Eastern Iowa Driver Rankings: June 3

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: Tyler Soppe, David Brandies

Dropped out:  Jenae Gustin, J.D. Auringer

Just missed the cut:  Nathan Wood, Jenae Gustin, Damon Murty, J.D. Auringer, Jason Rauen, Brayton Carter, Cayden Carter, Brody Willett, Jerry Miles, Jarrett Franzen, Nick Marolf, Chris Luloff

RANK

+/-

NAME

CLASS

THOUGHTS

1

+1

Tony Olson

Sport Mod

For the first time in 2015 and for just the third time since the rankings started in May of 2014, there's a new No. 1. The Cedar Rapids driver has eight wins in 14 races this season, making him the wins leader in the area. His consistency is as good or better than anyone, and he's the one to beat in Sport Mod no matter where he goes. It was going to take a lot to unseat Justin Kay, and Olson did it.

2

-1

Justin Kay

Late Model

A fall from the top spot coincides with a weekend where Kay had three top fives, a worst finish of seventh, and continued his streak of wins at Dubuque Speedway dating back to last year. These rankings are the most competitive they've ever been, and his drop to No. 2 should not be a sign of his falling off, rather Olson's surging forward. Kay is still the man to beat.

3

--

Nathan Ballard

Hobby Stock

Speaking of a high win percentage in 2015, Ballard got his sixth win of the season on Sunday at Benton County Speedway in Vinton. He didn't get to race Friday night, as Hawkeye Downs Speedway called the races on the threat of rain, so he still remains unbeaten there. He's rolling in Hobby Stock, but there's a gap between him and the top two.

4

--

Troy Cordes

Modified

The race weekend started off horrible for the Dunkerton racer, but improved in a big hurry. He took a DNF during a nightmarish night at Farley Speedway, but rebounded with IMCA win No. 101 at Independence Motor Speedway, marking back to back wins there. He then ran second at Benton County Speedway in Vinton. 

5

--

Tyler Droste

Late Model/ Modified

Droste continues to both impress and improve in his IMCA Late Model. He ran third on Saturday night in Independence, needing a caution to have a shot at the win. Then on Tuesday, he led the first 42 laps of the 50-lap A-main in the IMCA Deery Brothers Summer Series event at Marshalltown Speedway, but settled for second. The wins are coming.

6

+1

Benji Irvine

Hobby Stock

Another week, another win at Independence Motor Speedway. He's being selective about where and how often he runs this season, so that was his only race this week. Typically, only running one track is source for a detraction in the rankings, but that he wins nearly every time out at that one track keeps him in the rankings.

7

NR

Tyler Soppe

Sport Mod

Soppe's fans were loud and proud when he made the rankings earlier in the season, and equally as so when he fell out a few weeks ago. Well, he's back in a big way by virtue of a stellar weekend. He got wins at Farley Speedway on Friday and at Dubuque Speedway on Sunday, and ran fifth Saturday night at West Liberty Raceway.

8

+1

Jeff Aikey

Late Model

He may not have gotten a win this weekend, but was in the hunt for one everywhere he went. He came up just short in Des Moines at Iowa State Fair Speedway, finishing second, and lost a hard-fought battle with Kay at Dubuque on Sunday, again finishing second. Then he ran third in the Deery Brothers A-main at Marshalltown, coming from deep in the field at the start. 

9

NR

David Brandies

Stock Car

Brandies makes his first rankings of 2015 after a two-win weekend of his own. He took the victory on Friday night at Marshalltown Speedway to start the weekend. Saturday night, he drove Johnny Spaw's car while he's still serving a suspension from IMCA and took the 00 to sixth. Then, back in his car, he won the season-opener on Sunday at Dubuque.

10

-4

Matt Ryan

Late Model

Ryan holds onto the final spot in the rankings this week, if only because I've stated previously I won't penalize a driver too heavily for being the victim of a rainout - which happened Saturday night for his regular track of Jackson County Speedway in Maquoketa. He finished second at Quad City Speedway on Sunday, proving his car is still working when he races.

Previous: April 29; May 6; May 13; May 20; May 27

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