Poll Position presented by Keyser Manufacturing
Top 25: RTJ maintains unanimous No. 1 ranking
By Kevin Kovac
DirtonDirt senior writer
Devin Moran and Ricky Thornton Jr. (heathlawsonphotos.com)
Fueled by a $50,000 victory in Saturday’s 46th annual Jackson 100 at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway that has him well positioned for a second straight Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series title, Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., remained the unanimous No. 1 driver in DirtonDirt’s power rankings.
Thornton, who celebrated his 35th birthday Sunday, kicked off the five-race Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Friday with a fourth-place finish in Brownstown’s C.J. Rayburn Memorial before capturing the Jackson 100 for the second time in the last three years. He received all 10 first-place votes to maintain the top spot in the Keyser Manufacturing-sponsored Top 25 poll for the fourth straight week.
The Jackson 100 triumph was Thornton’s fourth this season worth at least $50,000-to-win. It also gave him an 80-point edge in the Lucas Oil Series standings heading to this weekend’s Pittsburgher doubleheader at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway in Imperial.
Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., stayed in the poll’s No. 2 spot after enjoying a strong run in the Jackson 100, charging forward from the ninth starting position to lead laps 22-45 before settling for a third-place finish. Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., also kept his No. 3 ranking despite an extremely rough weekend at Brownstown during which he saw contending runs dive-bombed on Friday by a flat tire and spin out (he finished 14th) and in Saturday’s Jackson 100 by a spin from contact with Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio (he rallied to placed sixth).
Moran, who tangled with Davenport while racing for second on lap 44 of the Jackson 100, finished second in the century grind on top of a third-place finish Friday at Brownstown to jump up one spot to No. 4 in the poll. Nick Hoffman of Mooresville, N.C., made a one-position advance in the rankings as well to land at No. 5 after earning his first-ever Lucas Oil Series checkered flag in Friday’s C.J. Rayburn Memorial.
No driver moved up more than two spots in the final Top 25 poll of September. Rejoining the rankings was Zack Mitchell of Enoree, S.C., who sits at No. 23 after a $12,000 Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series victory at Southern Raceway in Milton, Fla., and Daulton Wilson of Fayetteville, N.C., at No. 25.
Dropping out of the poll was Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., and Trey Mills of St. Augustine, Fla.
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. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
Comment: Takes big step toward repeat Lucas Oil title by starting Chase for Championship with second career Jackson 100 victory following a fourth-place finish at Brownstown. Two more playoff races at Pittsburgh could put him on doorstep of national crown. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil); 3rd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 1st (nc)
2. Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
Comment: Ends rare winless month with uplifting third-place finish in Jackson 100. Back at it on WoO tour with trip to Kansas for doubleheader. Series points: 1st (WoO). 1st (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 2nd (nc)
3. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: Would love to forget start of Chase for Championship after frustrating weekend at Brownstown that includes flat tire and spin en route to 14th-place finish on Friday and another twirl following contact with Devin Moran in sixth-place Jackson 100 run. Will look to keep flickering title hopes alive as he defends last year’s Pittsburgher victory. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil); 2nd (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 3rd (nc)
4. Devin Moran, Dresden, Ohio
Comment: Solidifies second-place spot in Lucas Oil Chase standings with third- and second-place finishes at Brownstown. PPMS next. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 5th (+1)
5. Nick Hoffman, Mooresville, N.C.
Comment: Reaches victory lane in Lucas Oil action for first time in Brownstown’s C.J. Rayburn Memorial, but only manages eighth-place finish in Jackson 100. Heads to Kansas for WoO twinbill at Humboldt and 81 Speedway. Series points: 2nd (WoO); 9th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 6th (+1)
6. Hudson O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: Momentum from Knoxville Nationals triumph disappears during home track weekend at Brownstown with flurry of on-track troubles leading to finishes of 22nd (Friday) and 17th (Jackson 100) that might have ended Lucas Oil title hopes. Now needs sublime performance at PPMS and lots of help. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil); 5th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 4th (-2)
7. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
Comment: Starts Brownstown double with runner-up finish Friday but runs quiet ninth in Jackson 100. Ready to Pittsburgher with Josh Richards expected to join him as Rocket1 teammate. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil); 5th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 7th (nc)
8. Garrett Alberson, Las Cruces, N.M.
Comment: Places fifth in opener, 10th in Jackson 100 at Brownstown. PPMS trip on agenda. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil); 10th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 8th (nc)
9. Tyler Erb, New Waverly, Texas
Comment: Caps visit to Brownstown with fifth-place finish in Jackson 100. Making long trek south to Mississippi’s Greenville Speedway for Gumbo Nationals. Series points: 2nd (Summer Nationals). Previous ranking: 10th (+1)
10. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.
Comment: After weekend off, next start to be determined. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 9th (-1)
11. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa
Comment: Spends weekend away from track to prep for WoO swing through Kansas. Series points: 3rd (WoO); 6th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 11th (nc)
12. Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill.
Comment: Tallies runner-up at Peoria and a third-place finish in Coles County’s bullring special. Heads to Fairbury’s two-day MARS season-ended with third straight series title already locked up. Series points: Champion (MARS and Summer Nationals). Previous ranking: 12th (nc)
13. Brian Shirley, Chatham, Ill.
Comment: Takes a break from racing with WoO excursion to Kansas looming. Series points: 5th (WoO); 8th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 13th (nc)
14. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Briggs Transport team stays in shop to ready for long haul to WoO weekend in Kansas. Series points: 4th (WoO). Previous ranking: 14th (nc)
15. Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.
Comment: Fails to crack top 10 at Brownstown, finishing 13th on Friday and 11th in Jackson 100. Hoping for better results at PPMS. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: 16th (+1)
16. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
Comment: Another weekend off with still no racing planned to Oct. 17-18’s DTWC at Eldora. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 15th (-1)
17. Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, Ill.
Comment: Brownstown visit produces only a DNQ on Friday and 16th-place finish in Jackson 100. Returns to WoO competition in Kansas. Series points: 6th (WoO); 7th (FloRacing). Previous ranking: 18th (+1)
18. Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
Comment: Fifth-place finish at Florida’s Southern Raceway keeps him on top of Hunt the Front standings by scant two points with just two races remaining. Schedule currently empty for weekend. Series points: 1st (Hunt the Front); T2nd (Southern Nationals). Previous ranking: 19th (+1)
19. Josh Rice, Crittenden, Ky.
Comment: Starts Brownstown weekend with sixth-place finish but settles for 13th-place result in Jackson 100. Eyeing Mudlick’s Iron-Man show this Saturday. Series points: 1st (Northern Allstars). Previous ranking: 21st (+2)
T20. Max Blair, Centerville, Pa.
Comment: Doesn’t start a feature during Brownstown doubleheader that goes bad from start with DQ from heat transfer on Friday for failing to report to scales. Meeting up with Lucas Oil buddies for Pittsburgher weekend in his home state. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 17th (-3)
T20. Cory Hedgecock, Loudon, Tenn.
Comment: Quiet seventh-place finish in Hunt the Front’s stop at Florida’s Southern Raceway. No racing schedules for weekend. Series points: 3rd (Hunt the Front). Previous ranking: 20th (nc)
22. Tanner English, Benton, Ky.
Comment: Logs seventh-place finish in Jackson 100 before hitting road to Kansas with WoO to kick off October. Series points: 9th (WoO). Previous ranking: 22nd (nc)
23. Zack Mitchell, Enoree, S.C.
Comment: Big $12,000 victory at Southern Raceway brings him within two points lead in Hunt the Front standings. Series points: 3rd (Hunt the Front). Previous ranking: Unranked
24. Ashton Winger, Hampton, Ga.
Comment: Plans to end two-weekend absence from action with trip to Midwest for MARS doubleheader at Fairbury. Series points: None. Previous ranking: 23th (-1)
25. Daulton Wilson, Fayetteville, N.C.
Comment: Tenth-place finish in Friday’s C.J. Rayburn Memorial is highlight of weekend at Brownstown. Lucas Oil schedule takes him to PPMS. Series points: 8th (Lucas Oil). Previous ranking: Unranked
Dropped out: Mike Marlar, Trey Mills
Others receiving votes: Carson Ferguson, Colten Burdette, Ethan Dotson, Mike Marlar, Gregg Satterlee, Trey Mills, Rusty Schlenk, Ryan Unzicker, Mark Whitener, Mason Zeigler, Chris Ferguson.
