Poll Position presented by Keyser Manufacturing
Top 25: McCowan arrives with Pierce in command
By Kevin Kovac
DirtonDirt senior writer
Dillon McCowan (heathlawsonphotos.com)
The end of a record-tying six-race World of Outlaws Late Model Series win streak was just a momentary diversion for Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., who bounced right with a $20,000 victory in his next start at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio, to continue his stranglehold on the top spot in DirtonDirt’s weekly power rankings.
Pierce, 29, saw his WoO streak snapped with a fifth-place finish last Wednesday at Stateline Speedway in Busti, N.Y., but he was dominant in capturing Saturday’s 60-lap Battle at the Border headliner at Sharon. His 17th WoO triumph and 22nd overall checkered flag of 2026 made him a unanimous No. 1 pick in the Keyser Manufacturing-sponsored Top 25 poll for the sixth straight week.
It marks the seventh consecutive week leading the rankings for Pierce, who received all 10 first-place votes.
The remainder of the top five in the poll was unchanged starting with No. 2 Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., who scored a $15,000 victory in last Thursday’s Slocum 50 at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa, that briefly moved him into the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points lead. Nick Hoffman of Mooresville, N.C., stayed at No. 3 with a pair of WoO podium finishes while Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind. (fifth in Friday’s opener of the Lucas Oil weekend at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.) stayed at No. 4 and Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio (runner-up at 34 Raceway) held the No. 5 spot.
Lucas Oil Series rookie Dillon McCowan of Urbana, Mo., vaulted into the rankings for the first time following a spectacular sweep of the twinbill at Wheatland, the track where the 22-year-old driver cut his racing teeth. He landed at No. 19 after earning $41,000 for his first-ever national touring series victories.
Tanner English of Benton, Ky., made a four-spot leap to No. 16 after finishing off his first career DIRTcar Summer Nationals championship with a two-win week. Ashton Winger of Hampton, Ga., who ran his Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series win streak to four on Friday at Lavonia (Ga.) Raceway before settling for a third-place finish the next night at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C., leaped three positions to No. 18.
Rejoining the Top 25 at No. 23 was Zack Mitchell of Enoree, S.C., who finished second at Stateline in his first start as the new driver for G.R. Smith’s Team 22 Inc. Dropping out of the poll was Cade Dillard of Robeline, La., and Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill.
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.
Voting was completed before Monday's Schaeffer's Southern Nationals event at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn.
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: WoO win streak ends at record-tying six with fifth-place run at Stateline, but gets right back on top with $20,000 triumph at Sharon. Ready to take on Lucas Oil stars over four nights in Iowa, including Shelby County’s Silver Dollar Nationals. Series points: 1st (WoO); 9th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 1st (nc)
2. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
Comment: Grabs Lucas Oil points lead with Slocum 50 win at 34 Raceway, followed by 16th- and fourth-place runs at Wheatland. Big week in Hawkeye State up next. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil); 1st (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 2nd (nc)
3. Nick Hoffman, Mooresville, N.C.
Comment: Two more WoO podium finishes, including runner-up to Pierce at Sharon. Heading to Iowa’s Adams County and Shelby County ovals for Lucas Oil action as tuneup for WoO shows at both tracks next month. Series points: 2nd (WoO); 2nd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 3rd (nc)
4. Hudson O'Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: Quiet three-race stretch highlighted by fifth in Wheatland’s Salute to Forrest Lucas. Iowa swing on tap. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil); 4th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 4th (nc)
5. Devin Moran, Dresden, Ohio
Comment: Starts week with runner-up finish at 34 Raceway but unable to crack top 10 in Wheatland doubleheader. Looking to rebound in Iowa. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil); 3rd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 5th (nc)
6. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: Tallies third-place finish in Wheatland opener but smacks wall while contending in Diamond Nationals headliner. Eyeing big money at Shelby County. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 6th (nc)
7. Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.
Comment: Contends in all three Lucas Oil starts, sandwiching a seventh-place finish with two thirds. Hoping to finally break through for first full-field series win of ’26 during trip to Iowa. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil); 7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 9th (+2)
8. Tyler Erb, New Waverly, Texas
Comment: Runs eighth at Stateline and fifth at Sharon. Next action listed on schedule is July 21’s postponed FloRacing Night event at Lincoln, Ill. Series points: 3rd (WoO); 5th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 7th (-1)
9. Max Blair, Centerville, Pa.
Comment: Starts week with fourth-place finish at 34 Raceway but falls just short of top-10 both nights at Wheatland. Staying in Midwest for Iowa events. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 9th (-1)
T10. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Records solid fourth-place finish at Sharon. Briggs Transport hauler pointed west for Shelby County’s Silver Dollar Nationals. Series points: 4th (WoO). Previous ranking: 11th (+1)
T10. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
Comment: Struggles continue with fifth at 34 Raceway his best outing of week. Can he get back in winning form in Iowa? Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 10th (nc)
12. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa
Comment: Places sixth at Stateline before rising to third at Sharon. Lucas Oil comes to his home state this week. Series points: 5th (WoO). Previous ranking: T13th (+1)
13. Josh Rice, Crittenden, Ky.
Comment: Wheatland treats him well with finishes of second and fifth. Gearing up for new territory with visits to Adams County and Shelby County. Series points: 8th (Lucas Oil); 8th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: T13th (nc)
14. Garrett Alberson, Las Cruces, N.M.
Comment: Improves each night of Lucas Oil swing, going from 11th at 34 Raceway to sixth and second at Wheatland. Would love to continue rise during tour’s week in Iowa. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 15th (+1)
15. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.
Comment: After sitting idle for weekend, returns to action Monday with runner-up Southern Nationals finish at Bulls Gap. Occasional action on Ray Cook’s annual tour expected with his car owner-brother Shane McDowell assisting Mike Benedum otherwise. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 12th (-3)
16. Tanner English, Benton, Ky.
Comment: Closes out first overall Summer Nationals championship with two-win week. Has a few days to regroup before diving back into MARS competition this weekend at Farmer City and Charleston. Series points: Champion (Summer Nationals); 4th (MARS). Previous ranking: 20th (+4)
17. Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill.
Comment: Skips final four Summer Nationals events to come home and grab $5,012 Craven Memorial victory in Fairbury thriller. MARS doubleheader next on agenda. Series points: 2nd (MARS); 2nd (Summer Nationals). Previous ranking: 17th (nc)
18. Ashton Winger, Hampton, Ga.
Comment: Extends Hunt the Front win streak to four with Lavonia victory before settling for a rallying third in tour’s stop at Cherokee. Will he look to take his hot streak to other places before HTF resumes July 31-Aug. 1? Series points: 1st (HTF). Previous ranking: 21st (+3)
19. Dillon McCowan, Urbana, Mo.
Comment: Shocks Dirt Late Model world with spectacular home-track performance at Wheatland, sweeping Lucas Oil doubleheader for $41,000 in earnings and first-ever national touring victories. Can newfound confidence bring more success in Iowa? Series points: 13th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: Unranked
20. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
Comment: Finishes second in Hunt the Front stop at Cherokee. Planning trip to Iowa for Silver Dollar Nationals. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 19th (-1)
21. Daulton Wilson, Fayetteville, N.C.
Comment: Becomes a WoO winner for first time in midweek event at Stateline, but follow-up is an 13th-place finish at Sharon. Next race listed on schedule is Fairbury’s Prairie Dirt Classic. Series points: 7th (WoO). Previous ranking: 22nd (+1)
22. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.
Comment: Eighth at Sharon is lone top-10 in WoO action. Fairbury’s PDC currently next planned racing. Series points: 6th (WoO). Previous ranking: 16th (-6)
23. Zack Mitchell, Enoree, S.C.
Comment: First starts as new Team 22 Inc. driver yield runner-up at Stateline and 10th at Sharon. Tackling Southern Nationals events before returning to WoO road next week. Series points: 5th (Hunt the Front). Previous ranking: Unranked.
24. Drake Troutman, Hyndman, Pa.
Comment: Former Team 22 Inc. pilot sits idle with North-South 100 planned for debut of Jerry Foster-owned team. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 18th (-6)
25. Sam Seawright, Rainsville, Ala.
Comment: Caps stretch run on Summer Nationals with three straight top-10s, including third-place finish in Wayne County’s Hell Tour finale. Schedule shows July 21’s FloRacing Night event at Lincoln as next up. Series points: 8th (Summer Nationals). Previous ranking: 24th (-1)
Dropped out: Cade Dillard, Brian Shirley
Others receiving votes: Cade Dillard, Ryan Unzicker, Chris Ferguson, Brian Shirley, Clay Harris, Frank Heckenast Jr., Mike Marlar, Gregg Satterlee.
