard earned $10,000 for a Comp Cams Super Dirt Series triumph on Saturday at Old No. 1 Speedway in Harrisburg, Ark., after finishing second in the tour’s stop the previous night at Poplar Bluff (Mo.) Motorsports Park.
Dropping out of the Top 25 was Ashton Winger of Hampton, Ga., and Kyle Bronson of Brandon, Fla.
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: After rallying from incident in lapped traffic to salvage seventh in Illini 100 prelim, roars to third career win and $25,000 prize in Saturday’s finale. Planning weekend off before WoO trip to Talladega. Series points: 2nd (WoO). Previous ranking: 1st (nc)
2. Hudson O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: Follows runner-up finish with last-lap victory in North Georgia’s Hunt the Front doubleheader. Staying home in Indiana for Northern Allstars stops at Paragon and Brownstown. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 2nd (nc)
3. Nick Hoffman, Mooresville, N.C.
Comment: Racks up two more podium finishes at Farmer City to take WoO points lead into next weekend’s visit to Talladega. Series points: 1st (WoO). Previous ranking: 3rd (nc)
4. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: Continues MLRA Spring Nationals success at Wheatland with $27,000 sweep. Headed to the Gauntlet at Bulls Gap. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 6th (+2)
5. Devin Moran, Dresden, Ohio
Comment: Disappointing Illini 100 weekend yields two dropout finishes. Will look to set things right during four nights of racing at Bulls Gap. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 4th (-1)
6. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
Comment: Familiar Farmer City turf with Rocket1 team produces Illini 100 prelim triumph and third-place finish in finale. Jumping in family No. B5 for three MARS shows in Iowa. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 8th (+1)
7. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
Comment: Works hard from starting spots deep in the field for fourth- and second-place finishes at Wheatland. Ready to chase $100,000 bonus prize at Bulls Gap. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 6th (-1)
8. Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.
Comment: Logs fourth- and ninth-place finishes with Hunt the Front at North Georgia. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 7th (-1)
9. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Up-and-down Illini 100 includes runner-up finish in opener and 15th-place run in finale after being collected in tangle. Resetting for WoO weekend at Talladega. Series points: 3rd (WoO). Previous ranking: 11th (+2)
10. Max Blair, Centerville, Pa.
Comment: Off weekend from Lucas Oil is successful in home state with runner-up finish at Selinsgrove and runaway $4,000 victory at Port Royal. More Mid-Atlantic racing on top next weekend with Lucas Oil’s tripleheader in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 10th (nc)
11. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa
Comment: Struggles to pair of 13th-place finishes at Farmer City. Has opportunity to race in home state this weekend with MARS tour. Series points: 6th (WoO). Previous ranking: 9th (-1)
12. Daulton Wilson, Fayetteville, N.C.
Comment: Steady stretch continues with consecutive fourth-place finishes at Farmer City. Talladega’s WoO double next events listed on schedule. Series points: 4th (WoO). Previous ranking: 15th (+3)
13. Tyler Erb, New Waverly, Texas
Comment: Salvages rough weekend at Farmer City with 24th-to-fifth run in Illini 100 finale. Going racing with Northern Allstars at Paragon and Iron-Man at Eldora. Series points: 5th (WoO). Previous ranking: 12th (-1)
14. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
Comment: Takes weekend off to prep Infinity House car for rich week at Bulls Gap. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 13th (-1)
15. Drake Troutman, Hyndman, Pa.
Comment: Leads early in Farmer City’s Illini 100 finale but ends up settling for second straight sixth-place finish. WoO at Talladega next action on public schedule. Series points: 7th (WoO). Previous ranking: 16th (+1)
16. Garrett Alberson, Las Cruces, N.M.
Comment: Solid weekend at Wheatland with second- and third-place finishes in Spring Nationals. Eyeing MARS twinbill at Iowa’s 34 Raceway. Series points: 8th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 14th (-2)
17. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
Comment: No racing on weekend before Bulls Gap’s Gauntlet. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 17th (nc)
18. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.
Comment: Starts Illini 100 with fifth-place run on Friday but absorbs 16th-place finish in finale. WoO at Talladega next on schedule. Series points: 8th (WoO). Previous ranking: 18th (nc)
19. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.
Comment: Places third in Hunt the Front’s opener at North Georgia but retires early from finale. He’ll be a favorite in Bulls Gap’s Gauntlet. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 21st (+2)
20. Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
Comment: Finishes 10th in Comp Cams features at Poplar Bluff and Old No. 1. Upcoming schedule TBA. Series points: T1st (Comp Cams). Previous ranking: 20th (nc)
21. Clay Harris, Jupiter, Fla.
Comment: Spending time in race shop prepping for Lucas Oil’s Mid-Atlantic swing next weekend. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 19th (-2)
22. Josh Rice, Crittenden, Ky.
Comment: Improves during Illini 100 weekend, going from 23rd in opener to seventh-place finish in finale. He’ll hit Paragon and Brownstown with Lucas Oil off. Series points: 10th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 22nd (nc)
23. Zack Mitchell, Enoree, S.C.
Comment: Strikes for $8,000 victory in North Georgia’s opener and follows up with a fourth in finale. Series points: 2nd (Hunt the Front). Previous ranking: Unranked
24. Brian Shirley, Chatham, Ill.
Comment: Forgettable Farmer City weekend ends with his car on its side in tangle during finale. Will look to turn around fortunes with trip to Iowa’s 34 Raceway. Series points: 11th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 23rd (-1)
25. Kyle Beard, Trumann, Ark.
Comment: Pulls off first Comp Cams victory in nearly three years after rousing battle with Tanner English at Arkansas’s Old No. 1 Speedway (and a runner-up finish the previous night at Poplar Bluff). Public schedule currently shows next race with Comp Cams in May at Batesville. Series points: 3rd (Comp Cams). Previous ranking: Unranked
Dropped out: Kyle Bronson, Ashton Winger
Others receiving votes: Kyle Bronson, Ashton Winger, Tucker Anderson, Dustin Sorensen, Garrett Smith, Trey Mills, Sam Seawright, Clay Stuckey, Gregg Satterlee, Dennis Erb Jr., Timothy Culp, Tanner English, Rusty Schlenk, Hayden Cardwell, Tyler Carpenter.
