Curious which drivers you should keep an eye on at each World of Outlaws Late Model Series event? Series Announcer Ruben Mireles will bring you his five drivers to watch each week.
This week: World of Outlaws Wilmot Late Model Showdown at Wilmot Raceway, July 28
RUBEN’S FIVE:
Dennis Erb Jr.
Why: Coming off a fantastic podium at the Prairie Dirt Classic gives Erb 11 top 10s in his last 12 starts. Not to mention five of those being in the top five. Dennis Erb Jr.’s best finish of the season may be second, but we are on the brink of the horizon on witnessing his first of the season. Dennis finished fourth at the DIRTcar Summer Nationals race contested at Wilmot back on June 16. Carpentersville, IL only sits 32 miles from Wilmot Raceway, and many tend to forget he cut his teeth at this racetrack. Between here and LaSalle Speedway, Dennis has endless amounts of laps, and this would technically be a homecoming victory! No better place and time than now for Dennis to become the 14th different winner of the season.
Drake Troutman
Why: The current MD3 Rookie of the Year point leader Drake Troutman picked up a DIRTcar Summer Nationals win at Wilmot in June. Troutman has finished inside the top 10 in eight of his last 10 starts. Troutman will be aiming for his second-career Series victory Monday night. While Troutman leads the MD3 ROTY standings by 142 points over Dotson, McCreadie has been chasing him down for fourth in the championship standings. Troutman only leads McCreadie by eight points. McCreadie is eyeing his fourth win of the season and Troutman is eyeing his second with the Series.
Brian Shirley
Why: Fresh off his Prairie Dirt Classic victory Shirley has performed better during the hardest part of our season. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. This team is better under pressure. Shirley qualified Quick Time in Group B with the DIRTcar Summer Nationals but couldn’t show us all he had. He was a DNF in the Heat Race and didn’t start the Feature. Shirley led his first laps in Feature action at the PDC (77 laps) and it propelled him to victory. If the No. 3S is up front in the Feature, he will be tough to beat.
Tim McCreadie
Why: A stellar 21st to fifth run at the Prairie Dirt Classic for Tim McCreadie makes it six top 10s in his last seven outings with the Series. McCreadie now only trails Troutman by eight points for fourth in the championship point standings. While the top five in the point standings automatically get a six-figure payday, it’s a $10,000 difference between fourth and fifth. With Troutman winning the DIRTcar Summer Nationals race here and McCreadie eyeing his fourth win of the season, it’s game on atop of the standings!
Nick Hoffman
Why: The Dairyland Showdown champion is back in Wisconsin! After a slow start in qualifying at the Prairie Dirt Classic which is rare for Hoffman because he leads the Outlaws with five Quick Times this season. Even after a bad qualifying session, Hoffman passed 10 cars to go 13th to third in his Showdown Feature Friday and went from 10th to fourth in the Prairie Dirt Classic. Hoffman knows how to qualify and if he sets himself up in a slightly better starting spot, he can pass a couple cars and win. Hoffman just needs to get in the redraw. During the toughest part of the season Hoffman has been impressive finishing in the top five six of his last eight starts. Not to mention his last seven of those eight have been top 10s. Hoffman will go for win number five of the year to match his season career best with the Outlaws and his second in Wisconsin.
You can follow these drivers and more all weekend by getting your tickets in advance or at the gate.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every lap live – with Ruben Mireles – on DIRTVision.
UP NEXT: USA Nationals at Cedar Lake Speedway on Thursday-Saturday, July 31-Aug. 2