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Clanton rises to No. 4 in Top 25 power rankings
While Josh Richards holds onto the top spot, fellow World of Outlaws Late Model Series competitors Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., and Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., are on the rise in DirtonDirt.com’s Top 25 power rankings presented by JRi Shocks.
Richards, of Shinnston, W.Va., secured a solid 18 of 22 first-place votes in the No. 1 spot among a top five of Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., the season-high Clanton at No. 4 and No. 5 Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn. Owens received the other four first-place votes but slipped back on several ballots in apparent fallout from his tire-cheating disqualification after being stripped of a National Dirt Racing League victory.
Clanton, up two spots to break into the top five for the first time, and McCreadie, up three notches to No. 7, were the biggest risers in the top 10. Ironically, each driver won last week in races where the other drivers appeared to be in control.
McCreadie won a Spring Nationals event at Duck River Raceway Park in Wheel, Tenn., after a flat tire knocked Clanton out of the lead, while Clanton won the World of Outlaws stop at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark., after McCreadie got into an infield tire barrier while working under a slower car late in the race.
Other drivers taking jumps in the poll include Spring Nationals points leader Steve Casebolt (14th from 17th) of Richmond, Ind., after his victory at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Ga., and Jimmy Mars (16th from 19th) of Menomonie, Wis., after a runner-up finish on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at La Salle (Ill.) Speedway.
Two newcomers to the poll also served notice at La Salle. Chris Simpson (No. 24) of Oxford, Iowa, was fourth while Brady Smith (No. 25) of Solon Springs, Wis., took the checker at La Salle in his first start since February.
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-two submitted ballots this week. Weekly polls continue through mid-November.
1. Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va.
Comment: Keeps clicking off top-three finishes in posting; he’ll take weekend off after third at I-30 Speedway. Series points: 1st (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 1st (nc)
2. Don O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: Fifth at La Salle, Ill., heads to Batesville’s Bad Boy 98 looking for his first career victory in Arkansas. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 3rd (+1)
3. Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky.
Comment: Pulls alongside Shane Clanton late but settles for runner-up finish in World of Outlaws action at I-30 Speedway. Series points: 3rd (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 4th (+1)
4. Shane Clanton, Zebulon, Ga.
Comment: Flat tire knocks him out at Duck River, but deflating tire allows him to hang on for victory at I-30 Speedway. Series points: 2nd (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 6th (+2)
5. Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
Comment: Sixth-place finish at La Salle is his first time out of the top five on the Lucas Oil tour since March 23 at Brownstown. Series points: 1st-tie (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 2nd (-3)
6. Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
Comment: Gets a crack at World of Outlaws in his home state, posts a fifth-place finish at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 5th (-1)
7. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Spring Nationals victory at Duck River followed by heartbreak with late-race miscue leading at I-30. Series points: 5th (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 10th (+3)
8. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: Retires after leading at Cleveland County, then rallies from 12th at Cherokee for Carolina Clash victory. Series points: 4th (Southern All Stars). Last week’s ranking: 8th (nc)
9. Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, Ill.
Comment: Struggles to 13th-place finish on Lucas Oil Series at La Salle, where he’s a former track champion. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 7th (-2)
10. Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa
Comment: Can’t recapture earlier-season success at La Salle in settling for eighth during Lucas Oil weekend. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 9th (-1)
11. Steve Francis, Ashland, Ky.
Comment: Ninth at La Salle, he returns to Batesville as the previous Lucas Oil Series winner at the 3/8-mile oval. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 12th (+1)
12. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
Comment: Misses the top 10 at La Salle as Hall of Famer looks to get back on track heading to Batesville, Ark. Series points: 7th (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 11th (-1)
13. Rick Eckert, York, Pa.
Comment: Solid fourth-place finish at I-30 Speedway; he’ll take a break until WoO’s Memorial Day weekend events. Series points: 3rd (World of Outlaws). Last week's ranking: 13th (nc)
14. Steve Casebolt, Richmond, Ind.
Comment: Traffic causes him problems on I-75 heading to Dixie, but it’s smooth sailing on the racetrack. Series points: 1st (Spring Nationals). Last week’s ranking: 17th (+3)
15. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.
Comment: Scores pair of second-place finishes on Spring Nationals at Duck River Speedway and Dixie Speedway. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 14th (-1)
16. Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, Wis.
Comment: Leads 38 of 50 laps at La Salle before Brady Smith finds a way past while Mars battles a slower car. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 19th (+3)
17. John Blankenship, Williamson, W.Va.
Comment: Creeps closer to contention in Lucas Oil points with a solid third-place finish at La Salle (Ill.) Speedway. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 17th (+1)
18. Eddie Carrier Jr., Salt Rock, W.Va.
Comment: Going deeper into Lucas Oil season, Carrier scores seventh-place La Salle finish in rare trip to Illinois. Series points: 10th (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 16th (+2)
19. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
Comment: Dixie run near home of car owner Norman Bryson derailed when he’s among eight drivers light after time trails. Series points: None. Last week's ranking: 15th (-4)
20. Scott James, Lawrenceburg, Ind.
Comment: Warrior house car driver 12th at I-30 Speedway; just one top-five finish since his March 30 win at Florence. Series points: 7th-tie (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 20th (nc)
21. Eric Wells, Hazard, Ky.
Comment: Top finishing rookie on World of Outlaws stop at I-30 Speedway with 14th-place finish in Little Rock. Series points: 7th-tie (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 22nd (+1)
22. Chad Simpson, Mount Vernon, Iowa
Comment: Has a rare absence from Corn Belt Clash circuit and fails to crack the starting lineup at La Salle. Series points: 1st (Corn Belt Clash). Last week’s ranking: 21st (-1)
23. Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.
Comment: Slips a spot in the Lucas Oil points chase after scoring a 12th-place finish at La Salle Speedway. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil). Last week's ranking: 23rd (nc)
24. Chris Simpson, Oxford, Iowa
Comment: Turns in another fine run at La Salle with fourth-place finish, a strong run against a tough La Salle field. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: Unranked
25. Brady Smith, Solon Springs, Wis.
Comment: Fresh from knee surgery in his first start since Speedweeks, Smith outduels Mars late for La Salle victory. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: Unranked.
Dropped out: Bobby Pierce, Randy Weaver.
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.
