September 2020 “September Song Edition”
The winds grow cold when they reach September. For we know our season is nearing the end with only to remember. The marquee events that usually fill the month and make champions changed but we carried on the race and managed to fill our nights and days.
The break of schedule in our historical past proved this month was like no other. I for one hope 2021 is back to normal when we crown champions at Eldora and Knoxville together.
That’s enough rhyming for today let’s talk about the “Top Ten” before October rolls away.
The first four drivers are rock sold for another month. Brandon Sheppard basically has the year locked up baring disaster. I don’t expect Brandon and Rocket 1 to falter at all. Jimmy Owens is holding on right now to 2nd and not gaining ground but also not losing any either. The battle right is between Zack Dohm and Brandon Overton. Both are having excellent years. The wild card in this chase is Tim McCredie. He’s the big money guy this year at the big money show, so who knows.
Michigan has one it’s best ranked at number 6 and that’s Travis Stemler who’s having a great year. Another is Dona Marcoullier who is sitting just outside the ranking with 14 events. If he gets another race in this year he will hit the ranking with a big bang. Ricky Weiss and Josh Richards are the level of consistency in their respective national touring groups. Night after night they perform at the highest level. The final two drivers are very good in their areas of the country. Max Blair reigns supreme right now in Pennsylvania and Ross Bailes continues to be the Big Frog in the Southeast.
Folks, that’s my song for September. You can hum along for the remainder of the article as we roll through the credits. The SLMR ranking will sit idle next month and the Grand Finale will be in November with the annual “Top 100.”
The current event qualifier number for September was 15 features and I think I’ll keep it there for the final edition in November. Since we lost most of March, all of April and didn’t get back going till May, I think 15 is a fair number for qualification. Currently 129 drivers have met this threshold. All results are tracked via DirtonDirt. Without them and their attention to detail because they’re the best, I couldn’t do this and have this much fun.
With 1184 drivers currently being tracked since January 1st, here is the Super Late Model Performance Ranking “Top 50” for September. It’s a strong list of the “Best of the Best” from around the country.
1 Brandon Sheppard
2 Jimmy Owens
3 Zack Dohm
4 Brandon Overton
5 Tim McCreadie
6 Travis Stemler
7 Ricky Weiss
8 Josh Richards
9 Max Blair
10 Ross Bailes
11 Jonathan Davenport
12 Dale McDowell
13 Ricky Thornton Jr.
14 Jason Feger
15 Brian Shirley
16 Rick Eckert
17 Jesse Stovall
18 Shane Clanton
19 Chris Madden
20 Tyler Erb
21 Bobby Pierce
22 Michael Norris
23 Ryan Unzicker
24 Shannon Babb
25 Mike Marlar
26 Jared Miley
27 Gregg Satterlee
28 Dennis Erb Jr.
29 Payton Looney
30 Timothy Culp
31 Frank Heckenast Jr.
32 Cade Dillard
33 Jimmy Mars
34 Devin Moran
35 Billy Moyer
36 Spencer Hughes
37 Cory Hedgecock
38 Kyle Bronson
39 B.J. Robinson
40 Kyle Strickler
41 Chris Ferguson
42 Mason Zeigler
43 Tanner English
44 Tyler Carpenter
45 Ryan Gustin
46 Kent Robinson
47 Chase Junghans
48 Donald McIntosh
49 Logan Martin
50 Steve Casebolt
What is the Super Late Model Performance Ranking? The SLM Performance Ranking has its origins from the A-Team Ranking developed by Sam Holbrooks in 1996 and printed in “Behind the Wheel” and Late Model America.” The SLM Performance Ranking is a national ranking for Open Motor events that pay a minimum $2000 to win. Each driver who makes a feature event will earn a mathematical formula based rate built on performance, competition and durability. The final ranking is based on rate and logic rules that reward racing more. Nothing in the rate, rank or logic is subjective. It’s just all numbers, math and rules. The SLM Performance Ranking isn’t about who is best but who is having the best year. If you think that makes the driver “The Best” that’s ok with me.
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Mike Ruefer
Photographer & Writer