FloRacing Pavement Racing Driver Rankings

1. Sammy Smith (Previous Rank: 2^nd)

The Iowa driver has continued to put up big performances across the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East. Smith now has six victories in total across both divisions after scoring a win at the historic Milwaukee Mile in ARCA Menards Series competition. His Xfinity Series race at Daytona didn’t go so well, but he more than made up for it by winning in Milwaukee that same weekend. Smith is also on his way towards repeating as the ARCA Menards Series East champion.

2. Evan Shotko (Previous Rank: Unranked)

How does a driver go from unranked all the way up to the second spot? By winning two of the biggest Super Late Model races in the month is how Evan Shotko did it. And to be more accurate, it was two big Super Late Model victories in the same week. Shotko dominated the Motor Mountain Masters 150 at Jennerstown Speedway in Pennsylvania before heading back home to Michigan where he took the checkered flag in the $30,000-to-win Battle at Berlin 250 at Berlin Raceway. That race featured names like Bubba Pollard, Ty Majeski, William Byron, Erik Jones and Carson Hocevar, and yet it was Shotko who walked out with the big check.

3. William Sawalich (Previous Rank: 4^th)

The 15-year-old Minnesota driver has been lighting the Late Model world on fire in recent weeks. Sawalich has Super Late Model victories, Pro Late Model victories, and has nearly won in a Late Model Stock Car at Hickory. Sawalich is now up to five CARS Pro Late Model Tour wins, including the last four races in a row.

4. Matt Hirschman (Previous Rank: 3^rd)

The man they call “Big Money” may not be winning at the same rate he was earlier this year, but he’s still getting it done when it matters. Hirschman scored a victory on the second night of Modified competition at North Wilkesboro Speedway, the 34^th different track in his career that he’s seen victory lane. Only Richie Evans with 38 different tracks has seen victory lane at more Modified race tracks than Hirschman. 

5. William Byron (Previous Rank: 1^st)

Byron’s month of August didn’t really go as planned, but he’s still up high on this list for his overall body of work up to this point this year. Byron led a lot of laps in the sunlight at the Battle at Berlin, but in the moonlight his car began to fade. He also finished second to Erik Jones in a Super Late Model race at the Indianapolis Raceway Park.

6. Peyton Sellers (Previous Rank: Unranked)

The defending NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national champion has come to life over the last few weeks. Sellers scored five victories in the month of August, including four in a row at Virginia’s Dominion Raceway and a win at South Boston Speedway. As a result, Sellers now has a chance at the South Boston track championship this weekend, and he’s clawed his way back into contention for a second straight national title. Sellers now sits just eight points behind Layne Riggs with three weeks of points racing left.

7. Cole Butcher (Previous Rank: Unranked)

When you take the win in the legendary Oxford 250 at Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway, you make the Top 10 in the Pavement Power Rankings. It’s as simple as that. Cole Butcher did just that, becoming the fifth Canadian driver to take the win and the first from Nova Scotia to win the 250.

8. Layne Riggs (Previous Rank: 5^th)

Riggs has one victory by our count in the month of August. He split the twin-65 night at South Boston Speedway with Sellers, but he’s lost most of his points lead to Sellers over the last few weeks. A month ago it was looking like Riggs was untouchable, but now we’re starting to see some cracks in the hull of the USS Riggs at the worst possible time.

9. Craig Lutz (Previous Rank: Unranked)

When the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returned to Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park this month, all eyes were on drivers like Justin Bonsignore, Ron Silk and Doug Coby to walk out with another Thompson victory. Instead, it was Miller Place, New York’s Craig Lutz who absolutely dominated the race to take the win. Lutz led 119 of the 150 laps to score the victory.

10. Kody Swanson (Previous Rank: Unranked)

Kody Swanson has become legendary in the current era of USAC Silver Crown racing, and right now he’s on one of the hottest streaks ever. Swanson has won four straight Silver Crown races dating back to June 30^th. All four of those races have been on pavement at the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Winchester Speedway, Toledo Speedway, and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Swanson won the race at Gateway in convincing fashion, taking the lead in the first third of the race and driving away from the field.