Dirt Late Model racing's indoor spectacle, the Kubota Gateway Dirt Nationals at The Dome at America’s Center, takes over Downtown St. Louis for the ninth running of the mega event this week.

This year's installment has all the makings to turn out as the biggest Gateway Dirt Nationals in event history as Cody Sommer's draft-style format has lured 18 of the Top 25 drivers from DirtonDirt's year-end poll with record payouts: $10,000-to-win prelims Thursday and Friday ahead of Saturday's $70,000-to-win finale. 

Although the Dome's fifth-mile layout is the ultimate equalizer, we’ve done our best to narrow down the top 10 drivers who have the best odds to hoist the Gateway Arch trophy come Saturday night.

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Bobby Pierce

After four years of disappointing results at The Dome, the two-time Gateway Dirt Nationals winner landed back on the podium at the indoor event for the first time since his 2018 victory last year — when he finished runner-up to Brandon Sheppard. But even then, last year's near-miss was tantalizing for Pierce, whose driveshaft failed on him entering the final corner within striking distance of Sheppard. Barring misfortune like 2023's DNQ, Pierce will be tough to beat in Gateway once again.

Brandon Sheppard

Aboard his family-owned No. B5 in St. Louis this week, B-Shepp could be put on a tier of his own at Gateway. He's won two straight Arch trophies. He's the only driver to make all eight Saturday night features. His four podium finishes are unmatched. Sheppard has stated year after year that The Dome has turned into his favorite event of the season. That means coveted Dome glory runs through Sheppard once again this week.

Gordy Gundaker

The St. Charles, Mo., native simply loves the Gateway Dirt Nationals. Gundaker’s won everything at the Dome — a prelim in 2017, heat races and consolation races — except the Saturday night finale. Heck, he even led the opening 10 circuits of last year's main event before fading to finish sixth. He only missed the main event one time in 2023, but he’s one of five drivers to have at least seven main event starts along with an average feature finish of 10th or better.

Jonathan Davenport

Superman isn’t the strongest favorite at the indoor fifth-mile, but he’s still a favorite nonetheless. He has a best finish of fourth in 2019 and in ’21 he backed that up with a 10th-place effort. Last year, he was one of the biggest movers of the 40-lap feature, finishing 13th from the 19th-starting spot after he clawed his way into the main event as the final transfer of his qualifier. 

Mike Spatola

The Illinois native many call "Opie" put a non-touring driver back in Gateway Dirt Nationals victory lane for the first time since 2022 last year when he dominated his prelim night over Ashton Winger and Brandon Sheppard for the $5,000 triumph. Spatola then capped off the week with a solid and clean fourth-place finish on Saturday behind Sheppard, Bobby Pierce and Ricky Thornton Jr. With an average finish of 7.8 in four main event starts, he's proven he's a frontrunner at The Dome.

Nick Hoffman

Qualifying for 20 features at The Dome across Dirt Late Models, Modifieds and Midgets over the years, chances are Hoffman has the most laps turned at the indoor fifth-mile. He’s won prelims in the Modified (2021) and Dirt Late Model (2023), but awaits his first career Saturday night victory. Last year, he started fifth and finished fifth in the 40-lap Late Model finale.

Ricky Thornton Jr.

Counting prelims, RTJ has six straight top-four finishes at the Dome in the Super Late Model division. He won his prelim night last year before finishing third behind Brandon Sheppard and Bobby Pierce in Saturday’s finale. At The Dome this year, RTJ kicks off a reunion with crew chief Anthony Burroughs, the head wrench who guided RTJ to 34 wins and DirtonDirt Driver of the Year honors in 2023.

Tanner English

Prelims included, the Benton, Ky., native boasts five podium finishes and 11 top-10 results in 14 features at The Dome. But needless to say, English still searches for an elusive first Gateway victory. Two straight subpar prelim nights have hampered him at The Dome as in 2023 he finished third from the 10th-starting spot and last year, he started fourth in his prelim night but faded to finish eighth. That set up for a nonfactor 12th-place finish in last year's main event.

Tyler Carpenter

Nobody embodies the spirit of The Dome more than Tyler Carpenter, who's given himself a name as a two-time Gateway Dirt Nationals winner in 2019 and '21. He hasn't had much go his way of late in St. Louis, though, finishing 11th in last year's main event and crashing out of the A-main in 2023. Despite that, Carpenter's average finish of 6.7 in seven Dome features on Saturday night ranks second-best among drivers with at least four starts. Carpenter enters with 17 victories around the Ohio Valley this year.

Tyler Erb

After triumphing and finishing sixth in his first two Dome starts, Terbo couldn't get anything to go his way last year. A flat tire derailed his 2024 prelim night before a crash in Saturday's qualifiers curbed his chances at qualifying a perfect 3-for-3 in Dome main events. As long as the 14-time winner stays out of trouble all the way through Saturday's qualifiers, he'll be in the mix for another Gateway Arch trophy.