Wytheville, VA ~ Everybody's got 'em ... Power Rankings, but RACE22.com is the first website to Power Rank the top 25 Late Model Stock Car drivers in the country ... or at least we will be soon.

Ballots were sent out yesterday to RACE22.com staff members as well as selected members of the national media with an eye on the Late Model Stock Car contingent. RACE22.com delivered the first Late Model Stock Car Power Rankings last October with Matt DiBenedetto taking top honors following a rookie season that saw the young driver win two UARA-STARS races as well as a top five performance in his first Bailey's 300 at Martinsville.

This spring 2008 Power Rankings saw DiBenedetto play second fiddle to Coleman Pressley, son of former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, Robert Pressley. Pressley was on fire at the beginning of the 2008 season collecting seven victories racing at Greenville Pickens Speedway in Greenville, SC and Hickory Motor Speedway in Hickory, NC. Things went a little flat for the young driver, who has already been signed to race in the upper levels of NASCAR for JTG Daughtery Racing, but the youngster revived himself in the recent Bobby Isaac Memorial 200 at Hickory Motor Speedway claiming his eighth win of the 2008 season.

While Pressley had been on a cold streak, DiBenedetto has spent most of the summer months of racing off the track due to a July 5th crash in the UARA 150 at Bristol Motor Speedway only recently returning to the track for the Bobby Isaac Memorial 200. DiBenedetto ran strong in the top five all day long, but when it came time to race for the trophy he found himself sidelined due to a broken sway bar hyme.

GOOD TIMING
Pressley's return to victory lane on Labor Day has put the "wheel man" back on the radar for the Fall 2008 Power Rankings, but there's a few more drivers that are peaking when it counts including the other Matt ... Matt McCall. McCall has won six races to date this season in the "I Dig Pigs" Ford Fusion owned by Jerry Moody, but it's not those race wins that have everyone talking it's his recent back to back victories in the 2009 Pistone LTO Concept Car at Tri-County Motor Speedway. McCall stole the first victory away from Lucas Ransone with a little tap from behind, but he obliterated the competition in the Bad Boy Mowers 150 UARA-STARS race on Friday, August 29th leaving little question to the measure of this drivers talent.

PHILIP and the MAN WHO BEAT HIM
You can never leave Philip Morris out of a Late Model Stock Car Power Ranking system, how he doesn't make other Power Rankings on other websites is really questionable, but you know Morris has got a spot somewhere in the top ten. But, if you are looking at what Philip Morris has done you've got to look at the only guy who has really "stomped" him on his home turf of Motor Mile Speedway ... Richard Boswell. Boswell rode his JR Motorsports entry into town and led flag to flag leaving Morris in his dust back in July and while "Boz" hasn't collected a UARA-STARS win to date despite competing full-time in the series the talented young man has been very close.

ANDY & ANDY
What would the RACE22.com Power Rankings be without the most talked about rivalry ... the Andy and Andy show at Hickory Motor Speedway. Two-time and defending track champion as well as 2008 Tri-County Motor Speedway champion and most likely this years North Carolina State Champion, Andy Loden and the guy trying to dethrone him at Hickory, Andy Mercer. Once good friends, this pair have become bitter rivals and have thrilled fans all season at Hickory. Mercer with eight wins this season is gunning for the reigning "King of HMS" and all

eyes are on the points battle as heading into the final two races of the season which will take place on back to back weeks starting this Saturday, September 6th. Currently Loden leads Mercer by ten points a slim margin especially considering the poor performances of late by Loden.

WHAT ABOUT ME
I'm not going to give away the 30 names selected to be voted on by the RACE22.com panel of experts(and Corey), but I will say the list is plentiful of top notch drivers including; current South Boston Speedway points leader, Wayne Ramsey and his competitor, Justin Johnson and the top two chase competitors at Ace Speedway, Speedy Faucette and Rodney Cook, who also leads the ASA National Points Standings with his multiple wins at Franklin County Speedway. Then what about top UARA-STARS contenders Jamey Caudill, Jamie Yelton and Alex Yontz as well as series points leader, Jake Crum, who was third in the spring 2008 Power Rankings. Greenville Pickens Speedway champion, Marty Ward, Nick "Mr. DQ" Smith from Langley Speedway and we certainly can't forget about JR Motorsports driver, Davin Scites and multi-time South Boston and Southern National race winner, Deac McCaskill.

LET THE VOTES BEGIN
Wow ... that's about the best list of Late Model Stock Car drivers in the country right now and that's not even half of the 30 drivers selected to be in the running to be on RACE22.com's Top 25 Power Rankings for the Fall of 2008. My friends, co-workers and partners will have their hands full deciding on this list of talented drivers, but I think we're up for the task. Over the next few days the votes will be coming in and after they are all in, we'll tally them up and each driver will be assigned a rating which will place them first through 25th of the top Late Model Stock Car drivers. Who will be the top dog ... Philip Morris, Matt McCall, Andy Loden, Andy Mercer, Jake Crum, etc. or will Coleman Pressley keep his perch at the top of the scoreboard?