DirtonDirt.com exclusive
Madden, Feger climb in Top 25 power rankings
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com managing editor
The battle for the top spot in DirtonDirt.com’s Top 25 power rankings remained tight between national touring points leaders as Dirt Late Model racing heads into the busy Labor Day weekend.
Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., the World of Outlaws Late Model Series points leader who has been atop the regular-season power rankings all but one week, holds an eight-point edge of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points leader Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., in the polling presented by JRi Shocks.
Richards and Owens picked up eight first-place votes each while No. 3 Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., got the other five first-place votes following his up-and-down weekend on the World of Outlaws circuit. Moving into the top five was Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., at the fifth spot following his second Lucas Oil Series victory of the weekend at Lawrencburg (Ind.) Speedway.
The biggest movers were further back in the pack and also found weekend success. Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., on a 13-race stretch of top-five finishes (save a controversial finish at Duck River with a last-lap wreck), jumped five positions to No. 15 following his Lucas Oil Series victory at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn. And Jason Feger (pictured) of Bloomington, Ill., a two-race winner on the MARS DIRTcar Series in Paducah, Ky., and Pevely, Mo., gained six spots to the 19th spot in the power 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-one submitted ballots this week. Weekly polls continue through mid-November.
1. Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va.
Comment: Clicks off another pair of top-five finishes at Little Valley, Winchester to maintain WoO points lead. Series points: 1st (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 1st (nc)
2. Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
Comment: Salvages eighth after flat tire at Volunteer, then fights his way to third at Lawrenceburg to minimize win by Francis. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 2nd (nc)
3. Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky.
Comment: One step forward ... After holding off Dan Stone for Little Valley victory, takes provisional at Winchester and finishes 15th. Series points: 3rd (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 4th (+1)
4. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: Big-race letdown continues. After sixth-place finish at Little Valley, provisional at Winchester leads to 13th-place finish. Series points: 5th (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 3rd (-1)
5. Steve Francis, Ashland, Ky.
Comment: Stays atop a flurry of challengers at Lawrenceburg for second series victory, draws within 50 points of Owens. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 6th (+2)
6. John Blankenship, Williamson, W.Va.
Comment: Finishes ahead of other title contenders at Volunteer, but loses that edge despite 19th-to-fifth charge at Lawrenceburg. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 5th (-1)
7. Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, Ill.
Comment: MARS events don’t pan out at Paducah and Pevely, but he becomes winning Summernationals driver at Highland. Series points: 3rd (Summernationals). Last week’s ranking: 9th (+2)
8. Shane Clanton, Zebulon, Ga.
Comment: Loses second spot after Lanigan’s Little Valley win, but regains it with modest seventh-place finish at Winchester. Series points: 2nd (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 8th (nc)
9. Don O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: On the mend after a rollover accident at Volunteer, he skipped Lawrenceburg and will see specialist before busy Labor Day weekend. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 6th (-3)
10. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.
Comment: After notching yet another third-place finish, Team Dillon driver will park until heading for Eldora’s World 100. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 11th (+1)
11. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
Comment: After a Midwest Big 10 victory at his hometown Jacksonville Raceway, picks up sixth-places finishes at Pevely, Highland. Series points: 1st (Summernationals). Last week’s ranking: 10th (-1)
12. Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
Comment: Leads 24 laps at Highland’s Summernationals makeup, but succumbs to high-running Babb to finish third. Series points: 2nd (Summernationals). Last week’s ranking: 12th (nc)
13. Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
Comment: After sub-par MARS weekend at Paducah and Pevely, Moyer making rare journey east for NDRL show at Roaring Knob. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 13th (nc)
14. Rick Eckert, York, Pa.
Comment: Opts to pilot Paul Crowl’s car at Winchester — using his No. 24 instead of Crowl’s No. 7 — but can’t crack top 10. Series points: 4th (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 14th (nc)
15. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
Comment: Wins fourth career Lucas Oil event at Volunteer and continues habit of contending up front that stretches back to mid-June. Series points: 3rd (Southern Nationals). Last week’s ranking: 20th (+5)
16. Tony Jackson Jr., Lebanon, Mo.
Comment: Fares well amid Illinois challengers for MARS trip to Paducah and Pevely, including a 23rd-to-third charge at PIR. Series points: 1st (MARS and MLRA). Last week’s ranking: 17th (+1)
17. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
Comment: Still mostly quiet since his Dream victory, has a solid fourth at Volunteer but not a factor at Lawrenceburg. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 16th (-1)
18. Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa
Comment: After taking a break to heal his broken right hand, he plans return with busy four-race weekend preceding World 100. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 15th (-3)
19. Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill.
Comment: Enjoys back-to-back victories on MARS circuit by dominating Paducah, rising to the top at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 25th (+6)
20. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
Comment: Capitalizing on Dustin Neat’s mistake in lapped traffic, Marlar pockets $7,500 at Ponderosa’s Friday Night Rumble. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 21st (+1)
21. Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, Ill.
Comment: Another lackluster weekend as Erb continues a stretch of finishing ninth or worse going back to July 13. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 18th (-3)
22. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: Post-Southern Nationals funk continues as wall-banging qualifying effort at Winchester dooms weekend. Series points: 1st (Southern Nationals). Last week’s ranking: 19th (-3)
23. Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
Comment: Enjoys successful weekend in his modified while plotting a move to Rocket Chassis, parking his Bloomquist car. Series points: 3rd (MARS and MLRA). Last week's ranking: 22nd (-1)
24. Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.
Comment: After getting caught up in Volunteer wreck, rallies into contention at Lawrenceburg before slipping to seventh at finish. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 23rd (-1)
25. Chris Simpson, Oxford, Iowa
Comment: In midst of a five-victories season he’s still on a break from racing before heading to Eldora's World 100 on Sept. 7-9. Series points: 3rd (Corn Belt Clash). Last week’s ranking: 24th (-1)
Dropped out: None
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.
