Spencer Bayston was an all-or-nothing driver in 2017, but fortunately for his ranking in the Flo50 list of the Greatest Dirt Track Drivers, the “alls” greatly outweighed the “nothings.”

Last year, Bayston made 45 starts in the USAC Midgets, All Star Circuit of Champions, and World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. He won five of those races but came oh so close on another seven occasions with second-place finishes. He was third twice, which meant that he stood on the podium in 31 percent of the races he entered.

On the other side of the coin, he failed to make the A-Main eight times — often by a wide margin. On three occasions in big events, he failed to make the B. However, the races in which he struggled were Sprint Car events with the Outlaws, and he never failed to be part of the show in his more familiar Midget.

A lot of credit goes to drivers who are willing to step outside of their comfort zone — even though it can have a negative impact on the Flo50 performance ranking. Bayston earned minimal percentage points for those races without him in the A. Without the drag of the Sprint Car events, he would easily in the top 20 instead of 33rd.

But drivers get better by experiencing the handling characteristics of different cars, and even though Bayston struggled in the 410 Sprints, those failures turned into success in the series to which he dedicated himself.

If one looks only at Bayston’s USAC Midget numbers, he shines brightly. In 23 starts, he scored top fives 14 times (61 percent). That consistency gave Bayston the Midget championship by 56 points over Shane Golobic and solidified his position as one of the greatest dirt track drivers of last season.

Flo 50

*Percentage points utilize the baseline belief that a win is a win in the major series covered. One hundred points is awarded to first and the points decrement below that as a percentage of the field. For example, in a 25-car field, each position behind the winner is worth four fewer points. In races with incredibly large fields, the points decrement to a less extreme degree. A 50-car field decrements two points per position, and drivers earn points even if they fail to make the A-Main.

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