June 2021 “Summer Dreams”
Rain and Race Cars don’t mix well and we sure have had our fair share of that late in June. We started off hot and dry and then the rain clouds took us over. Can you tell it’s the Summer Nationals? Here’s our choice. Dust or Mud. Which one do you choose?
Enough with the banter, let’s get into the order of the events and re-cap a few things in the ranking. I was hoping the math and formula would support the outstanding results that took place with the top drivers and it did. Brandon Overton is the best performer this month and it catapulted him into the 2nd place rank right behind Jonathan Davenport who overall is still the leader this year. The SLMP Ranking isn’t about just what has happened lately but about the whole season leading up to this point. Overton had the best June maybe ever but still JD is having the best year to date performance.
Pennsylvania is well represented with Max Blair and Gregg Satterlee. Both are having great years and had good June overall averages that didn’t hurt their rate keeping them in the top tier. Brandon Sheppard is kind of just hanging around right now and not making a move toward the front of the pack. At some point this summer I still expect him and Rocket1 to take off and pull off a string of victories.
Tyler Erb didn’t have a great June but still pulled off a little success and you got to like that long drive from Minnesota to Atomic this past weekend to race. Devin Moran is having his best season. Staying in the top 10 is no easy matter and I like his outlaw schedule. When it matters Tim McCredie is always a contender and makes his charge for the win. Hudson O’Neal continues to impress me and his potential for the future is endless. Last but not last I want to mention Chris Madden who has been the level of consistency so far this year. Madden hasn’t slipped up at all this year and it wouldn’t surprise me if he made a move up the ranking.
That wraps up June and it’s time for summer heat and racing every day while the sky is high throughout our racing world. The July racing schedule continues to be action packed. As more races get in the regional series drivers will continue making more noise in the ranking during the coming months. The ranking system gets very tight with individual rates that are very close. Every finishing position matters which influences the rating formula. There will be comers and goers as consistency matters. Those who rate the best will be ranked the highest.
The current ranking qualifier number for June was 14 features and will go up by two each month and top off at 20 in September. Currently 87 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 945 drivers currently being tracked since January 1st, here is the SLM Performance Ranking “Top 50” for June. It’s the Summertime, “Best of the Best” from around the country.
1 Jonathan Davenport
2 Brandon Overton
3 Max Blair
4 Gregg Satterlee
5 Brandon Sheppard
6 Tyler Erb
7 Devin Moran
8 Tim McCreadie
9 Hudson O’Neal
10 Chris Madden
11 Tanner English
12 Dale McDowell
13 Brian Shirley
14 Ricky Thornton Jr.
15 Bobby Pierce
16 Jimmy Owens
17 Mike Marlar
18 Chris Ferguson
19 Frank Heckenast Jr.
20 Garrett Alberson
21 Josh Richards
22 Billy Moyer
23 Logan Martin
24 Kyle Bronson
25 Shannon Babb
26 Ross Bailes
27 Donald McIntosh
28 Tony Jackson Jr.
29 Dylan Yoder
30 Tyler Bruening
31 Zack Dohm
32 Zack Mitchell
33 Ryan Unzicker
34 Jason Papich
35 Rick Eckert
36 Kyle Beard
37 Jason Feger
38 Ashton Winger
39 Scott Bloomquist
40 Tyler Bare
41 Earl Pearson Jr.
42 Shane Clanton
43 Darrell Lanigan
44 Spencer Hughes
45 Ricky Weiss
46 Ross Robinson
47 Gary Stuhler
48 Billy Moyer Jr.
49 Stormy Scott
50 Ryan Gustin
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