Kyle Larson is North American 410 Sprint Car Poll “Driver of the Year” for First Time and is Also Named 2020 Recipient of “Thomas J. Schmeh Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Sport!”

Kyle Larson is North American 410 Sprint Car Poll “Driver of the Year” for First Time and is Also Named 2020 Recipient of “Thomas J. Schmeh Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Sport!” (Chuck Stowe Photo)
Friday, January 15, 2021
Kyle Larson is North American 410 Sprint Car Poll “Driver of the Year” for First Time and is Also Named 2020 Recipient of “Thomas J. Schmeh Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Sport!”

Knoxville, IA, January 15, 2021 – For the first time in his career, Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, California, was voted the “Driver of the Year” by the North American 410 Sprint Car Poll voting panel of media members, promoters, sanctioning officials and manufacturers.  Larson racked up over 30 wins in a 410 sprint car in 2020.  He was the leading feature winner with both the World of Outlaws and All Stars and his wins included the “Capitani Classic” at Knoxville, the “Ironman 55” in Pevely, the Brad Doty Classic at Attica, a Pennsylvania Speedweek title, and much more!  Kyle earned eleven of the thirteen first place votes cast in the year-end poll conducted by the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum.  World of Outlaws champion Brad Sweet and Donny Schatz also received first place votes. 

Those drivers ranked second through fifth, respectively, are 2020 World of Outlaws champion and 2019 “Driver of the Year” Brad Sweet of California, Jackson Nationals and World Finals winner Logan Schuchart of Pennsylvania, fourteen-time “Driver of the Year” Award recipient Donny Schatz of North Dakota, and Eldora “Governor’s Reign” winner David Gravel of Connecticut.  Rounding out the ‘top ten’ for the season, respectively, are All Star champion Aaron Reutzel, Sheldon Haudenschild, Danny Dietrich, Cory Eliason and Carson Macedo.

For the first time, Paul Silva and his #57 team driven by Kyle Larson will win 410 “Team of the Year” honors after their tremendous season.  Silva is a two-time 360 “Team of the Year” recipient. 

Kyle Larson was also voted the “Wild Card Award” Award winner for the eighth time in his career for his exciting ‘410’ sprint car performances in 2020.  Zeb Wise of Indiana is the “Rookie of the Year” in the 410 class after a successful campaign with the All Stars.

Steve O’Neal of the ever improving Port Royal Speedway earned “Promoter of the Year” honors for the fifth time in a row.  “Builder/Manufacturer of the Year” honors in the ‘410’ poll will go to Andy Durham of Ford Motor Company.  The “Media Member of the Year” Award will be shared by Michael Rigsby of FloRacing.com and Jacob Seelman of Speed Sport.  Both are first time recipients.

“Thomas J. Schmeh Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Sport”

Few will forget the performances of Kyle Larson in 2020, not only in sprint car racing, but also in midgets, late models and whatever else he decided to climb in.  He has been honored as this year’s recipient of the prestigious “Thomas J. Schmeh Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Sport.”  Kyle contributed not only on the track but off, continuing to own a top ten team with the World of Outlaws with Carson Macedo behind the wheel.

Past recipients of the North American Sprint Car Poll’s “Outstanding Contribution to the Sport Award” are as follows: the late Bill Simpson, the late Greg Hodnett, Dave Pusateri, the late Bryan Clauson, Dave Darland, Sammy Swindell, Fred Rahmer, Johnny Gibson, the late Jerry Reigle, Steve Sinclair, Kasey Kahne, Tom Schmeh, the late Dick Jordan, the late Fred Brownfield, Doug Auld, the late Hank Gentzler, Tony Stewart, Emmett Hahn, Allan Holland, Dave Argabright, Ron Shuman, the late Kevin Gobrecht, Jack Hewitt, the late Jack Miller, Brad Doty, Art & Carol Malies, Dave Bowman, the late Ralph Capitani, the late Ted Johnson, Mark Kuchan, Steve Kinser, the late Don Martin, Steve Beitler, Lee Brewer, Jr., Mark Kinser, Frank Lewis, the late Earl Baltes, Casey & Beverly Luna, Elayne Hoff, Jean Lynch, the late J.W. Hunt, and Bert Emick.

The North American 410 Sprint Car Poll is an annual awards program of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum. All awards will be distributed in 2021 at tracks throughout North America. The awards are annually announced at the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

North American 410 Sprint Car Poll Top 20

Position. Name, Hometown, Points (First Place Votes)

1.   Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA, 1220 (11)
2.   Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA, 700 (1)
3.   Logan Schuchart, Hanover, PA, 425
4.   Donny Schatz, Fargo, ND, 360 (1)
5.   David Gravel, Watertown, CT, 309
6.   Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX, 282
7.   Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, OH, 228
8.   Danny Dietrich, Gettysburg, PA, 132
9.   Cory Eliason, Visalia, CA, 111
10. Carson Macedo, Lemoore, CA, 107
11. Anthony Macri, Dillsburg, PA, 90
12. Freddie Rahmer, Salfordville, PA, 71
13. Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO, 69
14. Lance Dewease, Fayetteville, PA, 60
15. Cap Henry, Bellevue, OH, 45
16. Bill Balog, Hartland, WI, 38
17. Jacob Allen, Hanover, PA, 34
18. Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK, 27
19. Rico Abreu, St. Helena, CA, 19
20. Shane Stewart, Bixby, OK, 17

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