FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings — October 2011

Content by: Langley Austin ~ [email protected]
List Compiled by RACE22.com Staff and Industry Experts

Roanoke, VA(November 1, 2011) — We know that everyone expects to see the list of FDJ Motorsports Power Ranked Drivers each month here on RACE22.com and while we’re a little late this month, we’ve got a great list.  This months list includes drivers who were able to perform in some of the seasons biggest races from the biggest of them all at Martinsville Speedway, the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 to the most recent, the Danville Toyota 300 at South Boston Speedway.  We also take a look at the Dwight Huffman Memorial from Hickory Motor Speedway, the Mid-Atlantic Championship at Caraway and a couple of UARA-STARS Series races.  And, this time of year, we don’t have to look back at what the drivers have done all season, so many drivers fade into the night because of either not racing this month or not performing when they attempted some of the seasons big races. So, here’s another month’s worth of FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings to either brag about or to complain about.  There’s always a lot of movement amongst the Top 22 Drivers and there are some new faces to talk about and some to wonder what happened, so check it out and let us know by going to our FaceBook page what your thoughts are.

22nd – Tommy Lemons, Jr.
Tommy Lemons, Jr. is one of the drivers who has been all over the list of FDJ Motorsports Power Ranked drivers this season.  He’s one of the drivers who has been near the top of the list at points and has steadily worked his way off the list and now he’s back, but at the tail end of the list on the heels of a solid run at Martinsville and a third place effort at Caraway.

21st – Barry Beggarly
You wouldn’t expect to see the ASA National Champion this far down the list, but as we said in the opening, this isn’t about the whole season, this is a “what have you done for me in the month of October” list.  Beggarly, did make Martinsville on time, but got his car damaged early and wasn’t able to show his hand and since hasn’t raced knocking him way down the list.

20th – Jamey Caudill
A stellar performance at Martinsville was derailed less than 100 foot from the checkered flag.  But, everyone at Martinsville knew that Jamey Caudill was coming … he was hauling the freight at Martinsville in the Long Brothers ride and while he and his teammate clobbered each other heading to the finish, it was a great return to Late Model Stock Car racing for the cagey veteran.

19th – Jonathan Cash
I’d be remissed if we didn’t have Jonathan Cash and Jamey Caudill on this list.  Those two, both driving for the Long Brothers at Martinsville were in position for a top five and trying to pounce at the finish when they ended up on top of one another just short of the finish line.  Cash and Caudill both deserve a spot on this months Power Rankings.

18th – BJ Mackey
If this was simply based on performance and finishes didn’t count at all then, BJ Mackey would have himself further up this list.  He performed at Martinsville until he had engine troubles and finished in the top five at Caraway.  However it’s the less than ‘perfect’ finish at Caraway that drops him down the list and should give him cause for concern.

17th – Matt Bowling
Matt Bowling isn’t a top level Late Model Stock Car racer … in fact you might not even know who he is.  But, he’s performed for much of this season driving for Sellers Racing at South Boston.  At Martinsville he had another solid weekend, but it was his performance at South Boston in the 300-lap race that moved him onto the list.

16th – Taylor Doggett
When the 2011 season started, Taylor Doggett was content to race at Orange County Speedway and compete for the championship in a lame duck kinda Late Model division.  After winning a race there and then leaving FDJ Motorsports for Sellers Racing and Jim Dean Motorsports, the youngster has proven he’s one of the guys to contend with in Late Model Stock Car racing.  But, for a mistake at the halfway point at South Boston in the 300-lap race, he might have been able to foil his teammate, Philip Morris’ run for the win.

15th – Davin Scites
Another strong performance at Martinsville for Davin Scites … we’re not shocked, but having to load up after qualifying at South Boston becuase he wasn’t one of the best cars shocked all of us.  He didn’t miss the show by much, but a racer of his caliber should have stayed and proved why he’s one of the best in LMSC racing.

14th – Alex Yontz
Alex Yontz hasn’t exactly had a good 2011 season, but things have been starting to turn around for the young driver looking to rekindle some old magic.  Yontz picked up a win, albeit after Steven Wallace was disqualified at Newport and he finished second to Garrett Campbell at Caraway in the Mid-Atlantic Championship.  While that’s not racing up to his standards it is at least getting back to normal for the once prominent young driver.

13th – Brennan Poole
Brennan Poole started off his 2011 season on fire.  Easily made the #1 driver in the FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings lists earlier this season, but since then, he’s just been another face in the UARA crowd.  While he did recently solidify his first series championship, the youngster hasn’t won, but once since his early season streak.  But, you can’t take it away from him, he is a wheelman and finished the month of October with a third and second place finish in two UARA starts.

12th – Dexter Canipe, Jr.
Dexter Canipe, Jr. had a very quiet, but productive month of October, that started with the young second generation driver recorded his best career finish at Martinsville in the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300.  He placed fourth there and then backed that up with a fourth place effort at his home track of Hickory in the Dwight Huffman Memorial.  This young driver doesn’t get the credit he deserves, but with a little funding, he might just be able to equal the stats of his ultra-successful father.

11th – Stacy Puryear
One race usually doesn’t make a person’s month, but when it’s the only race you enter and it’s the biggest annual race for your division, it sure can carry a lot of weight.  Stacy Puryear placed third in the season’s biggest race, the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 at Martinsville Speedway, solidifying the fact that this veteran can still get the job done.

10th – Jesse LeFevers
One position.  That’s what Jesse LeFevers lacked of completing his 2011 season with a win in his home track’s biggest race.  He finished second to Ronnie Bassett, Jr. in the Dwight Huffman Memorial at Hickory Motor Speedway.  The track in which, LeFevers won the championship this season and in a race that every western North Carolina racer wants to win.  His performance was however heroic as he started last and raced to the lead, only to give up the lead in the closing laps.

9th – Garrett Campbell 
Garrett Campbell has been probably the most consistent driver all season in the FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings, although he’s moved around a little due to other people charging or declining.  The young racer started off the season with several wins and completed the season with several wins including one in the Mid-Atlantic race at Caraway.  He’s been one of the top ten drivers all season long and certainly was in the month of October.

8th – Brandon Butler
Brandon Butler has always been known to come alive toward the end of each season, especially in recent years as he’s been running underfunded and hasn’t raced much during the season.  He finished second at Martinsville, his best career finish in the biggest race of the season.  Then grabbed a top five at South Boston in the second biggest race of the season, capping off his great month of October.

7th – Steven Wallace
OK, so it’s not that often that a NASCAR Nationwide Series driver gets his name on to the FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings, but Steven Wallace has been an on again, off again Late Model competitor and he’s on it right now.  Steven has went to victory lane twice in the last three weeks with a win at Newport Speedway(which he was disqualified from) and one at Concord most recently.  At Concord he had to borrow an engine to race and still put his car on the pole and dominated the race.  Pretty impressive and a sign of things to come as his Nationwide career appears to be all, but over.

6th – Matt McCall
Having only competed in a Late Model Stock Car four times this season, Matt McCall ordinarily wouldn’t have made the FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings.  But, when you’re the guy who led much of the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 at Martinsville until you get punted on the final lap, you might just find yourself on here.  McCall is one of the best LMSC racers of all-time and hopefully we get to see more of him in 2012.

5th – Ronnie Bassett, Jr.
No one really expected this young driver to have the kind of season he had this year.  Joining Fat Head Racing(FHR), many thought he would struggle through his first season with them, but instead he accelled.  He picked up his first win by the first weekend in June and claimed three more before he left FHR in the grandest way of all, winning the prestigous, Dwight Huffman Memorial race.  This kid has proven he’s going places and with a new program in place for 2012, he might just have another break out season.

4th – CE Falk III
CE Falk has proven time and time again that he’s one of the best young drivers in Late Model Stock Car racing.  Now a three-time Langley Speedway champion … that is the last three in a row, he’s been proving his abilities all the way.  CE did that once again at South Boston this month as he qualified inside the top 15 for the 300-lap race and then was disqualified due to a fuel issue.  He then started last in his heat race, drove tot he lead and won, then drove from the rear of the field in the main race and finished second.  He’s a wheelman and in the month of October he was as impressive as he’s been all season.

3rd – Frank Deiny, Jr.
Did you know that Frank Deiny, Jr. still had it?  Don’t worry, there has been times when he’s doubted himself, but as the money was put on the line here at the end of the season he’s shown up.  A solid effort at Martinsville was thwarted by a late race crash and he had probably the best car in many people’s opinion at South Boston until he called for a change at the halfway break.  He still finished fourth in one of the biggest races of the season.

2nd – Lee Pulliam
Though this could be the final time we ever strike his name on the FDJ Motorsports Power Rankings due to his indefinite suspension from NASCAR, Lee Pulliam is certainly deserving of this spot.  He used the bumper to collect a $25,000 prize at Martinsville, then rallied from a spin out of the lead with 50 to go at South Boston to finish third.  If not for a post-race melee that lead to his suspension, Lee would have been able to go off into the woods this winter hunting as he smiled about his status in Late Model Stock Car racing, but without a NASCAR license he has to wonder what his place will be.

1st – Philip Morris
Philip Morris is the “King of Late Model Stock Car racing” and his month of October performance continued to solidify his status as one of the greatest of all time.  Morris, had the car to beat in the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 at Martinsville until a fuel pick up problem got him a lap down.  But, he showed the field and the leaders his power by passing them all before eventually giving it up due to his issue.  Then he flexed his muscle knocking Lee Pulliam out of the way at South Boston for a $10,000 win.  After winning his fourth NASCAR National Title this season, it was a fitting end for the veteran driver.

Movement Inside the Top 22 …

New to the Top 22:
6th – Matt McCall
7th – Steven Wallace
8th – Brandon Butler
11th – Stacy Puryear
12th – Dexter Canipe, Jr.
14th – Alex Yontz
15th – Davin Scites
17th – Matt Bowling
19th – Jonathan Cash
20th – Jamey Caudill
22nd – Tommy Lemons, Jr.

Out of the Top 22:
Nate Monteith(4th)
Lee Tissot(7th)
Mike Darne(12th)
Randy Porter(14th)
Anthony Anders(15th)
Jeb Burton(16th)
Greg Edwards(17th)
Bobby Measmer, Jr.(18th)
Robert Tyler(19th)
Brandon Brown(20)
David Polenz(21st)

Biggest Movers:
3rd – Frank Deiny, Jr. +7
16th – Taylor Doggett +6
1st – Philip Morris +1
5th – Ronnie Bassett, Jr. +1

Biggest Losers:
22nd – Barry Beggarly -13
18th – BJ Mackey -5
10th – Jesse LeFevers -5
13th – Brennan Poole -2
2nd – Lee Pulliam -1
4th – CE Falk III -1