BATAVIA, Ohio (September 10, 2026) - With the 2026 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Presented by FloRacing season entering its final five race weekends, the battle atop the Big River Steel Championship Standings Presented by ARP remains wide open.
Brandon Sheppard leads the championship standings entering the Lucas Oil Late Model Nationals at Knoxville Raceway, but Hudson O'Neal and Devin Moran remain close behind. O'Neal trails Sheppard by only 55 points, while Moran is just 50 points behind O'Neal.
Only 105 points separate the top three contenders as the series prepares for three nights of competition at the famed half-mile Knoxville Raceway.
O'Neal returns to Knoxville as the defending winner of the Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals. The Martinsville, Indiana, driver charged from the 15th starting position to capture the 2025 edition of the event, taking the lead from Moran on lap 57 before pulling away to an 8.368-second victory.
The triumph marked O'Neal's first Knoxville Nationals victory and placed him alongside his father, Don O'Neal, as an event winner.
Several of this year's leading championship contenders also recorded strong finishes in last season's Knoxville finale. Ricky Thornton Jr. finished second, Moran placed third, and Sheppard crossed the finish line fourth.
Three-day ticket packages and single-night tickets are available at KnoxvilleRaceway.com or by calling the ticket office at 641-842-5431.
While Sheppard, O'Neal, and Moran have separated themselves at the front of the standings, the competition behind them remains equally intense. Brandon Overton currently occupies fourth, holding a 55-point advantage over Thornton. Max Blair sits sixth, only 80 points behind Thornton.
Further down the standings, Josh Rice leads Brian Shirley by just 25 points in the battle for seventh, while Shirley holds a 35-point advantage over Alberson. Kyle Bronson currently rounds out the top 10, only 10 points ahead of Clay Harris.
Following Knoxville, the championship battle continues with the Jackson 100 weekend at Brownstown Speedway, Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, Eldora Speedway, and West Virginia Motor Speedway.
The season concludes October 16-17 with the 46th Annual Dirt Track World Championship at West Virginia Motor Speedway, where the 2026 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion will be crowned.
For the latest news, results, championship standings, and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing, please visit LucasDirt.com.
Big River Steel Championship Standings Presented by ARP:
Pos - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Points - Earnings
1 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - 6305 - $267,900
2 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - 6250 - $244,700
3 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - 6200 - $310,874
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4 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - 5855 - $156,100
5 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - 5800 - $239,625
6 - 111 - Max Blair - Centerville, PA - 5720 - $151,075
7 - 11 - Josh Rice - Crittenden, KY - 5430 - $190,475
8 - 3s - Brian Shirley - Chatham, IL - 5405 - $108,900
9 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - 5370 - $119,075
10 - 40B - Kyle Bronson - Brandon, FL - 5070 - $88,175
11 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - 5060 - $100,375
12 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - 5015 - $93,150
13 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - 4975 - $143,200
14 - 8 - Dillon McCowan - Urbana, MO - 4845 - $112,625
15 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - 4390 - $66,700
16 - 17SS - Brenden Smith - Dade City, FL - 4035 - $49,400
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