Weaver Tops 305 Power Rankings for 2016
The Wheatley Chronicles – Volume IV, No. 45
Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (December 6, 2016) – For the second year in a row, the top spot in the 305 Sprint Car Power Rankings presented by Dodge City Raceway Park goes to the Buckeye State as Fremont’s Paul Weaver captured the number one ranking for the 2016 season.
Weaver earned this year’s top ranking after fellow Ohio rep Bobby Clark topped the 2015 Power Rankings. Texas shoe Jeb Sessums earned the top ranking in both 2013 and 2014.
Weaver took this year’s number one ranking by a 45-point margin over Oklahoma’s Andy Shouse on the strength of ten feature wins at a handful of Ohio tracks that led to the Attica Raceway Park track championship and the FAST 305-ci title.
It was Weaver’s second-time among the final top ten after a ranking of ninth in 2013. He climbed from 15th in last year’s final rankings.
Oklahoma City’s Shouse settled for second in his first concentrated year of 305-ci competition that netted the IMCA National crown and the inaugural Sprint Series of Oklahoma championship.
URSS National champion Luke Cranston of Ness City, KS, took the show position in the final rundown with Liberal, KS, native Jason Martin edging Eagle Raceway champion Tyler Drueke for fourth.
Ohio’s Nate Dussel missed a third top-five ranking by just one position in sixth while Mid-South hotshoe Eddie Gallagher racked up a 305-ci best 19 wins to claim seventh.
North Texas contender Chad Wilson ranks as the only driver to finish among the top ten in final 305 Power Rankings over each of the past four years with a ranking of eighth with fellow Lone Star shoe Marcus Thomas in ninth and Kansas racer Zach Blurton rounding out the top ten.
Weaver topped a total of 647 drivers that earned points in the 540 events that awarded points toward this year’s 305 Sprint Car Power Rankings presented by Dodge City Raceway Park.
The state-of-the-art Dodge City Raceway Park in southwest Kansas is the presenting sponsor of the 305 Sprint Car Power Rankings. Dodge City Raceway Park hosts a variety of racing events over the course of each year including World of Outlaws and URSS Sprint Cars along with a regular card of DCRP 305 Sprint Cars. Check www.dodgecityraceway.com for the full schedule and more information.
The 305 Power Rankings are a part of the Open Wheel Power Rankings that also includes STIDA Winged 410s, Infinity Shocks Non-Wing 410s, Rod End Supply Winged 360s, Beaver Stripes Non-Wing 360s and www.midgetmadness.com Midgets. Final standings for those divisions will be released in the coming weeks at www.sprintcarmania.com.
A look at this year’s Top 100 in 305 Sprint Car Power Rankings presented by Dodge City Raceway Park is as follows:
| Rank | Name | Hometown | Wins | Points | 2015 Rank | 2014 Rank | 2013 Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Weaver | Fremont, OH | 10 | 470 | 15 | 20 | 9 | |
| 2 | Andy Shouse | Oklahoma City, OK | 8 | 425 | 113 | 193 | 281 | |
| 3 | Luke Cranston | Ness City, KS | 6 | 393 | 18 | 37 | 17 | |
| 4 | Jason Martin | Liberal, KS | 5 | 369 | 9 | 16 | 73 | |
| 5 | Tyler Drueke | Eagle, NE | 8 | 350 | 28 | NR | NR | |
| 6 | Nate Dussel | Toledo, OH | 4 | 344 | 361 | 5 | 3 | |
| 7 | Eddie Gallagher | Olive Branch, MS | 19 | 315 | 69 | 68 | 54 | |
| 8 | Chad Wilson | N. Richland Hills, TX | 10 | 306 | 2 | 4 | 5 | |
| 9 | Marcus Thomas | Corsicana, TX | 4 | 297 | 6 | 33 | NR | |
| 10 | Zach Blurton | Great Bend, KS | 5 | 282 | 14 | 45 | 130 | |
| 11 | Blake Robertson | Visalia, CA | 14 | 269 | 295 | NR | NR | |
| 12 | Clint Benson | Papillion, NE | 4 | 254 | 42 | 18 | 51 | |
| 13 | Jamie Miller | Fostoria, OH | 4 | 253 | 16 | 322 | 224 | |
| 14 | Tyler Reeser | Orwigsburg, PA | 8 | 242 | 10 | 157 | 159 | |
| 15 | Kyle Capodice | Sandusky, OH | 2 | 239 | 22 | 174 | NR | |
| 16 | John Carney II | El Paso, TX | 5 | 236 | 11 | 85 | 28 | |
| 17 | Don Grable | El Paso, TX | 11 | 235 | NR | 155 | 85 | |
| 18 | Kyle Jones | Kennedale, TX | 6 | 232 | 26 | 3 | 258 | |
| 19 | Steve Rando | Lindsey, OH | 1 | 230 | 3 | 12 | 93 | |
| 20 | Ken Duke | Selinsgrove, PA | 2 | 222 | 33 | 69 | NR | |
| 21 | John Ivy | Fremont, OH | 2 | 221 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
| 22 | Tyler Russell | Abbott, TX | 3 | 215 | 75 | 104 | NR | |
| 23 | Raven Culp | Mesquite, TX | 3 | 211 | 96 | 14 | 15 | |
| 24 | Jake Martens | Fairview, OK | 3 | 205 | NR | NR | NR | |
| 25 | Zach Newlin | Millerstown, PA | 1 | 205 | 19 | 82 | 217 | |
| 26 | Trevor Grossenbacher | Holland, NE | 1 | 203 | 13 | NR | NR | |
| 27 | Eddie Strada | Lake Ariel, PA | 5 | 201 | 200 | NR | NR | |
| 28 | Michelle Melton | Flower Mound, TX | 2 | 201 | 56 | 125 | 203 | |
| 29 | Taylor Velasquez | Turpin, OK | 5 | 199 | 183 | 148 | 77 | |
| 30 | Scott Lutz | Fredericksburg, PA | 2 | 199 | NR | NR | NR | |
| 31 | Toby Chapman | Lincoln, NE | 1 | 199 | 71 | 105 | NR | |
| 32 | Jeff Day | Greenville, TX | 5 | 196 | 34 | 28 | 135 | |
| 33 | Robert Vetter | Wolfe City, TX | 3 | 190 | 80 | 49 | 27 | |
| 34 | Dan McCarron | Dundee, MI | 2 | 188 | 155 | 349 | 447 | |
| 35 | Logan Scherb | Decatur, TX | 1 | 187 | 21 | 127 | 147 | |
| 36 | Dave Brown | Aston, PA | 3 | 183 | 27 | 74 | 70 | |
| 37 | Drew Ritchey | Everett, PA | 2 | 183 | 35 | NR | NR | |
| 38 | Jake Bubak | Arvada, CO | 2 | 182 | 5 | 9 | 13 | |
| 39 | Michael Day | Greenville, TX | 2 | 178 | 187 | NR | NR | |
| 40 | Justin Melton | Flower Mound, TX | 2 | 177 | 97 | 32 | 11 | |
| 41 | Ricky Peterson | Rawson, OH | 0 | 174 | 36 | 106 | 324 | |
| 42 | Kyle Ganoe | Mifflintown, PA | 2 | 173 | NR | NR | NR | |
| 43 (tie) | Lorne Wofford | Alamogordo, NM | 3 | 172 | 52 | 112 | 10 | |
| 43 (tie) | Brian Krummel | Middletown, NY | 3 | 172 | 46 | NR | NR | |
| 45 | Mike Haggenbottom | Levittown, PA | 2 | 169 | 12 | 15 | 18 | |
| 46 | Christian Bowman | Des Moines, IA | 4 | 167 | 126 | NR | NR | |
| 47 | Alvin Roepke | Elmore, OH | 2 | 166 | 24 | 53 | 22 | |
| 48 | Stu Snyder | Waverly, NE | 1 | 165 | NR | 261 | NR | |
| 49 | Shon Pointer | Grand Island, NE | 1 | 164 | 61 | 194 | NR | |
| 50 | Kyle Smith | South Egremont, MA | 3 | 163 | 41 | 217 | 480 | |
| 51 | Scott Goodrich | Middletown, NY | 2 | 161 | 17 | 51 | 40 | |
| 52 | Michael Stien | Ceylon, MN | 3 | 159 | 121 | 527 | 524 | |
| 53 | Nathan Gramley | Lewistown, PA | 4 | 158 | 51 | 103 | 97 | |
| 54 | John Ricketts | Burleson, TX | 2 | 157 | 59 | 6 | 2 | |
| 55 | Tim Tanner, Jr. | Ivyland, PA | 1 | 156 | 32 | 55 | 74 | |
| 56 | Justin Fifield | Mesquite, TX | 0 | 156 | 70 | 22 | 29 | |
| 57 | Dalton Stevens | Scurry, TX | 5 | 154 | 102 | 207 | 86 | |
| 58 | Devin Kline | Knoxville, IA | 3 | 154 | 91 | 181 | NR | |
| 59 | Joe Wood, Jr. | Oklahoma City, OK | 2 | 153 | NR | NR | NR | |
| 60 | Dustin Dinan | Port Clinton, OH | 0 | 153 | 152 | 11 | 8 | |
| 61 | Matt Foos | Fremont, OH | 2 | 152 | NR | NR | NR | |
| 62 | Bobby Clark | Fremont, OH | 2 | 150 | 1 | 8 | 42 | |
| 63 | Ty Williams | Arcadia, OK | 1 | 145 | 140 | 160 | 111 | |
| 64 | Mike Peters | Wichita, KS | 0 | 144 | NR | NR | 524 | |
| 65 | Bryan Debrick | Irving, TX | 0 | 140 | 158 | 343 | NR | |
| 66 | Brian Herbert | Dodge City, KS | 3 | 138 | 39 | 59 | 38 | |
| 67 | Chris Walraven | Prairie City, IA | 3 | 135 | 217 | 258 | 128 | |
| 68 | Jack Dover | Springfield, NE | 5 | 133 | 241 | 164 | NR | |
| 69 | Adam Gullion | Lincoln, NE | 3 | 133 | 20 | 21 | 375 | |
| 70 | Steven Richardson | Liberal, KS | 2 | 132 | 85 | 46 | 78 | |
| 71 | Jason Keckler | Fremont, OH | 2 | 130 | 212 | 70 | 35 | |
| 72 | Cody Howard | Byhalia, MS | 1 | 125 | 422 | NR | NR | |
| 73 | Mike Kiser | Cooperstown, NY | 1 | 124 | 38 | 43 | 155 | |
| 74 | John Martin | Fayetteville, PA | 0 | 124 | 157 | NR | NR | |
| 75 | Colby Dice | Chambersburg, PA | 0 | 124 | 105 | 61 | 231 | |
| 76 | Chad Koch | Wichita Falls, TX | 0 | 122 | 310 | NR | NR | |
| 77 | Jeb Sessums | Joshua, TX | 2 | 121 | 8 | 1 | 1 | |
| 78 | Scott Ellerman | Landisburg, PA | 2 | 120 | 58 | 126 | 67 | |
| 79 | Rick Stief | Garnett Valley, PA | 1 | 120 | 92 | 146 | 31 | |
| 80 | John Barnett | Tabernacle, NJ | 2 | 119 | 278 | NR | NR | |
| 81 | Cale Reigle | Newport, PA | 1 | 119 | 190 | NR | NR | |
| 82 | George White | Ft. Worth, TX | 2 | 118 | 84 | 19 | 193 | |
| 83 | Joey Danley | Lincoln, NE | 1 | 118 | 45 | 54 | NR | |
| 84 | Mike Boston | Crete, NE | 0 | 117 | 90 | 90 | 12 | |
| 85 | Jed Werner | Codell, KS | 1 | 116 | 65 | 185 | NR | |
| 86 | Zac Taylor | Green River, WY | 5 | 115 | 25 | 52 | 33 | |
| 87 | Zane Lawrence | Lillian, TX | 0 | 114 | 194 | 205 | NR | |
| 88 | Jeff Geiges | Hillsborough, NJ | 1 | 113 | 125 | 36 | NR | |
| 89 | C.J. Hulsey | El Paso, TX | 1 | 113 | 143 | NR | NR | |
| 90 | Wes Wofford | Alamogordo, NM | 2 | 112 | 63 | 98 | 83 | |
| 91 | Tyler Thompson | Des Moines, IA | 2 | 111 | 185 | 111 | NR | |
| 92 | Ryan Lynn | Hollidaysburg, PA | 1 | 111 | 124 | 311 | 89 | |
| 93 | Kevin Ramey | Fort Worth, TX | 0 | 110 | 221 | 10 | 121 | |
| 94 | Dale Schweikart | Linden, PA | 1 | 109 | 272 | 254 | 365 | |
| 95 | Mark Watkins | McConnellsburg, PA | 0 | 109 | 491 | 80 | 50 | |
| 96 | Dustin Stroup | Fremont, OH | 0 | 106 | 62 | 362 | 239 | |
| 97 | Weston Gorham | Colleyvile, TX | 2 | 105 | NR | NR | NR | |
| 98 | McKenna Haase | Des Moines, IA | 1 | 104 | 154 | 233 | NR | |
| 99 | Andy Priest | New Castle, PA | 4 | 103 | 156 | NR | NR | |
| 100 | Shayle Bade | Lincoln, NE | 1 | 103 | 48 | 67 | 99 |
Features Completed: 540 (560 in 2015, 470 in 2014 and 407 in 2013)
Number of Different Winners: 244 (240 in 2015, 202 in 2014 and 182 in 2013)
Number of Drivers to Earn Points: 647 (641 in 2015, 599 in 2014 and 532 in 2013)
Past Top Tens in 305 Power Rankings presented by Dodge City Raceway Park:
2015 – 1. Bobby Clark (10) 460, 2. Chad Wilson (11) 455, 3. Steve Rando (5) 345, 4. Jordan Ryan (4) 338, 5. Jake Bubak (7) 330, 6. Marcus Thomas (5) 321, 7. John Ivy (5) 318, 8. Jeb Sessums (8) 304, 9. Jason Martin (9) 302, 10. Tyler Reeser (10) 298.
2014 – 1. Jeb Sessums (5) 475, 2. Jordan Ryan (7) 446, 3. Kyle Jones (4) 413, 4. Chad Wilson (10) 403, 5. Nate Dussel (6) 371, 6. John Ricketts (6) 333, 7. John Ivy (3) 313, 8. Bobby Clark (5) 311, 9. Jake Bubak (8) 309, 10. Kevin Ramey (8) 300.
2013 – 1. Jeb Sessums (8) 412, 2. John Ricketts (11) 391, 3. Nate Dussel (12) 372, 4. Logan Wagner (10) 323, 5. Chad Wilson (7) 313, 6. Jordan Ryan (2) 298, 7. John Ivy (3) 284, 8. Dustin Dinan (6) 262, 9. Paul Weaver (2) 224, 10. Lorne Wofford (4) 221.
A part of the recurring “The Wheatley Chronicles” series of articles on www.sprintcarmania.com, the Open Wheel Power Rankings are determined by cumulative points based on a sliding scale dependent upon car count at Sprint Car and Midget events across all sanctions and non-sanctions throughout North America.
The Wheatley Chronicles brings insight and highlights from all variety of racing series throughout the nation in 2016 and beyond along with the Open Wheel Power Rankings on a regular basis. Please send any comments, questions or advertising inquiries regarding The Wheatley Chronicles at www.sprintcarmania.com to Lonnie Wheatley at lonniewheatley@gmail.com.
