Eastern Iowa Driver Rankings: Aug. 23

Welcome to the Inside Track's Eastern Iowa Driver Rankings. Each week of the racing season, the Gazette's Jeremiah Davis will rank the area's top 10 drivers across all divisions.

Think the list should be different? Tweet him at @jeremiahdavis10, send him an email at jeremiah.davis@thegazette.com or leave a comment at The Inside Track by Jeremiah Davis Facebook page.

New this week: Troy Cordes

Dropped out: Mitch Hovden

Others considered (in no order):  David Brandies, Luke Goedert, Ronn Lauritzen, J.D. Auringer, Nathan Ballard, Matt Ryan, Rob Toland, Mark Schulte, Kyle Olson, Johnny Spaw, Daniel Wauters, Dalton Simonsen, Richie Gustin, John Emerson, Kyle Brown, Bryce Garnhart, John Oliver Jr, Darrel DeFrance, Jimmy Gustin, Andy Eckrich, Chris Zogg, Brody Willett, Jeff Aikey, Chris Simpson, Jeremiah Hurst, Benji Irvine, Joel Rust, Tyler Bruening, Cayden Carter, Mitch Hovden

1.

Justin Kay

Late Model/Modified

Late Model/Modified

In these, the final rankings of 2017, I'll send the same reminder I did last year: the order of these rankings does not decide the Driver of the Year. That said, Kay added to his win total with another in Modified at Farley Speedway, while running second to Tyler Bruening in Late Model. Kay has the Late Model track title wrapped up and barring a large field and disaster in Modified, all he has to do is start to seal that on Friday. Only two other guys - according to available IMCA records - have won both at the same track in the same season: Mark Burgtorf at Lee County Speedway in 1998 and 1999 and Tom Charles at Thunder Hill Speedway in Topeka, Kan. in 1995.

In these, the final rankings of 2017, I'll send the same reminder I did last year: the order of these rankings does not decide the Driver of the Year. That said, Kay added to his win total with another in Modified at Farley Speedway, while running second to Tyler Bruening in Late Model. Kay has the Late Model track title wrapped up and barring a large field and disaster in Modified, all he has to do is start to seal that on Friday. Only two other guys - according to available IMCA records - have won both at the same track in the same season: Mark Burgtorf at Lee County Speedway in 1998 and 1999 and Tom Charles at Thunder Hill Speedway in Topeka, Kan. in 1995.

 

2.

Tyler Soppe

Sport Mod

Sport Mod

Soppe didn't have his best weekend of the season, but his march toward a national championship took another step. Soppe was second at Farley and eighth at Maquoketa Speedway, both places he'll be track champion - like Kay, barring a big field and catastrophe at Farley. Then he came down to Benton County Speedway and picked up his 26th win of the season. He's approaching 60 wins in the last two seasons, and is finishing this year as strong as he started it. 

Soppe didn't have his best weekend of the season, but his march toward a national championship took another step. Soppe was second at Farley and eighth at Maquoketa Speedway, both places he'll be track champion - like Kay, barring a big field and catastrophe at Farley. Then he came down to Benton County Speedway and picked up his 26th win of the season. He's approaching 60 wins in the last two seasons, and is finishing this year as strong as he started it. 

 

3.

Tyler Droste

Modified

Modified

Droste took the week off last weekend, taking a breather before the fall specials get rolling. I'm not sure when he'll get "Lilly" back but "Lucy" has served him well while Lilly gets some reconstructive surgery. It'll be interesting to see, if he does get the newer car back, which he and his crew decide to go with for all the specials. At this point it's got to be about the car that gives him the best chance to win.  

Droste took the week off last weekend, taking a breather before the fall specials get rolling. I'm not sure when he'll get "Lilly" back but "Lucy" has served him well while Lilly gets some reconstructive surgery. It'll be interesting to see, if he does get the newer car back, which he and his crew decide to go with for all the specials. At this point it's got to be about the car that gives him the best chance to win.  

 

4.

Darin Duffy

Modified

Modified

After a week off himself, Duffy returned and while he didn't visit Victory Lane, he was as consistent as he's been all year. He was fifth at Marshalltown and second at Independence. This year has been restorative for Duffy in a few ways. Back to winning and running consistently up front, Duffy seems reinvigorated to get to the racetrack - which is a boon for many. My gut says he'll be a factor in Boone.

After a week off himself, Duffy returned and while he didn't visit Victory Lane, he was as consistent as he's been all year. He was fifth at Marshalltown and second at Independence. This year has been restorative for Duffy in a few ways. Back to winning and running consistently up front, Duffy seems reinvigorated to get to the racetrack - which is a boon for many. My gut says he'll be a factor in Boone.

 

5.

Hunter Marriott

Modified

Modified

Here's another guy who took the weekend off. Marriott has been among the best in a Modified anywhere in the country this season, even if he's not going to win any kind of season-long title. Whatever specials he enters this fall, he'll be a factor - even more so than he was in years past.   

Here's another guy who took the weekend off. Marriott has been among the best in a Modified anywhere in the country this season, even if he's not going to win any kind of season-long title. Whatever specials he enters this fall, he'll be a factor - even more so than he was in years past.   

 

6.

Tony Olson

Sport Mod

Sport Mod

Olson reconfirmed his speed and consistency have returned this week. The defending national champion got his 18th win of the season on Saturday at Independence and then wrapped up a track championship at Benton County Speedway on Sunday. It's wild to think 18 wins is 12 less than he had last year, but here we are. 

Olson reconfirmed his speed and consistency have returned this week. The defending national champion got his 18th win of the season on Saturday at Independence and then wrapped up a track championship at Benton County Speedway on Sunday. It's wild to think 18 wins is 12 less than he had last year, but here we are. 

 

7.

Damon Murty

Stock Car

Stock Car

Another week where Murty didn't get a win, but was still a factor in both main events he ran. The Chelsea Charger was third at Marshalltown on Friday and second on Sunday at Benton County Speedway. He finished third in the final rankings last year, and perhaps this year hasn't been as good, but only marginally. The guy is one of the best to ever sit in a Stock Car, and I'll argue that tooth and nail.

Another week where Murty didn't get a win, but was still a factor in both main events he ran. The Chelsea Charger was third at Marshalltown on Friday and second on Sunday at Benton County Speedway. He finished third in the final rankings last year, and perhaps this year hasn't been as good, but only marginally. The guy is one of the best to ever sit in a Stock Car, and I'll argue that tooth and nail.

 

8.

Nathan Wood

Stock Car

Stock Car

That last line about Murty makes what this guy did Sunday a pretty big deal. Wood had to win Sunday to wrap up a track championship, and did just that - by beating the guy who has more wins than anyone in a Stock Car at Benton County Speedway. That's never a small feat. Wood's track championship gives him a boost toward his state championship goal, too.  

That last line about Murty makes what this guy did Sunday a pretty big deal. Wood had to win Sunday to wrap up a track championship, and did just that - by beating the guy who has more wins than anyone in a Stock Car at Benton County Speedway. That's never a small feat. Wood's track championship gives him a boost toward his state championship goal, too.  

 

9.

Dan Hovden

B-Mod

B-Mod

Hovden made it two straight weeks of Fayette County Speedway and Upper Iowa Speedway sweep with another pair of wins Friday and Saturday. I wish I had been able to get to Decorah or West Union this year to cover some USRA racing because the B-Mods almost always put on a good show, and Hovden - clearly - always is a factor.  

Hovden made it two straight weeks of Fayette County Speedway and Upper Iowa Speedway sweep with another pair of wins Friday and Saturday. I wish I had been able to get to Decorah or West Union this year to cover some USRA racing because the B-Mods almost always put on a good show, and Hovden - clearly - always is a factor.  

 

10.

Troy Cordes

Modified

Modified

Talk about finishing a season strong. Cordes spent most of 2017 frustrated and searching for consistent speed. He's found it. He got his fourth straight win overall with a victory at Independence Motor Speedway on Saturday - and ended up six points shy of a track title despite missing a race - before running second to Corey Dripps at Vinton on Sunday. All this speed came just in time for Boone.

Talk about finishing a season strong. Cordes spent most of 2017 frustrated and searching for consistent speed. He's found it. He got his fourth straight win overall with a victory at Independence Motor Speedway on Saturday - and ended up six points shy of a track title despite missing a race - before running second to Corey Dripps at Vinton on Sunday. All this speed came just in time for Boone.

 

Previous weeks: May 10, May 17; May 24; May 31; June 7; June 15; June 21; June 28; July 5; July 19; July 26; Aug. 9; Aug. 16

l Comments: (319) 368-8884; jeremiah.davis@thegazette.com