It’s a bittersweet time of year for me when putting together this final ranking. During the racing season each and every weekend I put in a tremendous amount of time tracking all the super late model races, doing my best to find all the results so that the data is fair and consistent. So now it’s over and before long 2022 will begin. If we thought this year was big coming out of the Covid restricted year, next year will be a season like we’ve never seen before. Besides the normal full slate of local and regional series specials, the big money is out there for the winners. It’s going to be great.
So before we all start to dream too much about what could be, let’s recap what has happened in 2021. It was an awesome year that went right down to the final weekend in the Sandbox and finished off with Blue and Gray. Throughout the list below is a star studded field who make the fans cheer and events rumble with excitement. In my opinion all who strap into a super late model are stars. I like to say you can’t walk in off the street and do what these guys do. They’re talented and fear less, giving us the thrills of a lifetime at our favorite tracks and events. So here is my breakdown of the Top 10.
#1 Brandon Overton: Average Rate: 13.49 Feature Events: 86 Wins: 30
Never shaken and never rattled best describes Brandon. He won some of the biggest and toughest races plus regional shows close to home. Just an impressive young driver who dreamed big in his Wells family Longhorn. It was a joy to watch him as he never was outside of contention for the win in most of his races and when he wasn’t winning he didn’t overdrive. Congratulations on having the Best Year in Super Late Model racing.
#2 Jonathan Davenport: Average Rate: 14.03 Feature Events: 85 Wins: 27
Jonathan battled back and forth with Overton all season long for the big wins and top spot in the ranking. Jonathan is now the crafty veteran who knows how to win and has won on the biggest stages. He will continue to be one of the best each and every night and has earned his SuperMan title. To be the best, you have to beat the best. In super late model racing you have to beat Jonathan Davenport.
#3 Brandon Sheppard: Average Rate: 14.26 Feature Events: 99 Wins: 16
Brandon had a good year. All championship level teams don’t win it all every year in any sport. Brandon and the Rocket #1 were good but not good enough to be at the top at the biggest races. It happens. Even without the marque wins Brandon each and every night showed his talent and consistency to finish near the front was still impressive. I look for Brandon to bounce back and challenge for the top spot in 2022.
#4 Kyle Larson: Average Rate: 14.53 Feature Events: 21 Wins: 4
Kyle has done something that maybe no driver has done except maybe those who raced in the 1960’s. That’s win in NASCAR and also anything with 4-Wheels on dirt all in the same year. He’s a generational talent like we’ve truly never seen before. I think he could race in any type of race car anywhere and win. What he’s done to demonstrate his talent in a super dirt late model is beyond impressive. I say sit back and enjoy the ride he’s giving us. He won’t do it forever because he won’t need to. Over time he might just become the Best of the Best race car driver of all time.
#5 Tim McCreadie: Average Rate: 16.14 Feature Events: 71 Wins: 9
Tim is electric in victory lane and appreciative when winning. It’s hard to win and he knows that. I was very happy for him winning the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series season championship. He deserved it. Our dirt late model version of T-Mac makes our sport better. He bridges the old now with the new. He’s our elder statesman who’s still at the top of his game who makes you earn it and lets you know if you’re getting out of line. I like that about him and I never get tired of him smashing the roof and getting excited when he wins.
#6 Devin Moran: Average Rate: 17.30 Feature Events: 74 Wins: 14
It was a breakout year for Devin. Racing independent from a series, picking and choosing, finding the right events that made sense all paid off handsomely for him. I never questioned his talent but I was just waiting for it to blossom and it did this year. His future’s so bright and I expect great things for him in the future.
#7 Max Blair: Average Rate: 17.60 Feature Events: 59 Wins: 15
Max is no stranger to the top in the rankings. For years now he has been one of the best regional racers in the country. This year was different as he branched out with the Viper Motorsports Team and raced bigger national events. He’s proving he can hang with the big boys and has the talent to compete at a very high level. Max isn’t going to surprise me but he will surprise others when he wins a few big shows next year.
#8 Bobby Pierce: Average Rate: 18.45 Feature Events: 93 Wins: 20
Bobby is a maturing race car driver and I think this evolution will lead him to greatness. Racing for a living is a tough business. To do so and be successful takes a great support system. Bobby has everything he needs with family that’s behind him and experience that makes a difference come feature time. Fast. Smooth and Cool will lead him to many victories in 2022.
#9 Tyler Erb: Average Rate: 18.86 Feature Events: 82 Wins: 16
Terbo is fast becoming one of the best and a contender in every event he races. His Dirtcar suspension was a learning opportunity and he used it to race a real outlaw schedule and win while he was at it. He has a huge personality and is very outgoing with young fans. I like this and he’s good for dirt late model racing. He tells you what he thinks and agree or dis-agree, we need drivers like this that bring fans to their feet with excitement.
#10 Dona Marcoullier: Average Rate: 19.57 Feature Events: 20 Wins: 6
The one thing that’s sets my rating and ranking process apart from others is that it gives the
regional racers a chance to be measured equally against national touring drivers. Dona is the best racer in Michigan and when he does leave his friendly confines he does extremely well. If you go to Michigan to race you have to beat Dona Marcoullier because he’s going to bring it, each and every night.
Well folks that’s all I have for the racing season in 2021. Like I said it takes a lot of hours of work to compile all the data and make sense of it to create this ranking. It’s a labor of love and I love Dirt Late Model Racing. It’s all worth it to me. I’ll do it all again next year or at least that is my plan.
The final ranking qualifier number was 20 features to finish out the year. 145 drivers 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. Time to get ready for the biggest year of Dirt Late Model ever in the history of the sport. 2022 will be a very busy year.
With 1538 drivers tracked since January 1st, here is the SLMP Ranking “Top 100” for the final time in 2021. It’s the “Best of the Best” from around the country.
1 Brandon Overton
2 Jonathan Davenport
3 Brandon Sheppard
4 Kyle Larson
5 Tim McCreadie
6 Devin Moran
7 Max Blair
8 Bobby Pierce
9 Tyler Erb
10 Dona Marcoullier
11 Tanner English
12 Hudson O’Neal
13 Chris Madden
14 Gregg Satterlee
15 Jimmy Owens
16 Jared Miley
17 Cory Hedgecock
18 Dale McDowell
19 B.J. Robinson
20 Ashton Winger
21 Dave Hess Jr.
22 Donald McIntosh
23 Brian Shirley
24 Ross Bailes
25 Brian Rickman
26 Frank Heckenast Jr.
27 Ryan Unzicker
28 Ricky Thornton Jr.
29 Jacob Hawkins
30 Kyle Bronson
31 Kyle Beard
32 Zack Dohm
33 Nick Hoffman
34 Michael Norris
35 Mike Marlar
36 Ben Watkins
37 Mckay Wenger
38 Travis Stemler
39 Garrett Alberson
40 Jeff Rine
41 Josh Rice
42 Billy Moyer
43 Wyatt Scott
44 Tony Jackson Jr.
45 Gary Stuhler
46 Josh Richards
47 Tyler Bruening
48 Shannon Babb
49 Mike Spatola
50 Morgan Bagley
51 Chris Ferguson
52 Joseph Joiner
53 Jason Covert
54 Rusty Schlenk
55 Devin Gilpin
56 Earl Pearson Jr.
57 Rod Conley
58 Trever Feathers
59 Ricky Weiss
60 Jimmy Mars
61 Rick Eckert
62 Dylan Yoder
63 Sam Seawright
64 Colton Flinner
65 Spencer Hughes
66 Tyler Bare
67 Dennis Erb Jr.
68 Logan Martin
69 Jason Feger
70 Darrell Lanigan
71 Cade Dillard
72 Greg Oakes
73 Jason Papich
74 Chad Thrash
75 Zack Mitchell
76 Michael Brown
77 Shane Clanton
78 Mark Whitener
79 Ross Robinson
80 Scott Bloomquist
81 Stormy Scott
82 Dalton Cook
83 Gordy Gundaker
84 Billy Moyer Jr.
85 Ryan Gustin
86 Chris Simpson
87 Johnny Scott
88 Cody Bauer
89 Jeff Smith
90 Trent Ivey
91 Jensen Ford
92 Hunter Rasdon
93 Kevin Weaver
94 Daulton Wilson
95 Michael Chilton
96 Payton Freeman
97 Mitch McGrath
98 Chad Finley
99 Mason Zeigler
100 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 $2500 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