by Don Martin STLRacing.com 11.6.2019
One of the most anticipated events kicks off this week starting Thursday November 7 at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Can-Am World Finals sanctioned by the World Racing Group is a 3-Day event featuring the Dirt Car Big Block Modifieds, the World of Outlaw Late Models and Sprint Cars. The event usually draws close to 200 hot rods on the facility with over 60,000 spectators coming thru the gates for the entire weekend. The atmosphere is incredible and the track is a spacious 4/10 mile oval surrounded by a gorgeous facility.
It is a star studded event for sure, where else can you go and see Scott Bloomquist, Sammy Swindell, Brandon Sheppard, Tim McCreadie, Brett Hearn, Matt Sheppard, Jonathan Davenport, Donny Schatz, Brad Sweet, and David Gravel in the same pit area for 3 days. Qualifying kicks off Thursday with the sprint cars and late models having two rounds, setting up the heat races for Friday and Saturday. The
big blocks will qualify using their hot lap times. The Big Blocks will run their heat races on Thursday. Friday and Saturday the sprint car and late models will run heats, consolation races, and feature events each night paying $12,000 to win in front of a sold out crowd.
What is amazing about this year’s World Finals the Championship will be decided in two of the three classes. The Big Block modifieds has Matt Sheppard holding a 6 point advantage over Matt Williamson for the Championship. It is going to be very tough for Williamson to knock off Superman. Sheppard is always strong at Charlotte and has won multiple features at the World Finals. Williamson not so much,
he has had a great year and won the richest race of the year last month in Oswego and has the car and team to win the championship.
All eyes will be on the World of Outlaw Sprint Car Championship thru 70 races Brad Sweet holds an 8 point lead on 10-Time World of Outlaw Champion Donny Schatz. These guys have raced over 70 point races and it will be decided on Saturday night who is the Champ. Sweet driving for Kasey Kahne has never won a Championship but Kasey Kahne did win a championship a few years ago with Daryn Pittman
at the wheel. Schatz has always been strong at Charlotte while Brad has been very fast but has not been victorious at Charlotte. Schatz would be the first one to tell you that with all the changes this year new crew chief and new motor program he did not expect this but now that it is here and he is in the hunt he knows how to get the job done. David Gravel, Daryn Pittman, and Logan Schuchart round
out the top five in the points and will most likely all finish there.
The World of Outlaw Late Model Division is over, Brandon Sheppard has won 18 features on the circuit in 2019 and the team has won over $300,000 on the tour. Take into consideration he also won the Dirt Million, DTWC, and the Dream the Mark Richards Racing Rocket House Car team has won over $600,000. Shane Clanton is second in wins on the tour with 4 by the way.
Even though Sheppard has dominated the World of Outlaws positions 2 thru 5 are only separated by 30 points. Chase Junghans holds second at this time followed by Darrell Lanigan, Shane Clanton, and rookie Ricky Weiss.
Below is the STLRacing.com Top 25 Super Dirt Late Model Rankings. Sheppard of course is the leader and is not only the World of Outlaw Champ but the STLRacing.com Dirt Late Model Champion again. He has proven he is the best driver in the country in the best car in the country – congrats Sheppy !!! Lucas racers Davenport, Owens, and McCreadie are all in the Top 5. TMAC really bounced back after a tough
start to the season and will be very strong this weekend at Charlotte in the Rumley/Longhorn #6 this week. Look for Madden and Bloomer to be strong at Charlotte as always on the big 4/10 high speed clay banked oval. A sleeper this week could be Brandon Overton in his Rum Runner Longhorn. The team has been flying as of late.
I would think close to 20 of the 25 in the STLRankings will be in Charlotte for the World Finals this week. This will be Hudson O’Neal’s last ride in the SSI Longhorn this weekend. Hudson found out late last week that he lost his ride.
STLRacing.com Top 25 Super Dirt Late Model Rankings 2019 11.6.2019
1 Brandon Sheppard
2 Jonathan Davenport
3 Jimmy Owens
4 Ricky Weiss
5 Tim McCreadie
6 Chris Madden
7 Mike Marlar
8 Hudson O’Neal
9 Scott Bloomquist
10 Tyler Erb
11 Josh Richards
12 Brandon Overton
13 Bobby Pierce
14 Devin Moran
15 Dale McDowell
16 Chase Junghans
17 Darrell Lanigan
18 Shane Clanton
19 Dennis Erb Jr.
20 Shannon Buckingham
21 Kyle Bronson
22 Earl Pearson Jr.
23 Stormy Scott
24 Chris Ferguson
25 Brian Shirley
This weekend I am off to the World Finals and will recap the event next week.