The top dirt late models across the country are ranked following Ricky Thornton Jr.’s  $50,000 inaugural Halloween Nationals victory at Portsmouth Raceway Park and Wil Herrington’s $25,000 payday at East Alabama Motor Speedway for the National 100.

These rankings focus on who is hot right now, based primarily on each driver’s last five starts rather than season-long points or reputation.

1. Ricky Thornton Jr.

Ricky Thornton Jr. might have sat idle in his late model the week before instead competing in a Non-Wing Sprint Car at Central Arizona Raceway in the Western World Championships, he continued his red hot winning streak at Portsmouth Raceway Park for the track’s first ever Halloween Nationals with the American Late Model Iron-Man Series.

Thornton swept both nights of racing pocketing $10,000 on the first night and then the big $50,000 prize on Saturday night. Thornton was opportunistic on Friday night, taking advantage of a late race restart after leader Tyler Erb blew a tire. He executed an excellent slider on Nick Hoffman in turn 4 and never looked back. On Saturday night, Thornton got to the lead right away and never looked back. At one point he had an over 7 second lead on second-place running Tyler Erb.

The two wins continued Thornton’s hot streak in the month of October and brought his win streak to six-in-a-row. He swept both nights at The Clash on the Wabash at Eldora Speedway. He then followed that up with a preliminary feature win at West Virginia Motor Speedway in the Dirt Track World Championship. He then won the 100-lap Dirt Track World Championship race. 

Thornton is expected to be back in action with the World of Outlaws Late Models as they conclude their season at The Dirt Track at Charlotte with World Finals from November 4-7.

Previous position: 2nd.

2. Jonathan Davenport

Jonathan Davenport sat idle this past weekend after his impressive performance the prior week. Davenport enjoyed some southern comfort and home cooking as he came up an inch short in a photo finish to Jimmy Owens in the FloRacing Night in America Series race at Volunteer Speedway. He followed that up with a strong third place finish with the Outlaws at Modoc Speedway. On Saturday night, everything came together and he held off a fast-closing Bobby Pierce, who eventually broke with 5 laps to go, to win. He then went to Cherokee Speedway on Sunday night and got his biggest win of the weekend, a $30,000 payday in the Blue Gay 100 with the Southern All Stars.

In his last five races, Davenport has an average finish of 2.4.

Davenport will be back in action to conclude the World of Outlaws Late Models season at The Dirt Track at Charlotte for World Finals from November 4-7.

Previous position: 1st.

3. Brandon Sheppard

Brandon Sheppard sat idle for the weekend. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Champion last competed at Volunteer Speedway on Thursday, October 22nd, with the FloRacing Night in America Series. He finished 7th in the race. It continued a Top 10 streak that goes all the way back to the beginning of September.

Not only has he consistently been putting together Top 10s, but he had a very strong finish to the Lucas Oil season that resulted in him and his Rocket1 team earning the Championship. He finished 6th in the Pittsburgher, 2nd and 6th at Eldora for the Clash on the Wabash, a 3rd in preliminary action for the DTWC, and then a second in the DTWC. He has an average finish of 4th in his last five races.

The Rocket1 team will be back in action for the World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte from November 4-7 and then will conclude the Flo Series with the Peach State Classic doubleheader at Senoia on November 13-14. Sheppard currently leads the points standings by 9 points over Hudson O’Neal.

Previous position: 3rd.

4. Hudson O’Neal 

Hudson O’Neal sat idle this past weekend, but had a very strong previous weekend where he finally got the results to match the speed he’s shown. 

He started it out with a third place finish at Volunteer Speedway and narrowed Sheppard’s points lead to just nine points with two races left. He then followed it up with a solid 6th place finish at Modoc Speedway in the No. 6 K&L Rumley Enterprises car. On Saturday night, he improved to get on the podium with a third place finish.

In his last five starts, O’Neal has an average finish of 4.2 and that includes his 8th place finish in the Dirt Track World Championship. He was leading much of the race, but saw his night get derailed when a mud clod smashed in his right front flopper and injuring the car.

O’Neal is expected to be in action next at The Dirt Track at Charlotte for the World Finals in the No. 6 K&L Rumley Enterprises car.

Previous position: 4th.

5. Bobby Pierce

Bobby Pierce sat idle this past weekend as he and his team prepared to close out the World of Outlaws Late Models and hopefully secure a second Championship at The Dirt Track at Charlotte during World Finals.

Pierce had a rough start to October, but the previous weekend he showed the speed he’s had much of the year. He put together a solid fifth place run at Volunteer Speedway on Thursday night with the Flo Series. He then went on a herculean run from 20th to finish second right behind Cody Overton on Friday night at Modoc Speedway. Things looked like they were falling Pierce’s way on Saturday night when he had a much better qualifying run, but unfortunately, he had issues with an oil belt in his heat race and he eventually had to race his way through a B-Main and start 21st. He then repeated his performance from Friday night and looked like he might get the win in the closing laps as he hounded Jonathan Davenport, but unfortunately the oil belt issue struck again and his night was ended with five to go. He ended up with an 18th place finish.

While Pierce’s average finish over his last five starts is a 9.6, he had incredible speed especially at Modoc and was a threat to win both nights. He also showed that speed at Eldora Speedway during the Clash on the Wabash, but unfortunately cut a tire in the B-Main and his night ended.

Pierce will be back in action at The Dirt Track at Charlotte for the World Finals from November 4-7. He has a 76 point lead over Nick Hoffman.

Previous position: 5th.

6. Devin Moran 

Devin Moran also sat idle this past weekend. Like Brandon Sheppard his last race was the FloRacing Night in America Series race at Volunteer Speedway back on October 22nd, where he finished 15. However, he was running in the top 5, but unfortunately blew a tire with five laps left.

Earlier this month, he dominated the Pittsburgher in Lucas Oil competition and pushed Brandon Sheppard to his limit as he chased him for the championship. He finished 2nd and 3rd at Eldora during the Clash on the Wabash and had two third place finishes at the Dirt Track World Championship. Even with the disappointing 15th place finish, he still has an average finish of 5.2 and a median finish of 3rd.

Moran’s next scheduled race is World Finals at the Dirt Track at Charlotte from November 4-7.

Previous position: 6th.

7. Tyler Erb

Tyler Erb might not have the best average finish over his last five races, but more often than not he has been competing for wins night-in-and-night-out. This past weekend, he was leading the opening night of the inaugural Halloween Nationals at Portsmouth Raceway Park with the American Late Model Iron-Man Series when he suffered a flat tire late in the race. He ended up with a 14th place finish. On Saturday night, with $50,000 on the line, Erb was able to quickly get to 2nd in the opening laps, but had nothing for Ricky Thornton Jr. and finished in 2nd.

Those two races at Portsmouth followed a decent weekend at Modoc Speedway and Cherokee. On Friday night at Modoc, he was running in the top 10, but unfortunately broke a rear axle and ended up with a 21st place finish. On Saturday night, he was battling Cody Overton for the lead when the two made contact. That gave him some right side damage and hurt his car. He ended up salvaging an 8th place finish.

On Sunday night, he traveled to Cherokee Speedway and was again in the mix for the win, but unfortunately earlier contact with Ryan Gustin popped his hood up and he was forced to pit late in the race. He was able to rally for a fifth place finish.

Erb’s average finish over his last five races is 10th, but he’s been in the mix for the lead and the win in most of them.

Tyler Erb will finish the World of Outlaws Late Models Season with the World Finals on November 4-7 at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

Previous position: Not ranked.

8. Josh Rice

Josh Rice put together two solid podium finishes at Portsmouth Raceway Park for the track’s inaugural Halloween Nationals. He found himself in an epic duel with Drake Troutman on Friday night, where he came out on top for a 2nd place finish. On Saturday night, he followed it up with another podium finish in third behind Thornton and Erb.

The two podium finishes followed a decent finish to his Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series season, where he earned Rookie of the year. He finished 10th in the Dirt Track World Championship 100-lap finale and had a 4th place finish in his preliminary feature. At Eldora for the Clash on the Wabash he finished 6th and 3rd.

His average finish over his last five races is 4.4.

Rice will be in action for the World Finals on November 4-7 at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

Previous position: Not ranked.

9. Nick Hoffman

Nick Hoffman had a solid weekend at Portsmouth Raceway Park this past weekend finishing fourth both nights. He had a chance to win on Friday night, but saw Thornton slide him late in the race through turn 4 and then slipped back to finish fourth. On Saturday night, he advanced two spots early on and settled in for fourth on a rubbered up track. 

The previous week, he struggled out of the gate at Volunteer Speedway, but appeared to turn things around by the feature, but unfortunately hurt a motor and then to make things worse when he was attempting to exit the track he got into the slime and looped it. He ended up finishing 23rd. He rebounded at Modoc Speedway with a brand new car and put together two solid fifth place finishes and with Pierce’s misfortune on Saturday night, he narrowed the gap in the championship battle to 76 points.

His average finish over his last five races is 8.2. However, his median finish is 5th.

Hoffman will conclude the World of Outlaws Late Models season with the World Finals at the Dirt Track at Charlotte from November 4-7.

Previous position: 7th.

10. Cody Overton

Cody Overton continues to be hot in his James Trantina-owned Longhorn. He got another win this past weekend in the National 100 preliminary race on Friday. Unfortunately, on Saturday things did not go his way. He attempted to make the topside of the track work early on and lost a number of spots very quickly. He eventually retired on lap 32 finishing 18th.

The previous week, he got his first win with the World of Outlaws Late Models on the first night of the Modoc 100 at Modoc Speedway holding off a hard-charging Bobby Pierce. On Saturday night, it looked like he might repeat. He was able to muscle pass Tyler Erb to get the lead, but a few laps later suffered a right rear issue and got into the wall, ending his night.

In his last five A-Main starts, Overton has an average finish of 9.4 with three wins.

Overton does not have anything on his calendar to conclude the season.

Previous position: 8th.

Dropped Out: Ashton Winger, Dallon Murty

NEXT: Earl Pearson Jr. Shares How Different Dirt Late Model Racing Is From Just 2 Years Ago