There's a strong contingent of Dirt Late Model drivers among the 130-plus competitors vying for this weekend's $100,025-to-win Modified World Championship at Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wis., headlined by reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion Ricky Thornton Jr.

A pair of nationally touring winners this year, Tyler Erb and Ethan Dotson, are also Dirt Late Model star-power in the field as well as World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series campaigners Dustin Sorensen, Jake Timm and Drake Troutman.

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Former nationally touring Dirt Late Model drivers Cade Dillard, Stormy Scott, Kyle Strickler and Mason Zeigler should be considered contenders for the six-figure payday as well.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series campaigner Dan Ebert, all-time MARS Dirt Late Model Series wins leader Terry Phillips, and Dylan Thornton — Cody Sommer's driver for the DRT house car at next week's Dream at Eldora Speedway — represent the Dirt Late Model world, too.

The four-day event begins Wednesday and spans through Saturday with a total purse of over $300,000 on the line.

Ethan Dotson

The Bakersfield, Calif., driver who broke through to win his first World of Outlaws race in April at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway is capable of winning big Modified events in the discipline he cut his teeth in. In 2022, he won the Reutimann Memorial at Volusia Speedway Park.

Cade Dillard

The reigning winner of the mega Modified event at MTS has scaled back traveling with the Dirt Late Model to race more in his self-built Modified. He has five Modified wins on the year, including this past Sunday's United States Modified Touring Series event at Mason City Motor Speedway.

Dan Ebert

The current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series rookie has recently come through the Modified pipeline, finishing fifth in USMTS points last year. He also won the Minnesota Modified state title in 2020.

Terry Phillips

The semi-retired Dirt Late Model racer whose MARS series track record is unmatched (94 wins and six titles) has followed every United States Modified Touring Series event to date this year. In 10 events on the USMTS, he has two top-fives and seven top-10s.

Stormy Scott

The Las Cruces, N.M., driver sold his entire Dirt Late Model program to return to his Modified roots. Scott has two wins and a runner-up his last three races in a Modified, all USRA-sanctioned at Route 66 Motor Speedway: May 3 (first), May 10 (second) and May 17 (first).

Dustin Sorensen

The World of Outlaws campaigner is a threat to win anytime he straps into his family-owned Modified. Last year, Sorensen started ninth and finished fifth in the mega Modified event at MTS.

Kyle Strickler

The Mooresville, N.C., native whom Dirt Late Model fans haven't seen much in recent years has followed every United States Modified Touring Series event to date this year. In 10 races on the tour, he's fourth in points with two wins five top-fives and six top-10s.

Dylan Thornton

The Orcutt, Calif., native who was selected as Cody Sommer's DRT house car driver at next week's Dream at Eldora Speedway has a successful Modified background. Last year he won the IMCA Super Nationals at Boone (Iowa) Speedway and in 2022 he swept the USRA Nationals Modified Championship at Lucas Oil Speedway.

Ricky Thornton Jr. 

Teaming up with Modified ace and USTMS points leader Rodney Sanders, the Chandler, Ariz., superstar could be the odds-on favorite to cash in the six-figure payday this weekend. He did, however, finish 16th in the mega Modified event at Mississippi Thunder last year.

Jake Timm

The World of Outlaws campaigner contended for the victory in last year's mega Modified event at MTS, starting second and finishing third. Timm is one of many drivers on this list to recently convert to nationally touring Dirt Late Models from the Modified ranks.

Drake Troutman

The 2023 Gateway Dirt Nationals Modified champ is one of the favorites for the six-figure prize, especially only a few weeks removed from winning two of five Illinois Speedweek events in the Modified. 

Mason Zeigler

The former Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series campaigner has sprinkled in more and more Modified races on his schedule over the years. He picked up one Modified win in weekly action last year at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway and DNF'ed in the mega Modified event at MTS last year after starting 11th.