by Don Martin                   7.23.2019

Below are the STLRacing.com Top 25 Dirt Late Model Rankings heading into the 30^th Annual Prairie Dirt Classic at the Fairbury American Legion Speedway.    The event will pay $30,000 to win Saturday night and is sanctioned by the World of Outlaws.     Last year the event drew close to 70 late models and this year it may even top 70.   The event carries an atmosphere that rivals any other big race including the World 100.    The track is always in great shape and provides some of the best side by side racing you will ever see.   Promoter and Matt Curl and his staff do an unbelievable job and have turned this race into a must see event !

Only 3 drivers racing this weekend have won the PDC multiple times including 5-Time Winner Billy Moyer.   Illinois and fan favorite Shannon Babb has won the event 3 times and Wisconsin’s Jimmy Mars has won the PDC twice.

Other drivers that have won the race and are expected to be on hand this weekend include last year’s defending champion Devin Moran.   Tim McCreadie will be in the Rumley Longhorn #6 this weekend as will be  the Lucas Point leader Jonathan Davenport in his familiar Landers/Martin #49.   The Illinois contingent of past winners includes Brandon Sheppard, Kevin Weaver, Jason Feger, Dennis Erb Jr., and Billy Drake.

The Lucas series is off but will be well represented, besides McCreadie, Moran, and Davenport, Tyler Erb, Jimmy Owens, Hudson O’Neal and Kyle Bronson will all be on hand.

The World of Outlaws of course will all be there including the best team in the country at this time the Mark Richards Rocket House car driven by Brandon Sheppard.   Sheppy won the event two years ago and has to be the favorite heading into the event.    He finished second last year almost going back to back.   Ricky Weiss maybe the sleeper this weekend, he dropped in a couple of weeks ago to tune-up for the PDC and turned some heads before he was involved in accident tearing up his Bloomquist race car.

Other regulars on the World of Outlaw tour that have shown some speed at Fairbury include Darrell Lanigan and Shane Clanton.   Chase Junghans, Brent Larson, Blake Spencer, Dennis Erb Jr., Cade Dillard, and Boom Briggs will all be on hand.

The east coast will be well represented with Pennsylvania’s Gregg Satterlee and Mason Zeigler.   North Carolina’s Chris Ferguson is usually in the house as well.   I am really looking forward to seeing Georgia driver Ashton Winger making his first visit to FALS the kid is making a name for himself in the South.  Tennessee’s Mike Marlar in his familiar #157 is definitely one of the best driver’s  in the country, he did win the World of Outlaw Championship last year don’t forget.  Other top regional drivers include Iowa’s Chris Simpson, Indiana’s Kent Robinson, you have to mention Missouri driver Gordy Gundaker who was very good at the Fairbury Summer National race.  The West will be supported by Arizona drivers Ricky Thornton Jr., and Jay Moriarty.

The Illinois favorites have to be Brian Shirley and Bobby Pierce.   Shirley is always strong at Fairbury and picked up his back to back Summer Nationals Championship while Pierce is coming off winning the Silver Dollar Nationals last weekend picking up $53,000.    It should not surprise anyone if either of these guys get the job done this weekend.   Another Illinois driver to watch is Frankie Heckenast Jr., he has the equipment to be up front and was very strong at the Summer Nationals.   Never count out Shannon Babb when you are at Fairbury after all he has won the event 3 times.

The Fairbury regulars will be a handful including Ryan Unzicker, Jason Feger, Mike Spatola, Kevin Weaver, McKay Wenger, Scott Schmitt, Mike Glasscock, Allen Weisser, Derek Chandler, and Jeff Curl to name a few.

The latest weather forecast for Fairbury looks incredible with plenty of sunshine in the mid 80’s.

The event you can guarantee will be sold out but you can always get a pit pass or general admission ticket to find a place to watch the race.   After all it is a crazy incredible event !!

Check out the Fairbury website for all the details this weekend.   www.fairburyspeedway.com The UMP Modifieds will also be on hand paying $5,000 to win on Saturday night with preliminaries set for Late Models and Modifieds on Friday night.

We have some changes below in the STLRacing.com Top 25 after the Silver Dollar Nationals.   Bobby Pierce moved up into the top five and Scott Bloomquist has emerged into the Top 25 after some nice runs the weekend before with the Lucas series and now a 4^th place finish and I-80.   Chris Madden made his debut back in the Bloomquist team car and came home second last Saturday night.   Madden didn’t miss a beat.   Promoter Joe Kosiski also announced that I-80 will again increase the purse for the Silver Dollar Nationals in 2020.  Everyone also stay tuned for a big announcement at the PDC for 2020 coming from Promoter Matt Curl.

STLRacing.com Top 25 Super Dirt Late Model Rankings 2019                      7.23.2019

1             Brandon Sheppard

2             Jonathan Davenport

3             Ricky Weiss

4             Bobby Pierce

5             Jimmy Owens

6             Mike Marlar

7             Tim McCreadie

8             Tyler Erb

9             Dale McDowell

10           Josh Richards

11           Shane Clanton

12           Brandon Overton

13           Chris Madden

14           Ross Bailes

15           Darrell Lanigan

16           Chase Junghans

17           Devin Moran

18           Chris Ferguson

19           Brian Shirley

20           Earl Pearson Jr.

21           Scott Bloomquist

22           Hudson O’Neal

23           Mason Zeigler

24           Shannon Buckingham

25           Dennis Erb Jr.

Enjoy the races and keep supporting your local dirt tracks, and this week I am off to Fairbury for the Prairie Dirt Classic.