Poll Position presented by Keyser Manufacturing
Top 25: Pierce back to No. 1 as Rice climbs
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt managing editor
Josh Rice (joshjamesartwork.com)
Ending a one-week hiatus, Bobby Pierce’s daring 20th-to-first run in Sunday’s Show-Me 100 put him back atop DirtonDirt’s power rankings as the unanimous No. 1 pick in the Keyser Manufacturing-sponsored balloting.
The 29-year-old Oakwood, Ill., driver struggled in prelims at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., but rallied for to earn $75,000 in capping a Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series weekend that included $10,000 preliminary victories for fourth-ranked Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., and Josh Rice of Crittenden, Ky., who this week climbed five positions to No. 16.
Last week’s No. 1, Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., slipped to No. 2 with a steady but unspectacular Show-Me weekend while Lucas Oil Speedway runner-up Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., held onto the No. 3 spot ahead of Davenport, who finished third in Show-Me’s 100-lapper. An idle Nick Hoffman held on at No. 5 ahead of a busy week for the World of Outlaws Late Model Series points leader.
While Rice gained five spots with his first victory for JRR Motorsports, Garrett Alberson of Las Cruces, N.M., was up four rungs to No. 12 during an up-and-down Show-Me weekend that included a violent crash and a fourth-place finish in the finale.
Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., and Chris Ferguson of Mount Holly, N.C., joined the rankings for the first time in 2026. Unzicker, the MARS Championship Series points leader, won once and finished second twice in holiday weekend action on the series while Ferguson had a solid Show-Me weekend with a pair of podium finishes in prelims and a ninth-place performance in the 100-lapper.
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: His 20th-to-first charge gives him third Show-Me 100. Team scrambling to prepare for five-day Pennsylvania-Ohio stretch with WoO. Series points: 2nd (WoO); 3rd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 2nd (+1)
2. Hudson O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: Steady with fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place finishes at Wheatland. Plans four WoO nights this week split between Rumley ride and SSI team. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil); 2nd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 1st (-1)
3. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
Comment: Matches best Show-Me 100 finish with runner-up performance. Tentatively plans weekend off before Lucas Oil returns to action at Smoky Mountain. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil); 1st (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 3rd (nc)
4. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: Show-Me prelim victory sets him up to lead most of Show-Me 100, but he settles for third. Dream on horizon but is Mansfield a possibility? Series points: None. Previous ranking: 5th (+1)
5. Nick Hoffman, Mooresville, N.C.
Comment: Lone driver in top 10 taking weekend off set for WoO action at Marion Center, Wayne County and Mansfield. Series points: 1st (WoO).; 6th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 4th (-1)
T6. Devin Moran, Dresden, Ohio
Comment: Forgettable Show-Me weekend (never better than 12th) over, he plans four-race WoO stretch including $57,000-to-win finale at home-state Mansfield. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil); 5th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 6th (nc)
T6. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
Comment: Koehler Motorsports team struggles in Show-Me prelims, ends up sixth in 100-lapper. Tentatively set for weekend off ahead of Eldora’s Dream. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 7th (+1)
8. Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.
Comment: Steady but unspectacular at Show-Me (eighth in finale), Riggs Motorsports team plans a break before Eldora’s Dream week. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil); 7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 8th (nc)
9. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa
Comment: Two MARS starts net better finish at fourth at Davenport. Marion Center first of four nights of WoO action this week. Series points: 4th (WoO). Previous ranking: 9th (nc)
T10. Max Blair, Centerville, Pa.
Comment: His top-five streak now in rear-view. After struggles at Show-Me, he’ll challenge WoO foes at Marion Center, Wayne County and Mansfield. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 11th (+1)
T10. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Following weekend off, Briggs Transport team returns to Marion Center (where he was fifth in a May 15 prelim) with Wayne County and Mansfield on tap. Series points: 3rd (WoO). Previous ranking: 10th (nc)
12. Garrett Alberson, Las Cruces, N.M.
Comment: Show-Me weekend includes violent flip and solid fourth-place finish in 100-lapper. Roberts Motorsports dusts itself off for Ohio races at Wayne County and Mansfield on WoO circuit. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 16th (+4)
13. Tyler Erb, New Waverly, Texas
Comment: Lone Memorial Day weekend start results in $10,000 Iron-Man victory in debut at Michigan’s I-96 Speedway. Four WoO races on this week’s calendar. Series points: 5th (WoO); 4th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 12th (-1)
14. Drake Troutman, Hyndman, Pa.
Comment: Idle during the holiday weekend, he’ll return to Marion Center, where he was sixth in a May 15 prelim. Wayne County and Mansfield round out the weekend. Series points: 6th (WoO). Previous ranking: 13th (-1)
15. Daulton Wilson, Fayetteville, N.C.
Comment: Big Frog-Viper operation returns from holiday break for WoO events at Marion Center, Wayne County and Mansfield. Series points: 8th (WoO). Previous ranking: 14th (-1)
16. Josh Rice, Crittenden, Ky.
Comment: First victory for JRR Motorsports comes in Show-Me prelim. He’ll take a break after fading to 14th in Wheatland’s 100-lap finale. Series points: 9th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 21st (+5)
17. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
Comment: Memorial Day break may be extended with no race publicly revealed. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 15th (-2)
18. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
Comment: Infinity Race Cars house car weighing Mansfield run? There’s no doubt June 3-6’s Dream weekend is penciled in. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 17th (-1)
19. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.
Comment: Idle over Memorial Day weekend, Marion Center, Wayne County and Mansfield are up next. Series points: 7th (WoO). Previous ranking: 19th (nc)
T20. Zack Mitchell, Enoree, S.C.
Comment: Idle since May 9 with Hunt the Front's West Virginia plans rained out, will team venture to a regional event to wrap up the month? Series points: 2nd (Hunt the Front); 7th (Spring Nationals). Previous ranking: 18th (-2)
T20. Mason Zeigler, Chalk Hill, Pa.
Comment: Driver with three victories in eight 2026 starts plans four-race WoO week while making plans for Eldora’s Dream. Series points: 1st (ULMS). Previous ranking: 20th (nc)
22. Ryan Unzicker, El Paso, Ill.
Comment: Fairbury victory and two runner-up finishes over holiday weekend on MARS tour. Paducah and Red Hill up next as tour ventures south. Series points: 1st (MARS). Previous ranking: Unranked
23. Brian Shirley, Chatham, Ill.
Comment: Never better than eighth during Show-Me weekend, he’ll gear up for $57,000 winner’s purse in weekend action at Mansfield, Ohio. Series points: 8th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 22nd (-1)
24. Clay Harris, Jupiter, Fla.
Comment: After career-best seventh at Show-Me 100, he’ll take a weekend off before Lucas Oil tour heads for Smoky Mountain. Series points: 11th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 25th (+1)
25. Chris Ferguson, Mount Holly, N.C.
Comment: Solid Show-Me weekend lands him on podium in prelims with ninth-place finish in finale. Eldora’s Dream up next for Stinger Race Cars pilot. Series points: None. Previous ranking: Unranked
Dropped out: Dale McDowell, Cade Dillard
Others receiving votes: Dale McDowell, Cade Dillard, Sam Seawright, Ashton Winger, Kyle Bronson, Jason Feger, Trey Mills, Shannon Babb, Mark Whitener, Tanner English, Gregg Satterlee.
