FDJ Army Limited Late Model Power Rankings June 2011

Content by: Langley Austin ~ [email protected]
*List Voted On by RACE22.com’s Panel of Late Model Stock Car experts

Salisbury, NC(May 27, 2011) — Once the task of releasing the Late Model Stock Car Power Rankings was out of the way, RACE22.com set it sights on putting together a list of the best Limited Late Model drivers with the June 2011 Power Rankings for the division.

While we admitted that the Late Model Stock Car list was hard, it wouldn’t even compare to the Limited Late Model list as a couple of tracks use this division as their top division, but call them Late Models.  Other tracks have this as their second tier division to Late Model Stock Cars or even Modifieds, the mix makes for an interesting time for us to judge them all over the region.

Add to that, the fact that we’ve also got the South East Limited Late Model Series, but the series has only run one race versus most of these tracks running near five or more races.  Comparing results and how these drivers have run is an improbable task, but the guys at RACE22.com don’t mind going after it anyways.

Then you have to compare some tracks where there are only a couple of guys who can win each week to tracks like South Boston and Motor Mile, where 6-10 cars can easily win the race and no one is out right dominating.  Then you compare a guy winning multiple races against the lesser competition to guys who haven’t yet won, but have impressed against the best competition in the business.

This list, which has been worked on for over two weeks solid, even had changes on the list as late as press time, simply because we wanted to give you the best, most comprehensive list of drivers in the Limited Late Models.

We hope you enjoy our list and hopefully you agree with atleast some of our pics, but if you don’t be sure to check in on our FaceBook page by CLICKING HERE and let us know your thoughts.

Here’s the Top 22 Limited Late Model racers in the SouthEast Region ….

#21 – Scott Lancaster — Motor Mile Speedway
Scott Lancaster is following in the footsteps of his older brother, Derrick Lancaster, who once dominated the Limited Late Models at Motor Mile Speedway.  With his brother moving up to Late Models, it’s all about Scott now in the Limiteds and the young racer is holding his own against some of the toughest competition in all of Limited Late Model racing.  While, Scott hasn’t picked up a win yet this season he’s on the verge of breaking through and once he does, he might just be unstoppable.

#20 – Tommy Neal — Bowman Gray Stadium
Bowman Gray Stadium may be known for the Tour-type Modified division and it’s drivers such as Burt Myers, Junior Miller, Tim Brown and others, but the 1/4 mile track is also home to some of the best Limited Late Model racers.  From Barry Edwards to the likes of Tommy Neal, some of the best Limited racers head to the “Madhouse” each and every Saturday night for some of the most intense action anywhere.  Tommy Neal stands out as one of the best at the tight little track and he is again this year already with a victory to his credit and one of the guys to beat for the championship.

 #19 – Kevin Neal — Bowman Gray Stadium
At Bowman Gray Stadium, every division is basically a crapshoot … they draw for positions most races, they race on a 1/4 mile track that you can barely pass on and best the crap out of one another.  However, some drivers still end up standing out through all the craziness and no matter where they start in the races.  Kevin Neal is one of those drivers and this year he’s putting the pressure on even the biggest name drivers in the Sportsman(Limited) division.  With two wins to date including one in the biggest race of the season for the division, he’s putting his name out front in a tough division on an equally tough track.

#18 – Tyler Church — Hickory/Tri-County/SE Limiteds
Easily one of the guys who could be at the top of this list, if only a few races had turned out differently for him.  Tyler Church is a model of consistency as he often finds himself in the top three at the end of the race, but unlike most seasons, so far, the veteran Limited Late Model racer hasonly found victory in two low car count races at Tri-County.  With the track now defunct, Church needs to pick up a win somewhere else to advance his position on this list.  Despite being a model of consistency, finishing in the top five almost everywhere he travels he’s still down this list currently, because this is “Power” rankings and not points standings … we reward the most powerful drivers and not the most consistent.  But, Church may just turn the “Power” on and climb this list fast.

#17 – Ronnie Daniels — Florence Motor Speedway
Florence Motor Speedway is known to have some of the best Limited Late Model racers atleast pass through during the season as they offer purses far above most tracks that race Limiteds.  Ronnie Daniels is a hometown boy who has been fending off the challenges of the outsiders and already has two wins this season.  Daniels could well be a formidable challenger all season as he finds his groove on the unique track out by the South Carolina coast.

#16 – Kyle Dudley — Motor Mile Speedway
With a little different luck in his Late Model Stock Car races so far this season, Kyle Dudley might have found himself as the only driver to make both the Late Model and Limited Power Rankings.  Kyle is one of the many drivers who can easily win on a given Saturday night at Motor Mile Speedway and with a recent breakthough win, he propelled himself up this list.  The young driver is one of many drivers from Motor Mile Speedway that with a few more wins could find themselves climbing this list and ….. fast.

#15 – BooBoo Dalton — Ace Speedway
One of the most interesting drivers in Limited Late Models is Ross “BooBoo” Dalton, who has turned the Limited Late Model world upside down at Ace Speedway in the last two seasons.  “BooBoo” hasn’t visited victory lane this season despite crossing the finish line first in a recent race only to be penalized for rough driving as he spun his rival, Ziggy Zimmerman on the final lap.  When the young driver finds his way to victory lane and he probably will soon, he’ll be moving up this list pretty quickly.

#14 – Bobby McCarty — South Boston Speedway
You may not know who Bobby McCarty is, in fact I’m willing to bet that unless you follow Limited Late Models at South Boston Speedway or knew of him in his previous racing divisions that you don’t know who this young man is.  He has yet to visit victory lane in Limited Late Model racing, but he’s making quite an impression on the Limited community at South Boston.  He came right out of the box with a third place finish and hasn’t stopped rounding up top five finishes since.  He’s finished third in every start this season except for one fifth place effort and a DNF with a mechanical failure and all of this against the best of the best in Limited Late Models.

#13 – Jeff Woodward — Kingsport/Lonesome Pine
When you think of the top Limited Late Model tracks, Lonesome Pine Raceway and Kingsport Speedway likely don’t come to mind, but when a driver can win at both tracks in the second tier division, he makes some noise in the Limited Late Model world.  Veteran Limited driver, Jeff Woodward has done just that this season as he has a single win at both tracks already this season.  The wins put him up this list, but to stay here he’ll have to reach victory lane many more times this season and preferably at both tracks.

 #12 – Jimmy Rice — Ace Speedway
This veteran Limited Late Model racer should easily be further up this list.  With two wins already this season on the tough Ace Speedway bullring in Altamahaw, NC, Rice could easily find himself inside the top ten on this list, but this will likely be his only appearance of the season on this list as he has “retired” … at least for now.  We have no idea how long he’ll stay retired, but it appears one of the Limited Late Model greats is taking a step back.

 #11 – Travis Hurt — Motor Mile Speedway
At Motor Mile Speedway there are easily ten drivers who could win every week and of those ten at least six or eight of them could break through and go on a tear of domination.  Travis Hurt is one of those racers, he already has a victory to his credit this season and could have had two if not for a close battle with his good friend, Kyle Dudley a week ago.  The young racer is making a name for himself, but in order to climb this ladder more, he needs to find his groove and dominated the division, the toughest Limited field of any track in the region.

#10 – Danny Willis, Jr. — South Boston Speedway
Last year, Danny Willis, Jr. was easily one of the top three drivers everytime the Limited Late Model Power Rankings were released, but this is the tale of another year.  To date this season, Willis has not shown that dominating presence and thus why he’s number 10 on this list for June 2011.  Willis however may be off to a slow start, but don’t expect that to last as the veteran Limited racer may be just about to his stride.

#9 – Tony Grady — SouthEast Limited Series
As the lone winner of a race so far this season in the Limited Late Model touring series known as the SouthEast Limited Late Model Series, veteran racer Tony Grady earned his spot on this list in just one start.  Grady, a veteran of Late Model Stock Car racing and the UARA-STARS Series has since been on the sidelines, but is re-emerging in the Limited Late Models.  Grady, waited for the right moment in the SELLM race at Coastal Plains to strike and then took home his win in his first SELLM start, no doubt a first of many to come given this racers history.

#8 – Matt Taylor — Motor Mile Speedway
What’s the difference between being eighth and 15th on this list?  A trip to victory lane, which Matt Taylor did in the final moments before this June 2011 list was released.  The 2010 Motor Mile Speedway champion, had been off to a rocky start with strong finishes and tough crashes, but one week after his biggest crash of the season, the veteran racer brought home his first win of the season.  Winning any race at Motor Mile Speedway can be tough, but Taylor also did it in front of the visiting PASS South Series.  Taylor is easily one of the guys to beat any given week at Motor Mile against some of the toughest Limited Late Model racers anywhere.

#7 – Matt Piercy — Hickory Motor Speedway
Probably the most controversial Limited Late Model racer in the region so far this season has been Matt Piercy, son of Hickory Motor Speedway promoter, Kevin Piercy.  Racing your son, daughter, brother, mother or any other kin is the cardinal sin in racing and when they’re running around in the back of the field it’s no big deal, but when the kid is a wheel man, it makes a big difference.  Piercy is a wheel man, there’s no denying that and with many laps at Hickory, he’s easily one of the drivers to beat on the 3/8 mile track.  With two wins already this season he’s one of the guys to beat in Limited Late Model racing, now he just needs to go and race at some other tracks and prove his talents on multiple tracks.

#6 – Anthony Barnes — Motor Mile Speedway
A multi-time Motor Mile Speedway track champion, Anthony Barnes is easily one of the best Limited Late Model drivers of all-time, but racing at Motor Mile Speedway regularly will test even the best drivers.  With up to ten guys who can win on a weekly basis, Barnes is up against the toughest competition in Limited Late Model racing and despite that he’s leading the charge on the 4/10 mile track although he’s tied with everyone else with one win.  Barnes is ready to break through and win a handful of races, but he hasn’t yet.

#5 – Tim Allensworth — Coastal Plains Raceway
Two wins at Coastal Plains Raceway isn’t enough to put a driver toward the top of this list, but couple that with a stout performance in the SouthEast Limited Late Model Series race while visiting his home track and you’ve got a contender.  Tim Allensworth has won two of the three Limited Late Model races at Coastal Plains Raceway this season already and finished second after leading a majority of the SouthEast Limited race there.  It’s a huge accomplishment for a driver in his first year at Coastal Plains after moving south from Ohio and it moved him toward the top of our list.

#4 – Justin Snow — South Boston Speedway
Justin Snow has easily been one of the top drivers in Limited Late Models for years, especially at South Boston Speedway.  This year has been no different as he’s strated the season with three victories and though he’s began to slip the last few races, he still has earned a spot toward the top of the rankings once again.  He was one of the top guys last year in the Power Rankings and this year he finds himself back in the top five and if he can turn his recent fortunes around, he might just have enough to put himself at the top of this list.  However, he’s got a battle in front of him as Brian Pembleton now has three wins and Danny Willis, Jr. is nipping at their heels and oh yeah, don’t forget about the rookie, Bobby McCarty.

#3 – Dillon Bassett — Ace Speedway
Dillon Bassett has been making a lot of noise in the Limited Late Model world … with two wins, which could have easily been three if not for being wrecked out of another win.  The young driver is the upcoming youngster who everyone is talking about and with the rest of the season ahead and him just hitting his stride winning the last two races run, the Limited Late Model world and especially those Limiteds at Ace are in trouble.

#2 – Brian Pembleton — South Boston Speedway
Saturday night he notched his third win of the young season at South Boston Speedway and he put the Limited Late Model world on notice that he was the man to beat at South Boston Speedway.  Veteran, Brian Pembleton knows his way around the 4/10 mile track and is poised to win the track championship at South Boston despite a tough group of drivers to race against week after week.  The veteran in the last few races has served notice that he will be one of the driver to beat the rest of this season.

#1 – Micahel Elliott — Florence/Dillon
With four wins already this season and having proven himself in the past at Myrtle Beach Speedway in the season ending race, Michael Elliott has proven he’s one of the drivers to beat in Limited Late Models, no matter where he races.  HIs four wins(could be more as we haven’t seen results from Florence’s last couple of races) have come on two different coastal South Carolina tracks, Dillon(2) and Florence(2).  With his domination of that area, which boasts some of the strongest competition in Limiteds, he’s easily put a bullseye on his back as the best Limited Late Model racer around.