CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Peyton Sellers is the early leader in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division I National standings, which were revealed for the first time this season on Tuesday afternoon.
Sellers has gotten off to a fast start in weekly competition. Competing at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway and Virginia’s South Boston Speedway and Dominion Raceway, Sellers has won six times in 11 starts and has 260 points this season.
That, combined with eight top-five and nine top-10 finishes, has given him a 94-point advantage over second-place Landon Pembelton. Pembelton, who also races at South Boston and Dominion, is winless in eight starts but has five top-five and six top-10 finishes.
Sellers also leads the Southeast Region. Darron Fuqua (Midwest), Brett Kressley (Northeast), and Eric Rhead (West) are the other week one leaders in their respective regions.
The four regional championships (Southeast, Northeast, Midwest and West) were added for 2021, which each titlest receiving an additional $15,000. A total of $35,000 is paid out to the top-10 drivers in each region.
The national champion will earn $25,000.
RELATED: 2021 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division I National Standings
Sammy Smith, on the strength of one win, three top-five and six top-10 finishes during the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway, is third. Smith is not expected to race for the Division I National championship.
Two-time Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway track champion Ryan Millington is tied with Smith for third in the standings. Each driver has 148 points. Another Virginia racer, Jacob Borst, is in fifth with 146 points.
NASCAR uses a driver’s best 18 finishes from any sanctioned track in North America to determine the National champion. Drivers receive two points for every NASCAR-licensed competitor they finish ahead of, up to 16 cars; and can receive two bonus points for winning from a starting position five through eight, and four points for winning from ninth or further back.