FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings — Martinsville(Pre-Race)

Roanoke, VA(October 6, 2011) — It’s Martinsville time and in Late Model Stock Car Racing that means one thing … it means it’s the Biggest Race of the Year and of course like we have in past seasons we’ll dish out the FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings for Pre and Post Race for your enjoyment.

Certainly after the season that was this year with domination coming at nearly every Late Model Stock Car track, it wasn’t that hard for us to figure out who the top drivers of the season were, but as we bend around the corner to the big races, things aren’t so clear anymore.  Philip Morris and Lee Pulliam had 38 wins between the two of them this season with the majority of them coming on the two most competitive tracks, Motor Mile and South Boston.

However, Martinsville is a beast of it’s own and that success at Motor Mile and South Boston won’t help them now as everyone is converging to give them a run for their money.  Take a look at our Top 22 Drivers for this big event, that way you’ll know who to expect to see up front when the rag drops on the biggest race of them all.

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22nd – Andy Mercer/UARA-STARS Series
22nd is better than not being on the list, but Andy Mercer will have to live up to the hype at Martinsville this year, because he hasn’t been able to in past years.  He spent this season in the UARA, which will hopefully increase his chances of being good here since he’s had to face much stiffer competition all this season unlike in the past.

21st – Nate Monteith/Kingsport Speedway
Nate, you’re not in Kingsport, TN anymore.  This is where the big boys come to play and you’re on this list because of the season you’ve had and your practice times last week in the test.  But, don’t get fooled into thinking your one of the big boys yet, it’ll take a Top 22 qualifying effort and a solid effort all day to keep your name on this list and solidify your status in Late Model Stock Car racing.

20th – Harrison Rhodes/Motor Mile Speedway
No one can deny that Harrison Rhodes is one of the best young talents in Late Model Stock Car racing and with a mentor like 2011 Caraway Speedway champion, Robert Tyler he should have all the tools to be successful in this race.  He made this race in his first attempt last season and with a little luck he can back up his Top 5 status at Motor Mile with a similar run here.

19th – Jeb Burton/Ace Speedway
Ace Speedway hasn’t exactly been known to make a driver better at other tracks, in fact most of the dominant guys at Ace through the years haven’t been able to do much of anything anywhere else.  Jeb Burton is possibly a driver that can change that, but he’ll have to figure out how to work the restarts to have a chance to win and there’s no cone to throw this time.

18th – Jake Crum/Martinsville Speedway
It’s hard to think that a former race winner driving for one of the most noted teams in Late Model Stock Car racing really wouldn’t be on anyone’s radar.  However, after his poor performance in the test last week for Fat Head Racing, Jake Crum is coming into this race as an underdog once again.  His last start as an underdog(or at all) saw him collect the grandfather clock and $25,000 prize money, but he’ll have to step up to repeat that feat.

17th – Garrett Campbell/UARA-STARS Series
When this weekend is over, we’re probably going to wish we had ranked this young man a little higher, but given his Martinsville track record and those of the drivers in front of him it would have been hard to justify it.  With four wins this season and one disqualification, he’s had an incredible season and since getting his new car he’s been nearly unbeatable.  But, this is Martinsville ….

16th – Kris Bowen/Motor Mile Speedway
Kris Bowen isn’t a name many of you might have expected to see on this list and certainly not ahead of some drivers with more experience and better results in previous Martinsville starts.  However, Kris has proven himself this season with a new car at Motor Mile and this race could just be his time to shine.

15th – CE Falk III/Langley Speedway
Some may be questioning CE Falk being this far down on the list, especially given his success at Langley Speedway this season and heck for that matter the last three seasons.  However, this race is his achilles heel and it isn’t at Langley Speedway. Also, after a dismal performance in the Denny Hamlin Showdown, he’s probably going to be hungry for a shot at the limelight.

14th – Peyton Sellers/South Boston Speedway
Peyton Sellers is a former NASCAR National Champion, former NASCAR Nationwide Series driver and one of the best young wheelmen in the business.  That aside, he hasn’t really ever performed up to par in this race, sure he’s had some good runs, but nothing like you’d expect from a driver of this caliber.  Now is as good of a time as any for him to change his Martinsville luck.

13th – Justin Johnson/Motor Mile Speedway
Justin is another driver who hasn’t particularly had great runs at Martinsville, but his friend Wayne Ramsey, who tested the car for him last Wednesday might just have proven that Justin will have the car to make something happen this season.  This is a race that Justin needs to have a break out performance after running a limited schedule this season for Top Gun Motorsports.

12th – Brandon Butler/Martinsville Speedway
If you made a list of the best Late Model Stock Car drivers of all time, Brandon Butler would be the quiet one among the bunch, making it in, but not making a lot of noise to get there.  Evetually though, he’s going to make a bunch of noise on the front straightaway here at Martinsville, he’s come too close, too many times despite not running much of anywhere other than Martinsville during the last few seasons.

11th – Tony McGuire/Martinsville Speedway
If this was 2015 and all the other circumstances were the same heading into this race, we’d probably be willing to put Tony McGuire’s name closer to the top of this list.  Many of you probably don’t know, but McGuire is a two time winner of this race, in 2005 and 1995(thus the 2015 reference) and this season he’s back with the car owner, Bob Unczer that he won with in 2005.  McGuire probably knows his way around Martinsville as good or better than anyone racing this weekend and if he’s got a good car he’ll be in the hunt.

10th – Brennan Poole/UARA-STARS Series
It goes without saying that Brennan Poole is one of the best young drivers to ever come through Late Model Stock Car racing.  He’s just about on his way out as he eyes the future, moving up the ranks, but this season he has accumulated five wins in the highly competitive UARA-STARS Series.  His days in a Late Model may be about done, but this young driver would like to go out with a bang, capturing the trophy in the seasons biggest race.

9th – Stacy Puryear/Ace Speedway
Though, Stacy Puryear didn’t compete much this season in a Late Model Stock Car, other than running a back up car at Ace on Friday nights, he is still one of the best in the business.  Back behind his own car, Puryear has to be one of the guys you keep an eye on in this race and though he’s never won it, he’s due and his number might just be up.

8th – Tommy Lemons, Jr./Motor Mile Speedway
Tommy Lemons, Jr. will likely have his best chance ever to win this race despite the fact that in 2008 he came close as he led in the last stages only to be dumped by Philip Morris for the lead.  Lemons, now driving the Hedgecock Racing Ent. House Car was in his own words “really good” at the most recent test session.  Lemons needs to cap off an up and down season with “w” in the seasons biggest race.

7th – BJ Mackey/Caraway Speedway
BJ Mackey has had a great season at Caraway Speedway, dominating many of the Super 5 Series races.  Mackey now is ready to take his game along with his Barber Automotive team into “big race” season and make his mark on Martinsville Speedway.  He hasn’t had a lot of success in this race, but the car he’s driving could have won a season ago with Alex Yontz driving it.  Look for Mackey to be among the cars to beat.

6th – Lee Pulliam/Motor Mile Speedway
I know many of you are surprised to see Lee Pulliam this far down the list, but the last month of racing has proven that he’s not invincible.  Pulliam’s team recently forgot to put fluid in his transmission and in the last race wasn’t as strong as he had been.  Plus, off the track his love life maybe keeping his mind more than his racing and we all know nothing takes a young driver off his game more than a woman.

5th – Frank Deiny, Jr./Motor Mile Speedway
Frank Deiny, Jr. hasn’t had a great season, at least by his standards, but many of his competitors would love to trade with him.  FDJ comes to life in the “big races” and there’s none any bigger than Martinsville and he knows his way to victory lane there.  Look for him to fly under the radar until it’s time to shine, then put your sunglasses on, he’s ready to make this season his own.

4th – Davin Scites/Motor Mile Speedway
Davin Scites is another veteran who by his standards hasn’t had quite the season he’d expected.  Scites has been one of the best drivers in this race through the years, though if you looked at the results you wouldn’t know it.  This year he’s got his game together right here as the season ends and the ‘big races’ kick off.

3rd – Jamey Caudill/Martinsville Speedway
Jamey Caudill’s career in Late Model Stock Cars is pretty much over, that is unless he lands a ride or hits the lottery.  He can no longer afford to run his own team and his life has never been better as he and his wife finally had a kid of their own, a beautiful baby girl and he’s been filling his racing time drag racing near his hometown.  Life couldn’t be better for him, but for those of us who are greedy and would like to see him wheeling a Late Model, this weekend is for us.  He’s back behind the wheel of the Long Bros. entry and last time he drove it, he took it to victory lane with his name taped above the door.  Look for him to prove his strength in this race and be one of the challengers at the end.

2nd – Matt McCall/Martinsville Speedway
Some of the fans out there may underestimate Matt McCall headed into this weekend, but his competitors know better.  Sure, he has been behind the wheel of a car much this season, but its Matt McCall we’re talking about.  And, at the test last week he was among the fastest cars there and with a little luck he will be one of the challengers for the win, just like he was last year.

1st – Philip Morris/South Boston Speedway
Did you really expect anyone else to be #1???  Come on, Philip Morris is the “King” of Late Model Stock Cars and he owns this kind of racing.  He doesn’t often lose and either him or Barry Beggarly(these two oddly enough won the NASCAR and ASA National titles this year) will eventually go down as the greatest Late Model Stock Car racer ever.  Philip is looking to lift the National Title curse, though as he’s never won this race after winning the NASCAR title, but Philip has seen a lot of ‘firsts’ in his life, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see one more for him.

(In no particular order)
*Bruce Anderson
*Ryan Robertson
*Adam Long
*Paddy Rodenbeck
*Rodney Cook
*Barry Beggarly
*Brandon Brown
*Scott Turlington
*Jason York
*Dennis Holdren
*Alex Yontz
*Travis Swaim
*Robert Tyler
*Josh Berry
*Doug Godsey
*Danny Edwards, Jr.
*Greg Edwards
*Wes Falk
*Jonathan Cash
*Matt Bowling
*Kelly Kingery