by Don Martin 9.9.2018
Below are the rankings after the cancellation of the biggest Late Model Race of the year. The granddaddy of them all was to happen this past weekend but a dismal forecast forced the race to be re-scheduled October 12-13. Eldora did get one night in and Jimmy Owens and Scott Bloomquist each won a preliminary. The wins were worth $10,000 to both Tennessee native drivers. Two other races to mention did get in this weekend Brandon Overton took home $10,000 at Screven. After the cancellation at Eldora Overton and his Franklin team packed up and headed south. Ricky Weiss after his car was ruled illegal at Eldora due to thin frame tubing he headed to North Dakota for the Seitz Memorial at Grand Forks Speedway. The Canada driver took home $9200.
This week is the 15th Annual Lucas Oil Knoxville Dirt Late Model Nationals. The event will kick off Thursday evening September 13th. Thursday and Friday will be preliminaries with the feature winners each taking home $7,000. Saturday’s winner will receive a check for $40,000 and the driver who sits on the pole with the highest point totals will receive a check for $2,000 from Hoker Trucking. The Malvern Bank Super Late Models will also be on-hand Saturday night as the support class. The race will pay $4,000 to win. You can expect to see 25-30 Malvern Super Late Models on hand including Nebraska’s Kyle Berck. The race is sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series so you can expect all the top drivers in the country including several World of Outlaw drivers since the series is idle as always for the Knoxville event.
If you have never been to Knoxville you have to go, the place is just incredible and is probably the best dirt facility in the country and sits right in the middle of town. The racing is very exciting and very intense and the one thing about Knoxville is the best car usually wins the race. If you decide to go you have to check out the Knoxville Sprint Car Hall of Fame and the famous Dingus Lounge which sits across the street.
Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tennessee is looking to 3-peat. Marlar in his Delk Motorsports #157 definitely has the black gumbo ½ mile figured out. If you talk to Mike he will tell you this is his favorite race on his racing calendar.
Scott Bloomquist and Brian Birkhofer each have won the event twice and will both be back in action this week. Bloomquist is always fast, and with his win at Eldora the team has some momentum heading into Iowa this week. Bloomquist also has Iowa roots, this is the home of his mother and still has family that resides in Iowa.
Brian Birkhofer season may have just started but he does not look like a guy who has stepped out the sport for a few years. He finished second last week at Eldora and the last time he ran at Knoxville he won and he passed Bloomquist on the last lap. Birkhofer will be behind Jason Rauen’s Dirty #30.
Other past winners that will be on-hand next week include Jared Landers, Darrell Lanigan, Don O’Neal, Tim McCreadie, Billy Moyer, and Brian Shirley.
Drivers expected to be on hand for the event looking for the first Knoxville title include Brandon Sheppard, Jonathan Davenport, Bobby Pierce, Dale McDowell, Jimmy Owens, Earl Pearson Jr., Ricky Weiss, Shannon Babb, Josh Richards, Gregg Satterlee, Don O’Neal, Dennis Erb, and Chris Simpson.
StlRacing.com Top 25 Super Dirt Late Model Rankings 9.9.2018
1 Brandon Sheppard
2 Scott Bloomquist
3 Jonathan Davenport
4 Mike Marlar
5 Chris Madden
6 Bobby Pierce
7 Jimmy Owens
8 Dale McDowell
9 Earl Pearson Jr.
10 Ricky Weiss
11 Shannon Babb
12 Brian Shirley
13 Tim McCreadie
14 Josh Richards
15 Gregg Satterlee
16 Brandon Overton
17 Devin Moran
18 Hudson O’Neal
19 Don O’Neal
20 Tyler Erb
21 Billy Moyer
22 Darrell Lanigan
23 Chris Simpson
24 Shane Clanton
25 Dennis Erb Jr.
Enjoy the races and keep supporting your local dirt tracks !!
This week I am off to Knoxville for the 15th Annual Dirt Late Model Nationals.