After a long and grueling 2023 campaign, four drivers have earned the distinction as Division I regional champions in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.
Connor Hall, Matt Sheppard, Jacob Goede and Jeff Peterson all claimed NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series regional championships after enjoying stellar seasons in their respective parts of the country.
Reintroduced in 2021 after a prolonged absence, the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series regional titles are awarded to the drivers who score the most points in the Southeast, Northeast, Midwest and West, respectively. Each regional champion earns a $15,000 bonus for their efforts.
Below is a closer look at the four drivers who claimed NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series regional championships.
Southeast Region: Connor Hall
Dominant is the best word to describe Connor Hall’s 2023 season.
The 2023 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series champion was an unstoppable force at his home track of Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia. He ended up tallying 14 victories at Langley to also secure his first championship at the facility.
Along with his efficiency at Langley, Hall also ventured out to other tracks in the southeast. Checkered flags at Hickory Motor Speedway and Southern National Motorsports Park helped bring Hall’s final win total to 18 on the year.
The closest competitor to Hall in the southeast was Doug Barnes Jr., who finished 36 points behind in second. He was followed by Peyton Sellers, Tyler Matthews, and Hickory track champion Kade Brown.
Northeast Region: Matt Sheppard
No driver has excelled on dirt tracks in the northeast like Matt Sheppard.
Boasting one of the most prestigious auto racing resumes in the entire country, Sheppard added a NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Northeast regional title to his long list of accomplishments with an efficient year that saw him earn 13 victories, 11 of which came at Utica-Rome Speedway.
The blistering pace Sheppard set in Utica-Rome’s Modified division allowed him to claim the track title by 66 points. Sheppard’s consistency resulted in a second-place finish in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national standings just six points behind Connor Hall.
Sheppard was followed in the northeast region standings by Grandview Speedway regular Brett Kressley. Making up the rest of the top five in the northeast region were Mike Gular, David Hebert, and Alex Yankowski.
Midwest Region: Jacob Goede
Jacob Goede is no stranger to success in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.
With a national championship in 2016 already on his resume, Goede added another accomplishment this year by taking the Midwest regional title. He did this by totaling five victories and 22 top fives between Elko Speedway and LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway.
Elko was where Goede accumulated four of his victories, but none of them came easy for the veteran. Goede traded wins with fellow track regular Jake Ryan all year in a heated points battle that came down to the last race.
Michael Bilderback and Jesse Dennis finished second and third, respectively, to Goede in the Midwest region. Placing fourth in the region was Ryan, with rookie John Potter completing the top five.
West Region: Jeff Peterson
A competitive West Coast environment in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series saw Jeff Peterson emerge as the best driver in the region.
Six victories in the Pro Late Model division at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway enabled Peterson to secure the track championship over Jaron Gianinni. Peterson’s consistency around the Bullring all year was crucial toward taking home the West regional title.
When he was not competing at the Bullring, Peterson padded his advantage in the West regional standings with several strong runs at Irwindale Speedway. Although he was not able to contend for an Irwindale track title, Peterson more than benefitted in the West regional standings with several top-five runs at the facility.
Gianinni was second to Peterson in the West regional standings, as well. The rest of the top five consisted of Linny White, Brendon Fries and Kyle Latham.