DirtonDirt.com exclusive
Owens edges Richards for top spot in Top 25
By Andy Savary
DirtonDirt.com
After cruising to victory Friday at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park and capturing his second Hillbilly 100 crown on Sunday at I-77 Raceway Park in Ripley, W.Va, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points leader Jimmy Owens (pictured) of Newport, Tenn., received 18 out of a possible 26 first-place votes and has overtaken World of Outlaws Late Model Series points leader Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., for the No. 1 spot in DirtonDirt.com’s latest Top 25 power rankings presented by JRi Shocks.
Despite a World of Outlaws victory on Friday at West Virginia Motor Speedway in Mineral Wells, W.Va, Richards slipped down to No. 2 and secured five first-place votes, while Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., added his series-leading tenth World of Outlaws victory of the season on Sunday at Selinsgrove (Pa.) Speedway and collected three first-place votes to hold steady in the No. 3 spot. Prior to this week's polling, Richards had held the top spot since April 30 and had been voted No. 1 for all but one week of the regular season.
Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., made the biggest charge of the week, soaring up six positions to No. 7. Moyer's climb came in large part thanks to a $15,000 Lucas Oil Series triumph Saturday at Portsmouth (Ohio) Raceway Park and a $20,000 National Dirt Racing League win at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex in Markleysburg, Pa., on Monday, which earned him the NDRL points lead.
Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, Pa., was the lone newcomer to the weekly rankings, joining at No. 24. Satterlee makes his first appearance of the regular season just days after clicking off his second career World of Outlaws victory on Saturday to open Selinsgrove's World of Outlaws doubleheader.
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-six submitted ballots this week. Weekly polls continue through mid-November.
1. Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
Comment: Starting to pull away from fellow Lucas Oil competitors after notching a pair of victories at Attica and I-77. Series points: 1st (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 2nd (+1)
2. Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va.
Comment: Enters five events on busy Labor Day weekend; snaps six-week victory lane drought with WoO triumph at WVMS. Series points: 1st (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 1st (-1)
3. Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky.
Comment: Bags his tenth (and counting) World of Outlaws win of 2013 at Selinsgrove after a record-setting 15 victories in 2012. Series points: 3rd (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 3rd (nc)
4. Steve Francis, Ashland, Ky.
Comment: Turns in a strong weekend at Attica, Portsmouth and I-77 but still loses ground in the points chase to Owens. Series points: 2nd (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 5th (+1)
5. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
Comment: USA Nationals winner completes a relatively uneventful Labor Day weekend to open up his September. Series points: 5th (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 4th (-1)
6. John Blankenship, Williamson, W.Va.
Comment: Has fallen 360 markers behind Owens after leading the Lucas Oil standings entering Roaring Knob's event on July 26. Series points: 3rd (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 6th (nc)
7. Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
Comment: Collects two big Labor Day paychecks and becomes the first driver with five-figure victories on four different tours. Series points: 1st (NDRL). Last week’s ranking: 13th (+6)
8. Shane Clanton, Zebulon, Ga.
Comment: Winless on the World of Outlaws circuit since June 1 and steadily losing touch with Richards in the point standings. Series points: 2nd (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 8th (nc)
9. Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, Ill.
Comment: Looks to put 2005's heartbreak behind him and become the first Illinois driver to win a crown jewel event at Eldora. Series points: 3rd (Summernationals). Last week’s ranking: 7th (-2)
10. Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
Comment: Picks up a pair of home-state victories at Farmer City and Quincy to headline a three-race Labor Day weekend. Series points: 1st (Summernationals). Last week’s ranking: 11th (+1)
11. Don O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
Comment: Still recovering from his Volunteer rollover and unsure whether or not he'll be able to race this weekend at Eldora. Series points: 6th (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 9th (-2)
12. Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
Comment: Hoping to become Eldora's youngest winner ever after recording a trio of runner-up finishes on Labor Day weekend. Series points: 2nd (Summernationals). Last week’s ranking: 12th (nc)
13. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga.
Comment: Has to be the odds-on favorite to notch at least one third-place finish at The Big E, but he'll gun for a second globe. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 10th (-3)
14. Rick Eckert, York, Pa.
Comment: Can't help but laugh following yet another second-place finish in Sunday's WoO stop at Selinsgrove. Series points: 4th (World of Outlaws). Last week’s ranking: 14th (nc)
15. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
Comment: Has flirted with victory on a few occasions at Eldora's crown jewels, will this be the year he finally breaks through? Series points: 3rd (Southern Nationals). Last week’s ranking: 15th (nc)
16. Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, Ill.
Comment: Race-long leader suffers another dejecting loss when his motor comes up 38 laps short during I-77's Hillbilly 100. Series points: 5th (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 21st (+5)
17. Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa
Comment: Defending World 100 champ starts his Labor Day swing with a runner-up finish at Attica before a string of DNFs. Series points: 5th (NDRL). Last week’s ranking: 18th (+1)
18. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
Comment: Looking to complete the sweep of Eldora's crown jewels after showing encouraging signs at Portsmouth and I-77. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 17th (-1)
19. Tony Jackson Jr., Lebanon, Mo.
Comment: His Memorial Day hot streak has carried all the way to Labor Day; will he make the much-anticipated trip to Eldora? Series points: 1st (MARS and MLRA). Last week’s ranking: 16th (-3)
20. Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill.
Comment: Skips end-of-season specials around home to head out east for touring events at Attica, Portsmouth, I-77 and Roaring Knob. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 19th (-1)
21. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
Comment: Starts up front, but the reigning Hillbilly 100 champ fades to 15th and can't duplicate his 2012 success at I-77. Series points: None. Last week’s ranking: 20th (-1)
22. Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
Comment: Set to make only his third Super Late Model start of the past month this weekend at Eldora. Series points: 1st (Southern Nationals). Last week’s ranking: 22nd (nc)
23. Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
Comment: Catching fire over the final days in his Bloomquist Race Cars, which he plans to unload again this weekend at Eldora. Series points: 3rd (MLRA). Last week's ranking: 23rd (nc)
24. Gregg Satterlee, Rochester Mills, Pa.
Comment: Adds a second World of Outlaws victory to his resume in dominating fashion on opening night at Selinsgrove. Series points: 1st (AMS). Last week's ranking: Unranked
25. Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.
Comment: Survives serious nosepiece damage to post his second podium finish of Labor Day weekend at I-77. Series points: 4th (Lucas Oil). Last week’s ranking: 24th (-1)
Dropped out: Chris Simpson
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.
