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Poll Position: Casebolt, Landers join rankings
Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., solidified his hold on the No. 1 spot in DirtonDirt.com’s Top 25 power rankings while big weekend winners Steve Casebolt of Richmond, Ind., and Jared Landers of Batesville, Ark., broke into the poll.
While Richards and most of the other top-ranked drivers were idle the first weekend in March, the Rocket Chassis house car driver secured 18 of 24 first-place votes on the website’s new expanded poll presented by JRi Shocks.
Richards holds a 16-point edge on second-ranked Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., who received the other six first-place votes from the DirtonDirt.com panel. Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., held onto the third spot on the poll with no changes among the top 16 drivers. Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., is fourth and fifth is Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., the highest-ranked driver to compete with a 13th-place finish in Green Valley Speedway’s Bama Bash.
Casebolt, the winner of the show-shortened Bama Bash in Glencoe, Ala., entered the rankings at No. 18 after winning his first outing of the season for D&R Motorsports. Landers (pictured), who struggled during Georgia-Florida Speedweeks with just four feature starts, joins the poll at No. 22 after leading every lap of March Madness at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C.
Idle Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., and Vic Coffey of Caledonia, N.Y., who failed to make the Bama Bash feature lineup, dropped out of the Top 25.
After restricting poll voting to staffers the previous two seasons, DirtonDirt.com invited more than 30 media members and drivers along with track, series and manufacturer representatives to vote in 2013’s rankings. Twenty-four submitted ballots for the second regular-season voting of the season. Weekly polls continue through mid-November.
1. Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va.
Comment: Pounds home his return to the Rocket Chassis house car with four Speedweeks victories. Series points: 1st (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 1st (nc)
2. Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky.
Comment: After three straight Speedweeks victories, banged around at Volusia before winning finale. Series points: 3rd (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 2nd (nc)
3. Don O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: Coming off Speedweeks and $10,000 victory at East Bay, he’s venturing to ArkLaTex Speedway’s Pelican 100. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 3rd (nc)
4. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
Comment: Ends seven-month skid with Speedweeks victories at East Bay, Volusia, then goes right back to testing. Series points: 10th (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 4th (nc)
5. Shane Clanton, Fayetteville, Ga.
Comment: Adds victory in Speedweeks opener to $10,000 Tucson triumph, leads way for Capital Race Car contingent. Series points: 2nd (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 5th (nc)
6. Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
Comment: Nabs victory at East Bay, but slides back after leading Ocala and ends Speedweeks in heap at Volusia. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 6th (nc)
7. Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, Ill.
Comment: Only tire issues can slow him during two-victory visit to East Bay, but struggles some at Volusia. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 7th (nc)
8. Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
Comment: After improving finishes throughout Speedweeks, heads for Pelican 100 at ArkLaTex Speedway. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 8th (nc)
9. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Posts runner-up finish at Bama Bash while going for second straight victory at Green Valley. Series points: 5th (World of Outlaws. Last week's ranking: 9th (nc)
10. Steve Francis, Ashland, Ky.
Comment: Starts on pole of Cherokee’s March Madness feature, but settles for second behind teammate Jared Landers. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 10th (nc)
11. Rick Eckert, York, Pa.
Comment: Sends appreciative note of thanks to fans for support through the illness and passing of his mother last week. Series points: 4th (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 11th (nc)
12. Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.
Comment: Ends two-year winless skid with victory in East Bay finale driving newly designed Longhorn Chassis. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 12th (nc)
13. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
Comment: One of the victims of flat tires at Green Valley (while running third), he settles for 10th at Bama Bash. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 13th (nc)
14. Tim Fuller, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: So-so Speedweeks for Kennedy Motorsports driver ends on a high note with top-five finish at Volusia. Series points: 8th (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 14th (nc)
15. Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa
Comment: Sitting out Speedweeks as he customarily does, Birky plans to open season in March at Brownstown, Ind. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 15th (nc)
16. Scott James, Lawrenceburg, Ind.
Comment: Warrior house car driver is among early retirees at Bama Bash; next up is WoO’s three-state tripleheader in mid-South. Series points: 7th (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 16th (nc)
17. Donnie Moran, Dresden, Ohio
Comment: Rises to top of heap late for Waycross victory, adds two more top-five finishes during busy Speedweeks. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 18th (+1)
18. Steve Casebolt, Richmond, Ind.
Comment: Connects with D&R Motorsports to win snow-shortened Bama Bash in first 2013 outing. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: Unranked.
19. Eric Wells, Hazard, Ky.
Comment: Jumps to top of WoO rookie class with solid runs at Volusia, including runner-up finish and leading 46 feature laps. Series points: 6th (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 17th (-2)
20. Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
Comment: The 16-year-old continues his progress with two top-five finishes in 11 Speedweeks starts. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 19th (-1)
21. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.
Comment: After two top-five finishes at Speedweeks, he’ll stay close to home with Boyd’s and Cleveland events this weekend. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 20th (-1)
22. Jared Landers, Batesville, Ark.
Comment: Following subpar Speedweeks, fourth-to-first move on first lap leads to repeat victory at Cherokee's March Madness. Series points: 9th (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: Unranked.
23. John Blankenship, Williamson, W.Va.
Comment: Posts seventh-place finish at Green Valley’s Bama Bash; plans on Spring Nationals doubleheader at Volunteer. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 21st (-2)
24: Brian Shirley, Chatham, Ill.
Comment: Didn’t make trip to Speedweeks as he plots Midwestern opening to his 2013 campaign. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 22nd (-2)
25: Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, Wis.
Comment: Forgettable Speedweeks with five starts in seven attempts and no finish better than seventh. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 23rd (-2)
Dropped out: Brady Smith; Vic Coffey.
Editor’s note: The top 25 drivers are determined by a points system with 25 points for a first-place vote, 24 points for a second-place vote and so on through a single point for a 25th-place vote. The voting panel is made up of media members, drivers, and track, series and manufacturer representatives.
