by Don Martin 7.30.2019
Below are the STLRacing.com Top 25 Dirt Late Model Rankings after the conclusion of the 30th Annual Prairie Dirt Classic. I am proud to say we have a St. Louis driver in our STLRacing.com Top 25 Dirt Late Model Rankings. Yes Gordy Gundaker is in our Top 25 after an impressive run finishing 5th in the PDC. Gordy at one time fell out of the top twenty in the race and bounced back with a late charge to earn a top five. Gordy won 2 Summer National races at Macon and Farmer City and was very stout at the Summer National event at Fairbury a month ago. So congrats to entire Gundaker stable !!
Back to the PDC, it never disappoints 72 late models only the Dream at Eldora had more. Matt Curl and his staff continue to make the event bigger and better each year. Owner/ Promoter Matt Curl announced Saturday night that the Prairie Dirt Classic will pay $50,000 to win next year, Matt you better find a way to make the pits bigger and get some more grandstands because you have proved it you build it they will come!
What can you say about Brandon Sheppard and the Rocket House Car team prepared by Mark Richards. 17 wins on the season and continue to win big races. The slider on Pierce on the last lap for the win was EPIC ! The dirt late model scene is on fire right now with all the young talent we have in the pit area. Think about you have Brandon Sheppard, Bobby Pierce, Tyler Erb, Hudson O’Neal, Devin Moran, and this kid Ashton Winger from Georgia will be a superstar in a few years. Never been to Fairbury, the high school kid made the show and told me later he knew he would love this place and it didn’t disappoint and will be back in October.
You have to feel bad for Bobby the kid drove the wheels off the car and that was without any power steering and led almost the entire race.
Mike Marlar another great run and finished second in the main event, and moved into STLRacing.com Top 5. This guy didn’t even have a ride until May. Probably the most consistent car in the country besides Sheppard.
Other notes from Fairbury, hard luck award has to go to Tyler Erb. He had one of the fastest cars all weekend and had nothing to show from it. Racing for the lead in his heat race Friday got together with Devin Moran getting a DNF, onto Saturday starting last in his consolation race he marched up halfway thru in the field in the first five laps before making heavy contact with another racer and causing him to flip over. Tough week for the fan favorite Terbo, but he will be back.
Billy Moyer and Tim McCreadie struggled to find speed all weekend, Moyer almost made the race but come up one position short while TMAC never even got close in the Rumley #6. They qualified poorly, slow in the heat, bad in the consi, and dropped out the of non-qualifier. Tough weekend for the New Yorker.
Jonathan Davenport also had a crazy PDC, his trailer broke down so he had no hot rod and his good buddy Mason Zeigler offered him a ride. JD looked decent at times as well as Zeigler but both were spectators in the end.
Other races going on this past weekend was Ray Cook’s Southern Nationals, the series wrapped up at 411 and Tazewell. Dale McDowell won both races each paid over $10,000.
This weekend is another crown jewel at Cedar Lake Speedway, located in Northern Wisconsin. The USA Nationals is sanctioned by the World of Outlaws and pays $50,000 to win. How can you not bet on Sheppard !!
STLRacing.com Top 25 Super Dirt Late Model Rankings 2019 7.30.2019
1 Brandon Sheppard
2 Jonathan Davenport
3 Ricky Weiss
4 Bobby Pierce
5 Mike Marlar
6 Jimmy Owens
7 Dale McDowell
8 Tim McCreadie
9 Shane Clanton
10 Tyler Erb
11 Brandon Overton
12 Josh Richards
13 Brian Shirley
14 Chase Junghans
15 Chris Ferguson
16 Darrell Lanigan
17 Chris Madden
18 Ross Bailes
19 Devin Moran
20 Earl Pearson Jr.
21 Scott Bloomquist
22 Hudson O’Neal
23 Gordy Gundaker
24 Mason Zeigler
25 Dennis Erb Jr.
Enjoy the races and keep supporting your local dirt tracks.