Poll Position presented by Keyser Manufacturing
Top 25: Pierce holds top spot heading to Big E
By Kevin Kovac
DirtonDirt senior writer
Kyle Bronson (heathlawsonphotos.com)
Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., didn’t need to race over the Labor Day weekend to remain the unanimous No. 1 driver in DirtonDirt’s power rankings. His two closest pursuers, however, shined in holiday appearances to set up a high-profile showdown in this weekend’s World 100 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.
While the 28-year-old Pierce — a winner of four straight World of Outlaws Real American Late Model Series features — took the weekend off to prep for a repeat of last year’s World 100 triumph, Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., won Saturday’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Hillbilly Hundred at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., over Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., keeping the rivals at the No. 2 and 3 spots in the Keyser Manufacturing-sponsored Top 25 poll.
Pierce received all 10 first-place votes to earn top-ranked status for the 21st consecutive week. Thornton, who added a 25-lap Baltes Classic semifeature win on Sunday at Eldora to his $30,000 Hillbilly score, remained No. 2 for the second straight week while Davenport stayed third in the poll.
Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, held strong in the No. 4 spot after finishes of second and fourth at Lernerville while Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., moved up one spot to No. 5 following an up-and-down weekend that included finishes of third and 16th at Lernerville and a $20,000 victory in Sunday’s Country Roads 100 at Tyler County Speedway in Middlebourne, W.Va., driving the K&L Rumley Enterprises No. 6.
Movement was minimal in the post-Labor Day weekend voting. The lone driver to climb multiple positions was Max Blair of Centerville, Pa., whose third-place finish in the Hillbilly Hundred helped gain him two spots to reach No. 22.
Newcomers to the poll were Ashton Winger of Hampton, Ga., who landed at No. 23 after a weekend highlighted by a $10,000 MARS triumph at Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway, and Kyle Bronson of Brandon, Fla., who pulled into a tie for No. 25 after capturing a Baltes Classic semifeature at Eldora.
Tanner English of Benton, Ky., dropped out of the rankings.
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. Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
Comment: Takes holiday weekend off to gear up for potential repeat of last year’s dramatic World 100 victory. Series points: 1st (WoO). 1st (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 1st (nc)
2. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
Comment: Builds momentum heading into World 100 with $30,000 Hillbilly Hundred triumph and winning debut in new Longhorn during Sunday’s Baltes Classic at Eldora. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil); 3rd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 2nd (nc)
3. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: Falls short with runner-up finish in Hillbilly Hundred. Mind now focused on earning record-tying sixth World 100 checkered flag. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil); 2nd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 3rd (nc)
4. Devin Moran, Dresden, Ohio
Comment: Enjoys solid weekend at Lernerville (second in prelim, fourth in 100) before turning attention to World 100. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil); 7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 4th (nc)
5. Hudson O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: Struggles to 16th-place finish in Hillbilly Hundred but caps weekend on winning note with $20,000 unsanctioned score at Tyler County driving Rumley No. 6. Pointed toward Eldora, where he won World 100 in 2023 and captured two semifeatures last year. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil); 6th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 6th (+1)
6. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
Comment: Quiet visit to Lernerville with finishes of eighth and ninth. World 100 next. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil); 4th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 5th (-1)
7. Nick Hoffman, Mooresville, N.C.
Comment: No racing for weekend as Tye Twarog’s driver preps for Eldora. Series points: 2nd (WoO); T7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 7th (nc)
8. Garrett Alberson, Las Cruces, N.M.
Comment: Celebrates second Lucas Oil victory of season in Hillbilly opener but finishes 12th in 100-lapper after sustaining damage in opening-lap tangle. Moves on to Eldora. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil); 10th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 8th (nc)
9. Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.
Comment: Spirits raised by fifth-place Hillbilly Hundred finish plus another fifth in Baltes Classic to set stage for World 100. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 10th (+1)
10. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa
Comment: Back in victory lane for first time since USA Nationals at Sunday’s Wiener Nationals in Moberly, Mo., sending him to Eldora on high note. Series points: 3rd (WoO); T7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 9th (-1)
11. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
Comment: Runs sixth in Hillbilly headliner and readies for World 100 with runner-up finish at Sunday’s Baltes Classic. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 11th (nc)
12. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Finishes fourth in Lernerville prelim then runs eighth in 100-lapper after rallying from pit stop for flat tire. Shoots for second World 100 this weekend. Series points: 4th (WoO). Previous ranking: 12th (nc)
13. Brian Shirley, Chatham, Ill.
Comment: Leads Saturday’s MARS feature at Fairbury before scrape with lapped car triggers fall to third-place finish. Trip to Eldora coming up. Series points: 7th (WoO); 5th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 13th (nc)
14. Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill.
Comment: Caps MARS tripleheader with $5,000 triumph at Spoon River. Ready for World 100 assault. Series points: Champion (Summer Nationals); 1st (MARS). Previous ranking: 15th (+1)
15. Tyler Erb, New Waverly, Texas
Comment: After 10th-place finish in Hillbilly Hundred, logs a third in Baltes Classic to tune up for World 100. Series points: 2nd (Summer Nationals). Previous ranking: 14th (-1)
16. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
Comment: Stays away from track for weekend to massage Kale Green’s Longhorn Chassis for Eldora duty. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 16th (nc)
17. Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
Comment: Last-minute decision to enter Volunteer’s Southern All Star show yields second-place finish. Makes early arrival to Eldora worthwhile with fourth-place run in Baltes Classic. Series points: 1st (Hunt the Front); T2nd (Southern Nationals). Previous ranking: 17th (nc)
T18. Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, Ill.
Comment: Tallies consecutive fifth-place finishes at Fairbury and Spoon River to close MARS weekend. He’ll look for 13th career World 100 feature start but first since 2022. Series points: 6th (WoO); 9th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 18th (nc)
T18. Josh Rice, Crittenden, Ky.
Comment: Rallies for sixth-place finish in Baltes Classic semifeature after heat race scrape. Looking for more success at World 100 after winning prelim during June’s Dream. Series points: 1st (Northern Allstars). Previous ranking: 19th (+1)
20. Max Blair, Centerville, Pa.
Comment: Shows familiarity with Lernerville’s slick surface in run to third-place finish in Hillbilly Hundred. Hoping to make third attempt at World 100 his first start in feature. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 22nd (+2)
21. Cory Hedgecock, Loudon, Tenn.
Comment: Flat tire knocks new Longhorn Chassis from lead at Volunteer, then drives car to fourth-place finish at Baltes Classic to buoy confidence for World 100. Series points: 3rd (Hunt the Front). Previous ranking: 20th (+1)
22. Zack Mitchell, Enoree, S.C.
Comment: Sits idle to gear up for World 100. Series points: 2nd (Hunt the Front). Previous ranking: 21st (-1)
23. Ashton Winger, Hampton, Ga.
Comment: Spends weekend racing with MARS and bags $10,000 victory at Fairbury. Series points: None. Previous ranking: Unranked
24. Gregg Satterlee, Indiana, Pa.
Comment: Starts Fall Clash with seventh at Bedford and victory at Port Royal, then adds fifth-place run in Selinsgrove’s unsanctioned feature. Likely staying on Clash trail for stops at Bridgeport, N.J., and Kutztown, Pa. Series points: None. Previous ranking: T24th (nc)
T25. Kyle Bronson, Brandon, Fla.
Comment: Rebounds from DNF in Hillbilly with Baltes Classic semifeature victory to enter World 100 feeling good. Series points: None. Previous ranking: Unranked
T25. Daulton Wilson, Fayetteville, N.C.
Comment: Forced to miss Lucas Oil’s Hillbilly weekend with engine trouble for JRR Motorsports. Series points: 8th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 23rd (nc)
Dropped out: Tanner English
Others receiving votes: Tanner English, Mason Zeigler, Drake Troutman, Jason Jameson, Ryan Unzicker, Chris Simpson, Hayden Cardwell, Carson Ferguson, Dale McDowell, Rusty Schlenk.
