Weekly Tracks Power Rankings -- July 2010 -- Drivers 1 - 11
Deac McCaskill is easily one of the most underrated drivers in Late Model Stock Car racing and despite the fact that he wasn't even ranked in the "Top 22", his win in the Independence Weekend race at South Boston vaulted him into the top 11. McCaskill recently has teamed with WP Racing Shocks and that has put him back on the map after a sluggish start to the 2010 season.
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#11 -- Deac McCaskill/SoBo(NR)
#10 -- Nate Monteith/MMS(9)
Many people think of Nate Monteith as a 'one track wonder', but the truth is he's a former winner at Motor Mile as well as Kingsport and his more known home track, Lonesome Pine. This season he has wins at Lonesome Pine as well as the most laps led at Franklin County in the Old Dominion ShootOut and a recent top five finish at Motor Mile Speedway, the toughest weekly track in the region. His place in the Top 22 is secure .... for now.
#9 -- Tommy Lemons/MMS(8)
Tommy Lemons, Jr. has already won at South Boston Speedway this season and he's been in contention to win three or more races already at Motor Mile Speedway, but the young driver slips down the list this week simply because he hasn't broke through for a win yet. Lemons a main stay in the "Top 22" here over the last two seasons remains in the top 11 in 9th, but he needs to bust through for a win to make up some ground and get back in the mix at the top.
#8 -- Stacy Puryear/SoBo(22)
Stacy Puryear maybe a little older than most of the guys he's racing against, but don't tell them as he's been doing a pretty good job this season of looking like a "young buck" with a win already this season back on May 29th. Stacy is having a great season and after bursting on the "Top 22" in 22nd position last month, he's continued to climb and finds himself up to 8th, one more month and where will he be?
#7 -- Andy Mercer/Hickory(7)
Andy Mercer's name has been synonymous with victory lane at Hickory Motor Speedway the past three seasons and although he's not winning like he has in the past he's proved he's one of the best. He proved that once again this past weekend as he finished third in the Dwight Huffman Memorial race even after getting roughed up by winner Matt McCall while leading the race ... Mercer is going to be a huge threat in the big end of season races and may find himself climbing the list soon.
#6 -- Philip Morris/MMS(3)
It's amazing what a change in venue can do for a driver ... sometimes drivers move from one track where they struggle at and instantly make their mark on another track and sometimes things don't go that way. After moving from Motor Mile Speedway, where he was "King", Philip Morris is on a free fall at South Boston, where his win streak dates back to May of last season. This once great driver has allowed someone else's decision to take him from being potentially the greatest of all time to 'just another racer'.
#5 -- Rodney Cook/Ace(5)
Rodney Cook already has seven wins this season in nine races at Ace Speedway and he isn't showing signs of slowing up anytime soon. His closest pursuer, Dustin Rumley is giving him all he can stand, but the veteran driver has shown he can race with anyone when they invade his 'home turf'. Cook also ventures out and usually he's a strong top ten contender whether it's Motor Mile, South Boston or any other tough track and that's what keeps him among the top five of this "Top 22".
#4 -- Travis Swaim/Caraway(4)
Travis Swaim still only has four victories this season as his reign over Caraway Speedway has slowed some over the last month, but the veteran driver isn't afraid to venture out and may just strike fear into the 'home' drivers when he rolls in. Most recently he qualified on the outside pole at Hickory in the big Dwight Huffman Memorial race and finished eighth, this just three days after a subpar performance in the big race on his home turf yielded a sixth place finish. Swaim will be a factor, no matter where he competes.
#3 -- Wayne Ramsey/MMS(6)
Wow, what a difference a month makes ... last month when the Power Rankings were released it was certain that Philip Morris was going to win week in and week out unless he was toting an extra 50 pounds for winning two races in a row. Now, Wayne Ramsey and his teammate, Justin Johnson on his off weeks from South Boston seem to be the toast of the town at Motor Mile as they've dominated the races thus far. Ramsey only has two wins this season, but he's on the verge of going on a streak a winning a handful of races.
#2 -- CE Falk/Langley(2)
CE Falk is undoubtably the man to beat when it comes to his home track as the young driver now has six victories this season in 12 starts including his most recent win in the "Hampton Heat", the richest race at Langley Speedway. CE also won the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown at Southside and had been in contention to win a couple of races at South Boston earlier in the season and in fact he may would find himself atop this list if not for recent poor performances at South Boston Speedway.
#1 -- Justin Johnson/SoBo(1)
Justin Johnson ... a couple of years ago that name meant little to nothing in the Late Model Stock Car world, but after a second place points effort in 2008 to now teammate, Wayne Ramsey, a championship at South Boston last season and a 10-win season already this season and that name is becoming very recognized. Unlike most racers who have ten win seasons, Johnson's have come at two different tracks with three wins at Motor Mile and seven at his home track of South Boston, where he's dominating the points and will likely be crowned champion for a second straight season. Johnson is "The Man" in Late Model Stock Car racing this season so far and with a little luck, if he wins eight more races, he could be the first LMSC driver not named Morris to win the NASCAR National Championship in five years.
