Always Race Day is stepping into the world of rankings. Connor Ferguson, Damon Helgevold and Josh Gerlach voted the best 25 Sprint Car drivers heading into the week of August 8th.
The list will contain drivers from the World of Outlaws, All Star Circuit of Champions, High Limit Series, Knoxville Raceway, PA Posse and other Sprint Car series across the country.
With the Knoxville Nationals looming, David Gravel leads the list into the biggest Sprint Car race in the country. He was atop the first rankings and now will be the top dog of the second rankings heading into Nationals week. Despite an 8th and 9th place runs at Pevely, Gravel will be one to beat when he hits the track Wednesday night for his prelim. The 2019 winner looks for win No. 2 in the famed event and become only the 8th driver ever to win it more than once.
Gravel’s biggest challenger come Saturday night will be Kyle Larson. For the second straight week Larson comes in No. 2 in the rankings. After an exciting win at the Ironman 55 in Pevely over the weekend, then a top-5 run Monday in the NASCAR Cup Series race in Michigan, followed by a solid night turned sour in Oskaloosa, Larson heads to Knoxville with momentum. He won this race in 2021 but saw what the format can do if you struggle in 2019. He runs prelim action Thursday night.
The ‘Big Cat’ stays third in this week’s poll. Brad Sweet looks for his second Nationals title after yet another run of consistency. That consistency led him to regain the World of Outlaws points over Gravel. Two third place runs in Pevely and consistency at Knoxville in June, Sweet looks to be a challenger as always for the Nationals win. Thursday night, Sweet will run his prelim event.
With no changes in the top-five Carson Macedo and Rico Abreu stay fourth and fifth in the rankings. Macedo returns to the track where the last time he was there, he left in an ambulance after a vicious wreck and fire. He returns with a couple of good runs and a new paint scheme. Rico has been red hot still and looks like this is his best chance as ever to win a Knoxville Nationals crown.
Making moves this week includes Logan Schuchart as he climbs from ninth to sixth. Schuchart was on the wrong end of the battle with Larson in Pevely Saturday night. However, there is no one better in big races right now than the driver of the No. 1s. He also might have the most momentum of anyone entering the week.
Roth Motorsports teammates James McFadden and Buddy Kofoid are both up two spots in this week’s poll. McFadden pulled off an exciting win in the Front Row Challenge Monday night helping him climb up.
You can’t talk Nationals week without mentioning the defending winner and dominator at Knoxville, Donny Schatz. Schatz goes for an even dozen Knoxville Nationals titles on Saturday but first will have to start his prelim run on Wednesday night.
Below is the first list of 25 drivers for the Always Race Day Sprint Car Rankings.
ARD Sprint Car Rankings 8/9(LW)
- David Gravel (1)
- Kyle Larson (2)
- Brad Sweet (3)
- Carson Macedo (4)
- Rico Abreu (5)
- Logan Schuchart (9)
- Brent Marks (6)
- Donny Schatz (7)
- James McFadden (11)
- Buddy Kofoid (12)
- Brian Brown (10)
- Anthony Macri (8)
- Gio Scelzi (13)
- Justin Peck (17)
- Aaron Reutzel (14)
- Corey Day (21)
- Zeb Wise (16)
- Spencer Bayston (19)
- Cory Eliason (23)
- Sheldon Haudenschild (20)
- Tyler Courtney(injured) (15)
- Justin Sanders (NR)
- Danny Dietrich (24)
- Freddie Rahmer (NR)
- Devon Borden (25)
Receiving Votes: Lance Dewease, Austin McCarl, Kerry Madsen, Chase Randall
Rankings are based on a points system. 1st place=25 points, 2nd=24 points, 3rd=23 points, etc. Tiebreakers determined by driver listed higher on two ballots.
