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

Salisbury, NC(May 19, 2011) — OK, it’s that time … time for us to unveil the bottom half of the May 2011 FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings.

It’s safe to say that this list was extremely tough to vote on and many of the people voting were placing guys in different positions than they’ll end up on this list.  However, the top five was unanimous, but not in the positions that they would appear in.  The 1st and 2nd place guy on tomorrow’s list both received the same amount of first and second place votes and still at the time this is presented a tie-breaker has not been determined.

The same can be said for the 3rd and 4th place guys on this list, they were third and fourth on everyone’s list, but not everyone voted the same way.  At the time this bottom half of the list is presented the third and fourth place guys will need a tie-breaker as well to determine who gets the better of the two positions.

As you look over the list below, you’ll note that some of the best Late Model Stock Car racers anywhere and especially ones who are the “best” at their home track are in the bottom 11.  That leaves the Top 11 on this list wide-open and will leave many people questioning their positions.

I’ve explained how this process works before, but I will do it again simply for clarity.  Here is how we ask the panel to vote on the Top 22 drivers.

First we ask them to look at the number of victories a particular driver has, second we ask them to consider the level of competition, to which we have assembled a non-public list of the level of competition at each weekly track and touring series.  By that they can determine many of the top guys, as winning counts in this list more than anything, because after all, this is the “Most Powerful” drivers in Late Model Stock Car racing.

Once the guys who have been winning and winning regularly or at the top of their competition level have been considered, we ask the panel to consider guys who have been in the mix for wins or competiting at a high-level.  You don’t have to win races to make it on this list, but you have to have been in contention or a position to win on a regular basis to make it.

OK, with that said, there are many other factors that voters take into consideration and to each their own, but in the end, it’s what the majority thinks that lands guys on or not on this list.  We know not everyone will agree and even some of the panelist don’t agree, but in the end this is a list compiled by people who know a thing or two about Late Model Stock Car racing.

Check out our Bottom 11 below and get ready to see the top 11 drivers tomorrow for the May 2011 edition of the Late Model Stock Car, FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings on RACE22.com!

#22 – Frank Deiny, Jr. — South Boston/Caraway
Frank Deiny, Jr. pretty much is “Late Model Stock Car racing”, but in 2011, though he’s been strong, something seems to be missing.  Since getting together with Kiker Motorsports, Frank has seen ups and downs from crashing out in qualifying last fall at Ace Speedway to winning at Myrtle Beach Speedway in the seasons final race. This season he’s mired behind at South Boston Speedway, where his arch rival, Philip Morris has dominated winning seven races in a row.  Deiny meanwhile has had his share of second place and top five finishes, but nothing like visiting victory lane.  Hopefully, he and his new team can get themselves together and pick up the pace as the seasons hits the summer stretch.

#21 – Danny Edwards, Jr. — Langley Speedway
The “Edwards Brothers” name is synonymous with Late Model Stock Car racing at Langley Speedway, the brothers Danny and Greg Edwards have been winning races for many years on the tough flat track located in Hampton, Vriginia. Nothing has changed there as the Edwards Brothers are still winning races at Langley Speedway, in fact they have been the only drivers to visit victory lane there this season.  Danny Edwards, Jr. took the win in race one and his brother, Greg won the second of the only two races there this season.  Danny Edwards, Jr. is hoping that he and his brother can keep the Langley Speedway victory lane all to themselves … of course with his brother getting a smaller share of the wins.

#20 – Alex Yontz — UARA-STARS Series
While he’s spent time running the UARA-STARS Series and racing full time on Weekly Tracks such as Caraway and Orange County Speedway in his years in a Late Model Stock Car, he’s been one of the guys to beat no matter where he’s raced.  Over the years he’s laid claim to the title as the only driver to win at Martinsville Speedway in the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 and at Bristol Motor Speedway in the UARA-STARS Series. However, this season hasn’t been about winning for the young driver, it’s been about consistency as he’s placed in the top five of every race he’s run this season, but one.  Competing on the UARA-STARS Series tour again, he’s found a rythm and he’s putting together quite a season, but not needs to break through for a win to climb this list.

#19 – Lee Tissot — Kingsport Speedway
Lee Tissot has won just about everywhere he’s raced in his storied career from winning the UARA-STARS Series championship to now racing weekly on the NASCAR Sanctioned, Kingsport Speedway.  The veteran driver has done just about everything in his racing career and now has his sights set on winning the championship at his new home track. Lee’s been one of the two guys to beat so far this season on the 3/8 mile concrete speedplant as he and Nate Monteith have shared the spotlight both on and off the track.  Though, Monteith has acquired more wins so far, Lee has been right there with him every step of the way.  Lee’s on the verge of breaking through for more victories and will find himself climbing this list pretty fast this summer if he can get to victory lane more often.

#18 – Marty Ward — Greenville-Pickens Speedway
Marty Ward is probably the most successful racer in Late Model Stock Cars of all-time in South Carolina along with Myrtle Beach Speedway standout, Robert Powell, who has since retired from racing.  Over the years Marty Ward has been known to win 10 to 13 races in a season at Greenville Pickens Speedway, his home track, but he’s been extremely competitive everywhere he’s gone, barely missing out on wins at Myrtle Beach in the season ending race atleast twice. This season, Ward had planned to take a back seat and help his son get started into racing, but that had started to change as he got off to a solid start at Greenville in the first couple of races.  However, a tech shed infraction enabled Ward to change his plans and race sparingly.  His lack of racing for the last month and missing the field for the Denny Hamlin Showdown at Richmond dropped him slightly on this list, but he’s still one of the most “powerful” Late Model Stock Car drivers anywhere.

#17 – Rodney Cook — Ace/South Boston/Caraway
Easily one of the best Late Model Stock Car racers in the business, Rodney Cook has had a slow start to his 2011 campaign, but that couldn’t keep him off this list.  Rodney has raced two races at Ace Speedway, with the first of which landing him a victory, three races at Caraway Speedway with a best finish of fifth and a pair of races at South Boston, which netted him a NASCAR suspension for two weeks. He’s proven over the years to be one of the best in the business and we’re sure he’s hoping to get back to the top of his game in an upcoming stretch of races at Ace Speedway beginning with this weekends, big “May Daze 150”.

#16 – Josh Berry — Motor Mile Speedway
Driving a Late Model Stock Car for JR Motorsports brings its own set of expectations and for a kid who got the job based off of meeting Dale Earnhardt, Jr. on iracing meant that, Josh Berry would have to get up on the wheel and fast.  Last year in his first few races, Berry proved he was up for the challenge as he raced into the top ten on a regular basis and this season it was time to go for wins. Berry did just that as he broke through for his first win just a few weeks ago and although his other results don’t show it, he’s been one of the best cars at every race so far this season at Motor Mile Speedway.  Winning at Motor Mile is a big deal, especially since he’s the only driver not named, Lee Pulliam to do so this season.  Now he’ll have to figure out how to beat Pulliam on a regular basis to climb this list.

#15 – Peyton Sellers — South Boston/Motor Mile
Peyton Sellers started off the season with a win in the season opener at South Boston Speedway as he was one of the lone survivors of a wild and crash-filled race on the 4/10 mile track.  Many people thought he would challenge for the championship there with that victory already in hand, but instead he’s racing just a partial schedule. Sellers has made only a handful of starts and barring an engine letting go in practice for the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown at Richmond Int. Raceway, he may very well have been the car to beat in that race as well.  Sellers will have to hit more races over the next month or atleast get to victory lane when he does to keep him up this list.

#14 – Greg Edwards — Langley Speedway
Greg Edwards and his brother, Danny Edwards, Jr.(above on this list in 21st) have been a staple of Langley Speedway and the tracks victory lane.  Greg has been strongest of the two this season so far with a first and third place finish as he and his brother have been the only drivers to visit victory lane at Langley. Greg took the most recent victory, moving defending and two-time champion, CE Falk out of the way for the win late in the race.  Greg will certainly be one of the three drivers to beat with his brother, Danny and Falk and if he continues to flex his muscle like he did in the last race he might just be the driver to knock Falk off his perch atop Late Model Stock Car racing at Langley Speedway.

#13 – Tommy Lemons, Jr. — Caraway/Motor Mile/SoBo
Tommy Lemons, Jr. has been one of the drivers the last few seasons, whose been hit or miss racing around the region as he travels as much as anyone in the business.  Lemons started off the season consistently in the top five at Caraway Speedway and even left racing there while leading the points and moved to race at Motor Mile on a more full-time basis, although he’ll miss this weekends race as he and his fiance`, Laura Yarborough get married. Lemons opened the season at Motor Mile nearly getting lapped by winner, Lee Pulliam, but rebounded the next week to challenge him for the win only to settle for third.  Lemons has had his ups and downs already this season, but he’s been a formidable challenger everywhere he’s went.

#12 – George Miedecke — UARA-STARS Series
George Miedecke didn’t exactly burst on to the scene in Late Model Stock Car racing after being a successful road racer in Australia.  Miedecke can probably attribute that to the equipment he was running as since he’s jumped into the seat of one of the Fat Head Racing cars he’s been on fire.  Last season he grabbed a pair of victories right off the bat at Tri-County Motor Speedway and Hickory Motor Speedway in his first two races for FHR. This season, he’s been off to a strong start with a second place outing in the UARA-STARS Series season opener.  He crossed the finish line first in the series second race, but was penalized for rough driving after contact with Kyle Grissom.  Since then he hasn’t had that type of run, but he’s proven he’s one of the best in the Late Model Stock Car business right now.