The top dirt late models across the country are ranked following Ricky Thornton Jr.’s $100,000 Dirt Track World Championship victory at West Virginia Motor Speedway and Brandon Sheppard’s first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series title.

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. is as hot as you can get over the last three weeks in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series competition he’s racked up the wins and top 5s. To start the month of October he finished fifth in the Pittsburgher after starting on the pole. He followed that up with a sweep of The Clash on the Wabash at Eldora Speedway. This past weekend he did it again winning his preliminary feature and then going on to win the Dirt Track World Championship (DWTC) at West Virginia Motor Speedway. Over the last five races he has 4 wins, 5 Top 5s, and 5 Top 10s. His average finish is 1.8.

He concludes the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 4th in points. He is expected back in action on November 13-14 at Senoia Raceway for the conclusion of the FloRacing Night in America Series race. He will be in a Non-Wing Sprint Car from October 22-24 for the Western World Championship at Central Arizona Raceway.

2. Brandon Sheppard

Brandon Sheppard ended up one spot short for the win in the Dirt Track World Championship, but he brought it home second and secured his first ever Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship. It wrapped up a strong run for Sheppard over the last five races where he had an average finish of 3.8 with a 6th place in the Pittsburgher, a 2nd and 6th at Eldora for the Clash on the Wabash, and then a 3rd in preliminary action for the DTWC.

Sheppard is expected to be in action this Thursday, October 22nd at Volunteer Speedway for the FloRacing Night in America Series race. He currently leads the series championship by 21 points with three races left.

3. Devin Moran

Devin Moran brought it home third in the Dirt Track World Championship and ended up second in the Lucas Oil points after putting the pressure on Sheppard late in the season. In the last five Lucas Oil races he was never off the podium and had an average finish of 2.4. He won the Pittsburgher, finished 2nd and 3rd at Eldora and then had two 3rd place finishes at the Dirt Track World Championship.

Moran is expected to be at Volunteer Speedway for the FloRacing Night in America Series race on October 22nd. He’s currently 3rd in the series points just 39 points behind Sheppard.

4. Nick Hoffman

Hoffman was idle this past weekend choosing to sit out the Dirt Track World Championship. In his last five races, he has an average finish of 4.4. He swept the World of Outlaws Late Model races at I-55 at the end of September then podiumed at the Pittsburgher with a 3rd place finish and had decent finishes of 7th and 10th in the Clash on the Wabash at Eldora.

Hoffman is expected to be in action this weekend as the Outlaws head to Modoc Speedway for a doubleheader on October 23-24.

5. Hudson O’Neal

The results are not showing just how good O’Neal has been. He led much of the Dirt Track World Championship until he hit a mud clod with around a quarter of the race left that smashed in his right flopper and sent him to the rear as his crew made repairs. He still rallied for an 8th place finish. On Saturday night, he won his preliminary feature at West Virginia Motor Speedway. Similarly, he suffered a DNF during the Clash on the Wabash finale at Eldora Speedway. He exited the race and finished 26th after running in the 10th spot. In his last five races, O’Neal has an average finish of 10th even with the DNF.

O’Neal is expected to be in action at Volunteer Speedway on October 22nd for the FloRacing Night in America Series race. He’s currently second in the points, just 21 points behind Sheppard.

6. Tim McCreadie

Tim McCreadie has sat idle for much of October in his super late model albeit he did compete in a big block modified at Oswego during Super DIRT Week. His last race in the late model was the Pittsburgher to start off the month where he podiumed with a 2nd place finish. Before that he finished 9th and 3rd in the Outlaw races at I-55 and bagged a win at Outlaw Speedway against the best of the best in the region. He also finished 6th in the World 100. In his last five races he has an average finish of 4.2.

McCreadie will be back in action as the Outlaws’ schedule resumes with the doubleheader at Modoc on October 23-24.

7. Josh Rice

Josh Rice won the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Year and concluded the series’ season with a 10th in the Dirt Track World Championship and a 4th in his preliminary feature. At Eldora for the Clash on the Wabash he finished 6th and 3rd.He finished 11th in the Pittsburgher. In his last five starts he has an average finish of 6.8.

Nothing is on Rice’s schedule, but he promised he had more races this year following the conclusion of the Lucas Oil season. It is quite possible he heads to Volunteer for the FloRacing Night in America Series race. He’s competed in 6 of the 7 races to-date for the year so far.

8. Jonathan Davenport

Jonathan Davenport had a solid Dirt Track World Championship. He finished second in his preliminary feature and then fifth in the finale. That followed a 9th place finish on the Clash on the Wabash at Eldora and 22nd albeit the 22nd finish was a DNF due to a plug wire coming off. He was running around 7th at the time he pulled in. He failed to make the Pittsburgher and finished 6th in his B-Main. During his heat race he was hit by Drake Troutman causing significant damage and he was never able to recover. Over his last five races he has an average finish of 9.4.

Davenport will be at Volunteer Speedway for the FloRacing Night in America Series race on October 22nd and then will head to South Carolina to compete with the Outlaws at Modoc on October 23-24.

9. Dale McDowell

Dale McDowell stayed home for the Dirt Track World Championship. He was last in competition with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Eldora Speedway for the Clash on the Wabash. He finished 4th and 11th. Before that he won the 3rd Annual Scott Bloomquist Scorcher with the Southern All Stars at Volunteer Speedway. He failed to make the World 100 after he crashed during his heat race and finished 14th. In prelim action for the World 100 he finished 6th on Thursday and 4th on Friday. He has an average finish of 5.2.

McDowell and his Shane McDowell Racing team will be at Volunteer Speedway for the FloRacing Night in America Series race on October 22nd.

10. Jason Feger

Jason Feger came up five points short of the MARS series title last weekend at Lucas Oil Speedway, but he put together decent finishes of 7th and 5th on a track that he had not been to in about a decade. This past weekend he was back to his ole regional stomping grounds in Illinois and finished 1st on Saturday night during the DIRTcar Fall Nationals and followed that up with a 2nd place finish on Sunday. Over his last five starts he has an average finish of 3.2.

Feger is not expected to be in action until November 7th at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park for the 2nd Annual Fall Frost Classic.

NEXT: Benji Hicks Addresses Heartbreak At Dirt Track World Championship