Poll Position presented by Keyser Manufacturing
Top 25: B-Shepp wrestles No. 1 from Pierce
By Kevin Kovac
DirtonDirt senior writer
Brandon Sheppard (joshjamesartwork.com)
Propelled by a fourth career victory in the Prairie Dirt Classic at Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway, Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., rose to a familiar place: the No. 1 spot in DirtonDirt’s weekly power rankings.
Sheppard, 33, is no stranger to the lead position in the Keyser Manufacturing-sponsored Top 25 poll — his 108 weeks spent at No. 1 in his career is the most of any driver — but it’s his first time atop the voting since the 2021 preseason rankings. He climbed from the No. 2 spot to end the eight-week run at No. 1 for Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., who finished third in Saturday’s 100-lap PDC.
A week spent running national touring events in his home state suited Sheppard well. He recorded a $20,000 win in Tuesday’s postponed FloRacing Night in America event at Lincoln Speedway, then finished fifth in Wednesday’s FloRacing show at Fairbury, won a $5,000 PDC semifeature on Friday and pocketed $68,500 for capturing Saturday’s PDC finale.
Sheppard, who pushed his 2026 victory total to 15 with the Rocket1 team and 16 overall, earned seven first-place votes. Pierce received the other three nods after picking up all 10 first-place votes for seven consecutive weeks.
Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., who won Fairbury’s FloRacing feature and charged from 18th to finish second in the PDC headliner, moved up two spots to No. 3 in the poll. Nick Hoffman of Mooresville, N.C., finished fourth in the PDC finale but dropped one position to No. 4 while Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, gained one spot to land at No. 5 after a week in the Land of Lincoln highlighted by his runner-up finish at Lincoln.
Taking advantage of racing on his home-state turf, Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., was the week’s most prolific riser in the poll. He moved up three spots to No. 13 after three solid performances at Fairbury, finishing fourth in the FloRacing feature, winning a PDC semifeature and placing sixth in Saturday’s century grind.
Joining the rankings for the first time this season in a tie for No. 23 was Trey Mills of St. Augustine, Fla., the 18-year-old World of Outlaws Late Model Series rookie who impressed at Fairbury by winning a PDC semifeature feature and leading the first 63 laps of the crown jewel finale before a flat tire knocked him from contention. Sam Seawright of Rainsville, Ala., who also won a PDC semifeature, rejoined the poll at No. 22.
Dropping out of the Top 25 was Zack Mitchell of Enoree, S.C., and Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., the defending PDC champion who failed to crack the starting field for Saturday’s finale.
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. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
Comment: Happy to be home in Land of Lincoln with $20,000 FloRacing victory at Lincoln and huge weekend at Fairbury where he scores $5,000 semifeature triumph and earns $68,500 for fourth career PDC checkered flag. Will look for PDC-USA Nationals double. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil); 1st (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 2nd (+1)
2. Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
Comment: Rare winless week despite racing on home turf in Illinois, but third-place third-place finishes in Flo show at Lincoln and Fairbury’s PDC isn’t too bad. Will bid for third USA Nationals triumph in four years this weekend. Series points: 1st (WoO); 6th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 1st (-1)
3. Hudson O'Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: Piloting Kevin Rumley’s No. 6, rolls to $20,000 FloRacing triumph at Fairbury before charging from 18th to runner-up finish in 100-lap PDC. Back in SSI Motorsports mount for USA Nationals. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil); 3rd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 5th (+2)
4. Nick Hoffman, Mooresville, N.C.
Comment: Fourth-place run for 19th starting spot in PDC finale highlights week in Illinois. Can USA Nationals and its $100,000 prize be his first crown jewel victory? Series points: 2nd (WoO); 4th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 3rd (-1)
5. Devin Moran, Dresden, Ohio
Comment: After starting in his Double Down Motorsports No. 99 with FloRacing finishes of second at Lincoln and seventh at Fairbury, jumps in Spire Motorsports No. 77 for PDC and tallies 12th-place finish. Double Down machine will be his ride for USA Nationals. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil); 2nd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 6th (+1)
6. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: Takes first of two straight weekends off to accompany teenage son Blane to his Bassmaster Junior National Championship tournaments. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 4th (-2)
7. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
Comment: Doesn’t carry Silver Dollar Nationals victory momentum to Illinois, where he places sixth in Fairbury’s FloRacing show but has late bid in PDC ended by trip into turn-two catchfence. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 7th (nc)
8. Tyler Erb, New Waverly, Texas
Comment: After fourth-place FloRacing run at Lincoln, experiences Fairbury frustration as scrapes send him spinning out of serious contention in One for the Road feature and PDC finale, though he salvages eighth in the 100-lapper. Ready for new day at Cedar Lake. Series points: 3rd (WoO); 5th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 9th (+1)
9. Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.
Comment: Stays close to home to reset and contends for Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals triumph at Senoia until contact with Ashton Winger ends night, then finds more trouble at Sugar Creek. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil); 7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 8th (-1)
10. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Misses cut for Fairbury’s FloRacing feature but marches forward from 23rd for fifth-place result in PDC finale. Headed to Cedar Lake for USA Nationals. Series points: 4th (WoO). Previous ranking: T12th (+2)
11. Max Blair, Centerville, Pa.
Comment: Struggles at Fairbury (DNQ for FloRacing feature, ninth in PDC semifeature) prompt him to head home before Saturday’s finale to regroup for next week’s Sunoco North-South 100. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 10th (-1)
12. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa
Comment: Ninth-place finishes at Lincoln and in Fairbury’s PDC are his best of week in Illinois. Ready to defend USA Nationals victory. Series points: 5th (WoO). Previous ranking: 11th (-1)
13. Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill.
Comment: Taking on national stars in backyard at Fairbury goes well with fourth in FloRacing feature, victory in PDC semifeature and sixth-place finish in 100-lapper. Points hauler north for USA Nationals. Series points: 2nd (MARS); 2nd (Summer Nationals); 10th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: T16th (+3)
14. Garrett Alberson, Las Cruces, N.M.
Comment: Scores fifth-place finish at Lincoln in familiar Roberts Motorsports No. 58, but struggles in Fairbury cameo driving for Curless Motorsports with mechanical trouble ending weekend after semifeature. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 13th (-1)
15. Josh Rice, Crittenden, Ky.
Comment: Enjoys best Fairbury outing of career with runner-up finish in FloRacing feature, but tangle with Kyle Bronson in semifeature sends him spinning out of transfer spot and ends weekend early. North-South 100 now his focus. Series points: 9th (Lucas Oil); 8th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 15th (-1)
16. Tanner English, Benton, Ky.
Comment: Fairbury PDC hopes go awry with tangle spinning him out of transfer spot in semifeature, prompting early exit from pits. Looking for better luck at Cedar Lake. Series points: Champion (Summer Nationals); 5th (MARS). Previous ranking: 15th (-1)
17. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.
Comment: Registers fifth-place finish in Southern Nationals stop at Tazewell. Next action TBA. Series points: None. Previous ranking: T16th (-1)
18. Ashton Winger, Hampton, Ga.
Comment: Wins Southern Nationals feature at Senoia and then makes long overnight haul to Fairbury, where he falls short of cracking PDC feature lineup. Back on Hunt the Front trail with doubleheader at Duck River. Series points: 1st (HTF). Previous ranking: 18th (nc)
19. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.
Comment: Places 10th in Fairbury’s FloRacing feature and PDC. USA Nationals on agenda. Series points: 6th (WoO). Previous ranking: 20th (+1)
20. Daulton Wilson, Fayetteville, N.C.
Comment: Fails to crack top 10 in Fairbury’s FloRacing and PDC features. Primed for first USA Nationals attempt since 2023. Series points: 7th (WoO). Previous ranking: 19th (-1)
21. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
Comment: Sits idle for weekend with trip to Cedar Lake on tap. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 21st (nc)
22. Sam Seawright, Rainsville, Ala.
Comment: Impresses Midwesterners with high-side charge to Fairbury semifeature victory before finishing 17th in PDC finale. He’ll go for Hunt the Front glory this weekend at Duck River. Series points: None. Previous ranking: Unranked
T23. Trey Mills, St. Augustin, Fla.
Comment: Impressive 18-year-old wins PDC semifeature and leads first 63 laps of finale before flat tire knocks him from contention. Will he run up front in another crown jewel at Cedar Lake? Series points: 9th (WoO). Previous ranking: Unranked
T23. Dillon McCowan, Urbana, Mo.
Comment: Spends weekend at home prepping for next stretch of Lucas Oil action. Series points: 14th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 22nd (-1)
25. Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
Comment: Takes weekend off from Dirt Late Model competition with Comp Cams doubleheader in Oklahoma coming up. Series points: 1st (Comp Cams). Previous ranking: 24th (-1)
Dropped out: Zack Mitchell, Brian Shirley
Others receiving votes: Zack Mitchell, Drake Troutman, Cody Overton, Brian Shirley, Ryan Unzicker, Garrett Smith, Joseph Joiner, Mike Marlar, Gregg Satterlee, Rusty Schlenk, Kyle Hardy, Donald McIntosh.
