FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings: September 2012 Final Weekly Edition

Compiled by: Langley Austin ~ [email protected]

Copper Hill, VA(September 21, 2012) — Well, with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series coming to a close this past weekend, so too does the FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings, at least for weekly racing.

The FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings has seen a myriad of drivers come up and down and off and on the list throughout the course of the 2012 season.  Some names started off on the list at the beginning of the season and quickly faded and some moved up and down the list throughout the season while one driver hit the list at the end of May and vaulted to the top, only to slip back a little as the season came to a close.

As the season has come to a close, the drivers who have performed the best at different points, closed the season in fine fashion with dominating performances.  Others, who had dominated this season at one venue, slipped while racing at other venues and some drivers, who have been really good this season, continued to perform, but like most of the season never performed good enough to mount a serious charge at a top spot on the list.

Either way, I guess it’s time to deliver the final ‘weekly racing’ FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings.  These rankings are for the final three weeks of the season and include racing from August 31st, September 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 8th, 9th, 14th and 15th in the Late Model Stock Car community.  So, who’s #1 … look and see for yourself.

Honorable Mention …

Tommy Lemons, Jr.
Yeah, I know what you’re thinking … “how on earth does the #1 driver from just the last FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings drop from there to an honorable mention?” Well to be honest, it was very hard to drop a guy, that even when he isn’t winning is running second or third down here, but upon request from Tommy himself we decided to leave him off the list. He says that everytime he gets near the top of the list it’s bad luck and for him it certainly was as he crashed out of the very next race he competed in.

David Roberts
You gotta love the “Rocket”. David Roberts aka the “Rocket” is one of those UpperState South Carolina drivers, who has been a staple in victory lane over the years and this year he was out due to a rotator cuff injury, but upon returning, he’s right back in victory lane. He recently dominated a big race at Anderson Motor Speedway, a 100-lap special, thus earning him at least an honorable mention.

Nate Monteith
After spending most of the entire season at or near the top of the FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings, the season ending at his home track of Kingsport Speedway has seen Nate Monteith slip down the list fast. The veteran driver hasn’t slipped because he’s no longer performing at all, but rather because he’s not reaching victory lane and in a sport driven by winning, even second place isn’t good enough. Monteith will certainly be among the top two or three on the FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings year-end edition, but for the three weeks of racing in the month of September, he’s out to lunch.

Michael Hardin
After spending most of the season chasing Deac McCaskill at Southern National Motorsports Park, Michael Hardin returned home to Old Dominion Speedway for the “Big One”, a season ending big race. However, this season the race was divided into two races, ran together(don’t ask) and Michael Hardin was able to lead the way in both races and pick up not one, but two wins in one race(yeah it’s Old Dominion).

10 – Lance Gatlin
Lance Gatlin was able to cap off his 2012 season with a 10th win in the season finale at Lonesome Pine Raceway and captured his first track championship. Gatlin, who had been slowed by track rules, found a way to get himself back in contention for his 10th win after four races out of victory lane after winning the first nine races of the season.

9 – Ryan Stiltner
September 1st was the date, Lonesome Pine Raceway was the place, and Ryan Stiltner was a first time Late Model Stock Car division winner. Then just two weeks later on September 14th, Stiltner appeared to be on his way to a top three finish in the UARA-STARS Series race at Kingsport Speedway, when the UARA officials made a bad call putting him to the rear of the field for a wreck that happened ahead of him. It would cost him a chance at the win, but everyone knew that Stiltner was the top contender for the win as the laps clicked off. Then, just a day later he finished runner up at Lonesome Pine in an ASA sanctioned race. Not a bad month for the young driver.

8 – Anthony Anders
With the Myrtle Beach Speedway track championship already under his belt as well as four wins on the season and a spot atop the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series South Carolina State standings, Anthony Anders returned to his home track looking to finish the season with a couple of victories in the twin bill finale at Greenville Pickens Speedway. Anders didn’t let his chance slip by as he dominated both races and picked up two victories extending his season ending total to six with four of them coming at Greenville Pickens.

7 – Dustin Rumley
With the season coming to a close at Ace Speedway on Friday night, Dustin Rumley finds himself in charge of the points and will likely claim his second track championship in two seasons. While Rumley hasn’t been dominant on the season, he has been tough more recently and on August 31st, he dominated twin races as his closest championship pursuer had troubles.

6 – Deac McCaskill
With 17 wins on the season at Southern National Motorsports Park and 18 total with his lone victory at South Boston Speedway, Deac McCaskill has certainly proven his position among the top drivers on the FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings. McCaskill picked up two of those wins on September 1st and followed that up with twin second place finishes on September 15th, enough for him to keep his position here on the list.

5 – Austin McDaniel
After a season that saw him split wins with two other drivers for most of the season, Austin McDaniel made the end of the season his own as he captured nine wins total on the season including the two final races. McDaniel also dominated the Bobby Isaac Memorial before a cut tire cost him a chance at the win. With nine wins to his credit and the Hickory Motor Speedway track championship in his posession, McDaniel has proven his skills on “America’s Most Famous Short Track”.

4 – Mack Little
With two wins in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season finale at Caraway Speedway, points leader, Mack Little picked up twin wins in dominating fashion. Little has been strong this season and with these wins doubled his win total to four victories on the season. With the championship close to being wrapped up with just the Mid-Atlantic Shootout as the final race of the season.

3 – CE Falk III
The 2012 season has been a dominant one for CE Falk at Langley Speedway, despite the fact that he isn’t in the championship chase due to three disqualifications. Falk did pick up 10 wins despite losing three victories in post race technical inspection. In the season finale as his rival, Greg Edwards picked up the championship, Falk dominated the final two races for wins nine and ten.

2 – Lee Pulliam
With 22 wins on the season, Lee Pulliam certainly proved that he was the best driver in Late Model Stock Car racing this season. However as the season began to head to a close, Pulliam began to slip and eventually appeared to his competitors as if he couldn’t win anymore. But, in the season finale at Motor Mile Speedway, the young driver showed just how dominant he could be with a victory in one race of five seconds.

1 – Ronnie Bassett, Jr.
On September 1st, Ronnie Bassett, Jr. inherited the lead late in the Bobby Isaac Memorial at Hickory Motor Speedway to pick up his first non-UARA win of the season. Then entering twin races on Friday, September 14th at Southern National Motorsports Park, the young driver dominated both events and one day later backed those wins up with two more in twins once again at Southern National. In just two days he won more races than anyone that has raced at Southern National this season other than season long dominator, Deac McCaskill. His record in NASCAR sanctioned races for the season stands at five starts and five wins, all coming in the final three weeks of NWAAS racing …. pretty impressive conclusion to the season.