If you were a Sprint Cup team owner, which up-and-coming young short track and dirt drivers would you add to your development roster?

That was the question asked and answered late last week when short track website Speed51 released its annual Short Track Draft results to the racing community, selecting Christopher Bell as the overall No. 1 pick.

A panel of nearly 100 motorsport industry insiders, myself included, submitted ballots and selected Bell — a driver that has been equally fast on both dirt and pavement while sharing many traits with defending Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson.


For the sake of argument and discussion, I’ve included my top-25 below. My rationale has been included with each selection. But first, here were the guidelines provided to us by Speed51 founder and NASCAR TV personality, Bob Dillner.

1) Driver must be 25 years-old or younger as of May 1. The old rule prior to 2015 used to be 29 and younger, but this has now changed.

2) Driver must not have a full-time ride in any of NASCAR’s big three national divisions.

3) Driver must be rookie eligible for any of NASCAR’s big three national divisions.

Final Results:

Pick 1 | Picks 2-10 | Picks 11-25 | Picks 26-51 | Receiving First Place Votes

Without further ado, here is my Speed51 Short Track Ballot:

1. Kyle Benjamin (Overall: 7 | First Place Votes: 2)

I have been a Short Track Draft voter since the 2013 season and have selected the 17-year-old from Easley, S.C. as my No. 1 every single time. While the results weren’t there last season with Benjamin transitioning away from Venturini Motorsports to his family team, there were no reasons to believe that the reasons I believed in him in the first place had dissipated.

Benjamin has always took care of his equipment and battled his rivals tough but clean. While he has a little to learn on the media and marketing side, he remains an ideal fit for a variety of partners and sponsors.

In fact, he is so well-regarded that Roush Fenway Racing made him a development driver in 2014, a relationship that continues to this day.

As a Gulf Coast native, Benjamin first caught my eye running what is now the Southern Super Series in Pensacola, Mobile and Opp. My first impression of the baby-faced 14 year-old was that he was probably too young for Super Late Models, a notion that he negated at every turn, winning the Rattler 250 back in 2013 — the same race that Bell just won en route to his No. 1 selection this season.

As a 15-year-old, Benjamin won a pair of ARCA Racing Series events at Madison and Salem and just won his first career NASCAR K&N East race at Bristol. At 17-years-old, Benjamin is still a few years away from being talked about as a potential Sprint Cup Series driver but I feel today, the same way that I did three years ago, that Benjamin is a name you will hear about on Sundays for a long time to come.

2. Dalton Sargeant (Overall: 2 | First Place Votes: 5)

There is no soft way to say this so I’ll just say it.

I am still dumbfounded that Dalton Sargeant has adapted to Stock Cars at the pace he has over the past calendar year. The former American F1 hopeful had only driven Legends prior to his three-year open-wheel exodus in Switzerland and just jumped into a Late Model with the appearance of a five-year veteran when he returned home last summer.

Paired with Short Track mainstays Richie Wauters and Lee Pulliam, Sargeant had every resource available to him but capitalized on them like few other prospects have before him.

That uncanny success rate even led to Wauters referring to Sargeant as having the same natural ability as Kyle Busch when we spoke last week for a story that appeared in Autoweek Magazine. And Wauters would know, having worked with both drivers at a similar age.

At 17-years-old, Sargeant is still learning, remarkable for a driver that just came one position short of winning the Snowball Derby in just his ninth career Late Model start.

If Benjamin is the best overall driver in my opinion, Sargeant is certainly the best overall package. He will make his Truck debut at Martinsville with Wauters in October and that will signal the beginning of what should be a remarkable for career for all involved with his program.

2015 ARCA Schedule

3. Christopher Bell (Overall: 1 | First Place Votes: 26)

What makes Bell so exceptional was outlined at the top of the post. Like the rest of the motorsports industry, I too am a believer in Chris Bell. However, I wasn’t willing to select him at No. 1 due to his lack of asphalt experience.

With KBM, Bell has had remarkable equipment during his brief foray into Stock Car racing so I want to see how he responds to adversity and struggle — something he has yet to face over the past couple of months. But in talking to Busch and crew chief Bond Suss, KBM believes they have the next Kyle Larson in their stable and it’s hard to argue with the results thus far.

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4. Harrison Burton (Overall: 4 | First Place Votes: 3)

Despite always being a proponent of a younger Kyle Benjamin and Chase Elliott, I have also always been very hesitant to overrate young teenage drivers. In general, I am a traditionalist in that I don’t entirely believe that youngsters belong in Super Late Models or Late Model Stocks without considerable experience in Legends or Allison Legacy, etc.

Without naming names, there have been a handful of drivers that have been promoted too soon to disastrous effect for the rest of the field that they competed against. I had those same concerns with young Harrison Burton when he made his Super Late debut at 13-years-old — despite great admiration and respect for his father, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran Jeff Burton.

Between conversations with Jeff and watching Harrison compete over the past year and a half, those concerns have been completely negated. Like you would expect from a driver coached by Jeff and crew chief Freddie Query (who previously worked with a younger Benjamin,) Burton is well-prepared and well-coached.

And as the elder Burton has said in the past, Harrison wouldn’t be out there if he hadn’t proved himself and earned the opportunity.

I have witnessed at least 90 percent of his career and can admit that I’ve only seen him turn a wheel wrong twice. TWICE. We can nitpick decisions but he’s only made two true mistakes in my estimation and that’s remarkable for a driver that is still just 14-years-old. His racing instincts are amongst the best in the country and he has this innate ability to drive through incidents and avoid getting caught up in others’ mistakes.

Jeff and Kim are big on learning experiences for their son and have placed him in scenarios that tested his resolve rather than provided him chances to win when doesn’t have the car for it. One such instance occurred at Mobile International Speedway last year when he was placed in front of the field on old tires just to see how he would perform in front of the leaders.

Admirably, he finished fourth.

But most importantly, the younger Burton doesn’t take himself too seriously. His smile and laughter is infectious and he approaches the sport ‘the right way.’ He respects the industry and everyone that has come before him. Combine that with the results and you have the makings of a driver that has the potential to last a long time.

And he’s still just 14…

5. Ross Kenseth (Overall: 10 | First Place Votes: 1)

I think we in the industry often forget about Ross Kenseth because he’s been around for so long and he shares the subtleties of his father’s personality. However, Kenseth also shares the same sort of dogged competitive edge and talent of the 2003 Sprint Cup Series champion and also has both time and youth in his favor as he is still just 21-years-old.

The former All-American 400 and Winchester 400 winner is also a popular topic of conversation in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage, with many owners wanting to find some way to secure the funding needed to consistently get him in a seat for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

OPINION: Matt Kenseth is underrated at Daytona 

6. Mason Mitchell (Overall: 25 | First Place Votes: 0)

I found it weird that the defending ARCA Racing Series champion only appeared in 30 percent of the ballots and only ranked 25th overall. I don’t need to tell you that Mitchell is extremely talented because the results speak for themselves.

At the end of the day, Mitchell suffers from no funding and a lack of flash in his outward personality, attributes that actually work in his favor in the eyes of this blue-collared writer. Say what you will about the current state of the full-time ARCA roster but Mitchell sealed his fate as a top prospect in my eyes when he nearly outran Kyle Larson at Pocono last season against a car that defied logic from an aerodynamic perspective.

That performance along should have got him a call from Chip Ganassi as Mitchell went head-to-head with his best gun and came two laps short of beating him. Someone give this dude a shot in top tier equipment and you won’t regret it.

7. Kyle Grissom (Overall: 24 |First Place Votes 0)

At 25-years-old, this is Grissom’s last chance to capitalize on borderline prospect status. There have been a few in the industry that have criticized this selection citing his once overly aggressive driving style in previous seasons but that isn’t giving enough credit to the driver that Grissom has become in recent years.

He has managed to maintain his aggressiveness while eliminating the mistakes that marred the early portions of his career. A lot like Ross Kenseth, Grissom is a complete driver and you can’t help but wonder how he would fit in at NASCAR national touring and with a fitness or supplement brand sponsoring him.

He certainly fits the look.

8. Myatt Snider (Overall: 24 |First Place Votes: 0)

Perhaps this pick was a bit optimistic compared to other voters but I REALLY like the driver that the son of NBC broadcaster Marty has become over the past six months. The knock on the 20-year-old has always been an overaggressive style that either burns the tires off his Late Model Stock or causes tempers to flare amongst his rivals.

A lot like the transition that Grissom above made, Snider has become a more complete driver, starting with the second half of last season. The creation of the new CARS Late Model Stock Tour has also given him the platform to show off those skills as he currently runs second in the championship standings behind Brayton Haws.

The wins are about to come in bunches for this dude and combined with a very marketable and media savvy personality, it’s time for a Cup owner to get on board and try to make something happen with this star in the making.

9. Corey LaJoie (Overall: 8 |First Place Votes: 1)

What can be said about Corey LaJoie that hasn’t already? The dude has a bold and brash personality that feels like a throwback to the likes of Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace. He works on his own equipment and has a win in the ARCA Racing Series.

Like several other drivers on this list, over-aggression has led to misfortune and some crashes for Mr. LaJoie. But in the era of cookie cutter tracks and drivers, LaJoie is a gem of a prospect who can add flair to the board room and mechanical know-how in the garage.

The lack of funding has LaJoie running part-time in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour but he has a great deal of support and admirers in the Media Center and the garage, keeping him at the forefront of many top prospect lists despite already being 25-years-old.

BIOGRAPHY: Austin Dillon

10. Ryan Preece (Overall: 3 | First Place Votes: 5)

Truthfully, Ryan Preece has done everything there is to do in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and the Northeast region. The success, including a championship in 2013 and a runner-up result last season, has got him XFINITY Series one-offs with Tommy Baldwin Racing but now “Preece Lightning” needs to look at taking that next step.

A move to the Carolinas and working towards a full-time K&N or ARCA program would surely go a long way towards his development.

11. Austin Theriault

The long time Brad Keselowski Racing development driver is finally starting to get shots in the Truck Series with BKR and needs to capitalize. Theriault has long been one of the Northeast’s best kept secrets.

12. William Byron

In hindsight, I would have liked to pick Byron higher, especially after winning his first K&N Pro Series race at Greenville in April and winning his first Super Late Model race on Saturday at Hickory — defeating Chase Elliott. Byron has only been racing for three years so I just wanted to see a larger sample size before moving him up the list.

2015 K&N Schedule

13. Austin Hill

Winning three K&N races in a row from the end of last season to the opener at New Smyrna brought Hill back to the forefront. A total of 50 percent of voters had Hill on their ballot, with 27 placing him in the top-10. Age is a factor for Hill however, as he is already 21 in an era where young drivers receive the majority of top-tier opportunities.

14. Scott Heckert

Heckert is just an old-school throwback to how drivers used to be. Paired with HScott Racing, the 21-year-old has a chance to win the NASCAR K&N East championship and return to the forefront of top prospect conversation.

15. Chad Finchum

Having very little experience in covering Late Model Stock Cars, I haven’t been able to get a full sample size of what Finchum has to offer but everyone I respect in the Carolinas and Virginias told me to put him high on my ballot. So I did.

16. Casey Roderick

Casey Roderick has made a handful of starts in the NASCAR XFINITY Series but none with good equipment. After winning the Rattler 250 and World Crown 300 last season, Roderick is back on the radar. He also comes with a heavy recommendation from his friend and long time Legend Car rival Chase Elliott.

17. Todd Gilliland

Finally won his first Late Model race last month in the CARS Tour Late Model Stock event at Southern National. He’s still 14 years old so give him time to mature.

18. Josh Berry

Josh Berry is very aggressive but very well regarded in Short Track circles. Dale Jr. believes in him and he’s performed well in one-offs in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

19. JJ Haley

Dude is just a pure racer. Be it his K&N East car, Late Models or sports cars, JJ Haley is usually found behind the wheel and doing a heck of a job at it. He’s still young but I like the promise in the guy.

20. Kaz Grala

Grala has a ton of potential but just hasn’t been able to put it together. There are times, like at the start of last season, where you wonder if Grala has staying power. He then follows it up with a run of real strong runs that make you wonder which driver he is. That’s what is holding him back moving forward. The talent is certainly there. There is no questioning that.

21.Rico Abreu

While Rico was highly regarded in the overall poll — No. 5 overall and three first place votes — I need to see a larger Stock Car sample size from the Chip Ganassi Racing development driver. He’s shown good speed in the K&N Pro Series East but these longer races seem to wear him out. Rico may have the second best physique in racing, next to Carl Edwards, so his conditioning isn’t a concern as much as it is a matter of adapting.

22. Cole Timm

Before moving full-time to the CARS Super Late Model Tour this season, I hadn’t had a lot of opportunities to watch Cole Timm. I like what I’ve seen so far but the final verdict is still out. Still, people I trust speak very highly of the youngster.

23. Spencer Davis

At 16-years-old, the NASCAR Modified Tour driver has so much promise and potential if he can just capitalize on it.

24. Brayton Haws

I respect former NASCAR All-American Challenge Champion Mike Garvey a ton. So when Garvey told me that Brayton Haws was one of the best drivers he’s ever worked with, I took notice. The current CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car championship leader is backing up that faith so far with wins at Orange County and Hickory.

25. Hunter Robbins

I just want to see what the defending Snowball Derby pole winner and former Snowflake 100 winner could do with funding. All the success he’s enjoyed recently has been due to his own hard work. Robbins deserves a big break.

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