With opening weekend of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series now complete, the tour’s roster is starting to come into focus.

While it won’t be super clear until mid-March on who’s staying on the tour and who’s going elsewhere, roughly 25 drivers are at least considering following the 63-race tour this year. Drivers are separated and classified into four categories: Committed, 50-50, those with some chance, and rookie candidates.

This running list will be updated throughout Georgia-Florida Speedweeks, time and changes to drivers’ plans permitting. (Last updated: Feb. 2 at 4 p.m. ET

• Feb. 2 at 4 p.m. ET: Bob Gardner says he's "absolutely thinking about" running the tour
• Feb. 1 at 1 a.m. ET: Jonathan Davenport says he's still "genuinely 50-50"
  
• Jan. 31 at 10 p.m. ET: Tanner English and Viper Motorsports are leaning Hunt the Front Series
• Jan. 30 at 1 p.m. ET: Brandon Overton forgoing Ocala and All-Tech for Screven's Winter Freeze

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Committed (Last Updated)

Boom Briggs (Jan. 29)

Even after Max Blair’s departure that leaves the Briggs Transport team a single-car operation, the Bear Lake, Pa., journeyman is in line for another crack at the tour this season. He finished 14th in points and started 31 of 53 features last year. 

Daulton Wilson (Jan. 29)

Poised to keep building upon the headway made the first two years, Big Perm is back for more, looking to better last year’s seventh-place finish in the standings. Still in search of a first touring win after five runner-ups last year, the anticipation has to be the Fayetteville, N.C., driver breaks through this year.

Devin Moran (Jan. 29)

Despite falling mere car lengths short in the chaotic, winner-take-all championship race, the happy-go-lucky driver of Dresden, Ohio, and the Double Down Motorsports team are back for their second year together as title contenders. His eight career series wins are 24th all-time. 

Earl Pearson Jr. (Jan. 29)

After his ride with Jason Papich Racing shuttered, EPJ has found a new home with Iowa-based car owner Jason Rauen, who's sponsored the four-time series champion in the past. His 40 series wins are fourth-most all-time as Pearson enters his 20th season on the tour. 

Garrett Alberson (Jan. 29)

Like year-three counterparts Daulton Wilson and Ross Robinson who are no longer underclassmen on the tour, the Las Cruces, N.M., driver has never had more balance entering a season. He’s taken his relatively new Longhorn Chassis and strong Wild West Shootout run onto the tour’s trail, ultimately striving for his first series victory. 

Hudson O’Neal (Jan. 29)

Welcome back, champ. The burgeoning star of Martinsville, Ind., has accomplished a lot for a 23-year-old: Last year’s series title with 22 career series wins, good for 11th all-time. He and the Rocket1 Racing team are on their way to surpassing six wins totaled on the tour from a year ago. 

Max Blair (Jan. 29)

Now with his third team in as many years, the Centerville, Pa., driver looks to settle in with newly formed Centerline Motorsports off the heels of the tour’s Rookie of the Year honors. Last year, Blair finished ninth in touring points and earned a Firecracker 100 semifeature victory at Pennsylvania’s Lernerville Speedway.

Mike Marlar (Jan. 29)

You're not mistaken by series announcer James Essex terming the Winfield Warrior as a touring regular this year. The Skyline Motorsports driver is all in chasing his second career national title and would-be maiden title with the Lucas Oil Series this year. Marlar's 19 touring wins rank him tied for 12th all time.

Ricky Thornton Jr. (Jan. 29)

What do you do when you dominate an entire season and lose the championship under the most unlucky of circumstances? Return for another potent shot at glory of course. RTJ, who’s optimistic about the revamped title format, went from tied for 32nd in the tour’s all-time wins list to 10th with last year’s 19 full-field victories.

Ross Robinson (Jan. 29)

Sporting a new Rocket Chassis and more crew help, the Georgetown, Del., driver feels much better about his chances entering his third year on the tour and that showed Saturday with his top-10 run. Robinson has series points finishes of 10th and 13th the past two seasons respectively.

Tim McCreadie (Jan. 29)

The 2021 and 2022 series champion returns for his ninth-straight year on the tour, entering a new era of sorts as the No. 39 Paylor Motorsports team no longer employs the Longhorn Chassis house car (now Factory Team) program. The Watertown, N.Y., veteran’s 34 series wins are sixth all-time.

Tyler Erb (Jan. 29)

The New Waverly, Texas, driver intends to stick it out for his fifth year on the tour, but told FloRacing after the Wild West Shootout he’ll “go with the wind” upon the conclusion of Georgia-Florida Speedweeks. Terbo’s 19 career touring wins are tied with Mike Marlar for 12th all-time. 

50-50: Depending On Speedweeks

Brian Shirley (Jan. 29)

The Chatham, Ill., veteran has signed up for both the Lucas Oil Series and World of Outlaws this year and is truly a split decision on either/or at the moment. But with two DNFs and two DNQs four races into the new year, Shirley will need to pick things if he’d like to run any national tour this year. Surely it’ll get better for Shirley and that we’ll see him on either WoO or the Lucas Oil Series. 

Jonathan Davenport (Feb. 1)

As of Feb. 1, Superman remains genuinely 50-50 on whether he's running the tour this year or not. The three-time touring champion is racing all of Georgia-Florida Speedweeks and will make the decision of staying or going by the month of March, most likely. His 71 series wins are third all-time.

Spencer Hughes (Jan. 29)

Now with Alabama-based JCM Motorsports, the Meridian, Miss., driver will see where he stands at the end of Georgia-Florida Speedweeks before thinking about a commitment. If he's anywhere inside the top 10 in series points, there's a chance he'll continue forward with the tour. 

You’re Saying There’s A Chance?

Brandon Overton (Feb. 1)

Now there's no chance. The Evans, Ga., superstar is forgoing the tour's stop at All-Tech Raceway this weekend, instead electing to race Feb. 2-3's Winter Freeze event at Screven (Ga.) Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga.

Overton started the winter expressing interest at the PRI Trade Show that he’d like to race the tour for another year, but then set the record straight after Jan. 25’s opener at Golden Isles that he won’t follow the tour no matter what happens this Georgia-Florida Speedweeks. The rumor is that Overton could run the Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series in 2024.

Brandon Sheppard (Jan. 29)

The Longhorn Chassis Factory Team driver is committed to chasing a fifth World of Outlaws title, and as long as he leads the tour that’s synonymous with his name, why would he reverse course? The fluidness of Georgia-Florida Speedweeks and Sheppard planning to run all the Lucas Oil Series races means that anything could happen even if the chances are unlikely.

Jimmy Owens (Jan. 29)

Could he make a drive for five Lucas Oil Series titles this year? The Newport, Tenn., veteran hasn’t ruled the possibility of that out, though he hasn’t put down a loyalty deposit with the series as of Thursday. He’s also a Platinum member of the World of Outlaws, to which he sits 15th in points through two races.

An Owens reemergence on the tour he’s won with 80 times, good for second all-time, would add a significant layer to the competition. 

Tanner English (Feb. 1)

The Benton, Ky., driver and Viper Motorsports said after Jan. 31 at Ocala that they're leaning toward the Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series this season. And if not that, then a pick-and-choose schedule is in their best interest. 

After last year’s World of Outlaws run, it was expected they’d return to the tour this year. But they never signed the tour’s Platinum agreement and they haven't put down a loyalty deposit with the Lucas Oil Series either. 

Rookie Candidates

Bob Gardner (Feb. 2)

The Pink Panther went from not knowing if he’ll field a full-time team to "absolutely thinking about" running with the series seeing what develops from there. The 46-year-old, needless to say, would be no typical rookie. He’s just never partaken in a national tour. Last year he finished third in the MARS Championship Series behind Jason Feger and Mike Harrison.

Brenden Smith (Jan. 29)

The Dade City, Fla., youngster is one of three 18-year-olds fully intending to follow the tour and compete for Rookie of the Year. Smith’s touring experience includes an eighth-place finish in the XR Super Series standings in 2022. 

Cory Lawler (Jan. 29)

The 22-year-old of Hanover, Pa., (whose race shop is on the same street corner as Eldora Million winners Shark Racing, by the way) has everything lined up to follow the tour this year. Lawler’s in his fourth year of Super Late Model competition. 

Daniel Adam (Jan. 29)

The 18-year-old driver still fairly new to Super Late Model racing, now in his second year, is jumping into the deep end of the pool with the Lucas Oil Series. The Stedman, N.C., newcomer will battle Tony Jackson Jr. and a host of others for the tour’s Rookie of the Year honors.

Dillon McCowan (Jan. 29)

The Urbana, Mo., sophomore Super Late Model driver is planning to race every touring event through May 25-27’s Show-Me 100 at his native Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, then he’ll decide what he’s doing from there. The 2022 Lucas Oil Speedway track champion finished sixth at last year’s Show-Me 100, giving him the hope that, with time, he’ll eventually become touring material. 

Drake Troutman (Jan. 29)

One of the sport’s most accomplished teenagers, the 18-year-old of Hyndman, Pa., is serious about following the tour this year. It was initially thought the 2023 Gateway Dirt Nationals Modified champion would consider the World of Outlaws, but he never signed the series Platinum agreement. He’s submitted a loyalty deposit with the Lucas Oil Series, though, readying for his rookie touring campaign. 

Ethan Dotson (Jan. 29)

Another driver in his young adulthood with a lot of potential, the 25-year-old of Bakersfield, Calif., is testing the waters of both national tours — the WoO and Lucas Oil Series — before deciding what to do this year. Dotson’s ninth in WoO points through two races and currently 34th on the Lucas Oil Series through two races. 

Tony Jackson Jr. (Jan. 29)

The 41-year-old series rookie steps into the No. 25 Capital House Car seat relinquished by Shane Clanton, who scales racing back significantly to guide the Lebanon, Mo., wheelman. Jackson, who’s yet to win a Lucas Oil Series race, is a former champion of the MLRA and MARS, the two most competitive regional tours in the Midwest.