DirtonDirt.com exclusive
Lanigan grabs No. 1 spot in DirtonDirt's Top 25
By Andy Savary
DirtonDirt.com
A busy World 100 weekend at historic Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, has provided a shakeup atop DirtonDirt.com’s Top 25 poll presented by JRi Shocks. Reigning World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., has climbed two spots and overtaken reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., atop the weekly power rankings.
Lanigan (pictured), who was voted No. 1 for the first time this season, became the third different driver to head the rankings in as many weeks, with 594 total points and nine first-place votes. Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., who topped the Aug. 27 rankings before falling to No. 2 last week, collected four first-place votes and 588 total points to hold steady in the No. 2 spot, while Owens dropped from the top spot of last week's rankings to third this week despite tying Lanigan with a poll-high nine first-place votes.
Among movers in the latest poll are John Blankenship of Williamson, W.Va., Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., and Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo. Blankenship bounced up a pair of spots to No. 4 and captured a trio of first-place votes after hoisting his first globe trophy following Saturday's World 100 at Eldora, while Pierce, Bloomquist and Phillips ascended three, four and seven positions in the poll to No. 9, No. 14 and No. 16 respectively following their top-six finishes in Dirt Late Model racing's most prestigious crown jewel event. No new drivers entered the weekly rankings.
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-five submitted ballots this week. Weekly polls continue through mid-November.
1. Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky.
Comment: Friday prelim winner comes heartbreakingly close to his first globe, but falls one spot short in his 20th World 100 start. Series points: 3rd (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 3rd (+2)
2. Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va.
Comment: Comes from 20th to finish fifth in Saturday's World 100 finale after two uneventful preliminary nights. Series points: 1st (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 2nd (nc)
3. Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
Comment: Two-time World 100 winner is quiet all weekend at Eldora, finishing no better than 10th in any of his three starts. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 1st (-2)
4. John Blankenship, Williamson, W.Va.
Comment: Snaps out of a six-week funk in 46,000 ways, raising the globe and bagging his first crown jewel victory. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 6th (+2)
5. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Notches his first Eldora victory in a Friday prelim, but cannot overcome the invert to crack the finale's starting lineup. Series points: 5th (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 5th (nc)
6. Steve Francis, Ashland, Ky.
Comment: Finishes fourth in one of Friday's 25-lappers, but an overheating engine brings an early end to his Saturday at the Big E. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 4th (-2)
7. Shane Clanton, Zebulon, Ga.
Comment: Stars in Thursday and Friday's prelims before a heat race tangle with Mason Zeigler buries him on Saturday. Series points: 2nd (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 8th (+1)
8. Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
Comment: Six-time World 100 champ suffers a flat left-rear tire in his Saturday heat race and cannot dig himself out of the hole. Series points: 1st (NDRL). Last week’s ranking: 7th (-1)
9. Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
Comment: Impressive in his World 100 debut, leading early in Saturday's 100-lapper and rallying back late to take fourth. Series points: 2nd (Summernationals). Last week’s ranking: 12th (+3)
10. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
Comment: Summernationals champ makes his third straight World 100 but is never a factor, finishing in the middle of the pack. Series points: 1st (Summernationals). Last week’s ranking: 10th (nc)
11. Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, Ill.
Comment: Makes the feature all three nights at Eldora, but once again leaves dissatisfied with a 10th-place run and a pair of DNFs. Series points: 3rd (Summernationals). Last week’s ranking: 9th (-2)
12. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.
Comment: Was rolling forward in Saturday's 100-lap main event when mechanical issues forced him to the infield on lap 39. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 13th (+1)
13. Don O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: Gets the all clear to return to the track but watches Saturday's finale from the sidelines thanks to a heat race spin. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 11th (-2)
14. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
Comment: Once again elevates his game when the lights get brightest, charging from 22nd to round out the podium in Saturday's 100-lapper. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 18th (+4)
15. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
Comment: Best Appearing Car winner pulls off a 12th-to-second rally in his Saturday heat race, but fails to duplicate it in the main event. Series points: 3rd (Southern Nationals). Last week’s ranking: 15th (nc)
16. Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
Comment: Completes his most satisfying Eldora run (despite a regretful tire choice) to make his chassis dilemma even more interesting. Series points: 3rd (MLRA). Last week's ranking: 23rd (+7)
17. Rick Eckert, York, Pa.
Comment: Elects to skip Eldora in favor of a weekend off before upcoming World of Outlaws events at Belle-Clair and I-55. Series points: 4th (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 14th (-3)
18. Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, Ill.
Comment: Dream runner-up has a World 100 weekend to forget and cannot catch a break to end his recent free fall. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 16th (-2)
19. Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa
Comment: Defending World 100 winner showed flashes of speed at times throughout the weekend but couldn't quite put it together. Series points: 5th (NDRL). Last week’s ranking: 17th (-2)
20. Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill.
Comment: Overall fast-qualifer posts a solid weekend at the Big E, but ends on a low-note with a 21st-place finish on Saturday. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 19th (-1)
21. Tony Jackson Jr., Lebanon, Mo.
Comment: Club 29 driver doesn't make the trip to Eldora, where many hoped to get a glimpse of him on the sport's grandest stage. Series points: 1st (MARS and MLRA). Last week’s ranking: 19th (-2)
22. Gregg Satterlee, Rochester Mills, Pa.
Comment: Fast in all three features at Eldora and seemingly comes up a few laps short of a potential preliminary triumph on Friday. Series points: 1st (AMS). Last week's ranking: 24th (+2)
23. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: Finishes eighth in his first World 100, but is forced to ease off and take what he can get due to brake problems. Series points: 1st (Southern Nationals). Last week’s ranking: 22nd (-1)
24. Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.
Comment: Does everything he can to make the bottom work, but ultimately can't duplicate his vintage Eldora runs. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 25th (+1)
25. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
Comment: One of many drivers rubbed the wrong way by an Eldora heat race accident attributed to aggressive driving. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 21st (-4)
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.
