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Top 25: McDowell, McCool moving on up
While a upcoming weekend tripleheader sets up a clash among the top two drivers in DirtonDirt.com’s Top 25 power rankings, victories last weekend for Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., and Bub McCool of Vicksburg, Miss., moved each up five spots in the weekly poll.
Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., and Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., who have held the top two spots in the regular-season poll the first month of the season, are scheduled to go head-to-head in World of Outlaws Late Model Series action at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark., Whynot (Miss.) Motorsports Park and Duck River Raceway Park in Wheel, Tenn. Richards, idle since Florida Speedweeks, received 15 of 21 first-place votes while Lanigan received the other six votes in the rankings presented by JRi Shocks.
McDowell (pictured), Friday's $4,000 Spring Nationals winner at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn., is a season-high 12th in the rankings while McCool, who moved into the poll for the first time at 21st last week, is up to No. 16 after his MSCCS victory at Whynot.
The only new driver to the power rankings is John Blankenship of Williamson, W.Va., a $10,000 winner at Volunteer. Blankenship entered the poll at No. 18.
The only driver rising among the top five in the rankings was idle Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., who holds the No. 4 spot heading for expected starts at I-30 and Whynot. The top drivers slipping include No. 6 Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., and No. 7 Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., who both dropped two spots after contending but fading in Saturday races.
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-one submitted ballots for the fourth regular-season voting of the season. Weekly polls continue through mid-November.
1. Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va.
Comment: He’ll try to maintain top spot while making debut at three tracks (I-30, Whynot, Duck River) this weekend. Series points: 1st (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 1st (nc)
2. Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky.
Comment: Enters WoO tripleheader in the mid-South with series-high three series victories in eight races. Series points: 3rd (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 2nd (nc)
3. Don O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: He’ll return to the MasterSbilt house car — and his home track — at Brownstown’s Indiana Icebreaker. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 3rd (nc)
4. Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
Comment: Three-time WoO champion set to run the first home-state race on the tour at I-30. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 6th (+2)
5. Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
Comment: Misses top-five finish for the second straight week in a Tennessee special event. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 6th (+1)
6. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
Comment: Track surface tricks him at Volunteer as he fades from first to fifth in Spring Thaw finale. Series points: 10th (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 4th (-2)
7. Shane Clanton, Fayetteville, Ga.
Comment: Fades from contention of Southern All Star event at East Alabama Motor Speedway, finishing seventh. Series points: 2nd (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 7th (-2)
8. Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, Ill.
Comment: Plans to make weekend starts on both national tours at Brownstown (Lucas Oil) and Duck River (WoO). Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 8th (nc)
9. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Confident team heading in “positive direction” after season’s slow start that has gotten better and better. Series points: 5th (World of Outlaws. Last week's ranking: 9th (nc)
10. Steve Francis, Ashland, Ky.
Comment: Not a serious factor during season-opening Spring Nationals weekend at Volunteer Speedway. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 10th (nc)
11. Rick Eckert, York, Pa.
Comment: The 2011 World of Outlaws champion preparing to tackle three bullrings as WoO hits mid-South. Series points: 4th (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 11th (nc)
12. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.
Comment: Clicks off second $4,000 in as many weekends in Spring Nationals opener at Volunteer. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 17th (+5)
13. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
Comment: He’s set to chase WoO’s three-race tripleheader at I-30, Whynot and Duck River. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 12th (-1)
14. Steve Casebolt, Richmond, Ind.
Comment: Solid weekend at Spring Nationals with second- and third-place finishes at Volunteer. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 19th (+5)
15: Brian Shirley, Chatham, Ill.
Comment: He’ll go back into action March 29-30 on first-year NDRL tour at Paducah and I-55. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 13th (-2)
16. Bub McCool, Vicksburg, Miss.
Comment: On two-race win streak after notching MSCCS triumph at Whynot, which hosts WoO this weekend. Series points: 9th (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 21st (+5)
17. Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.
Comment: Addition of engineer Kevin Rumley and redesigned Longhorn Chassis helps team get back on track. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 14th (-3)
18. John Blankenship, Williamson, W.Va.
Comment: Dominates at Volunteer, winning $10,000 Spring Thaw finale by a half-track margin. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: Unranked
19. Randy Weaver, Crossville, Tenn.
Comment: He’ll try to maintain his four-race streak of top-five finishes in SAS action at Smoky Mountain. Series points: 6th (Southern All Star). Last week’s ranking: 15th (-4)
20. 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: 16th (-4)
21. Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa
Comment: After sitting out Speedweeks as he customarily does, Birky plans to open season in Lucas Oil action at Brownstown. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 18th (-2)
22. Scott James, Lawrenceburg, Ind.
Comment: Warrior house car driver will balance family life with plans for full-time run with the World of Outlaws. Series points: 7th (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 20th (-2)
23. 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: 22nd (-1)
24. 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: 23rd (-1)
25. Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
Comment: The 16-year-old, along with Jason Feger, in contention for $50,000 sponsorship from Champion Spark Plugs. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 24th (-1)
Dropped out: Jared Landers.
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.
Correction: Fixes Blankenship's ranking and point total.
