NASCAR Regional drivers to watch: Darren Krantz Jr. shines in Triple Crown; Camden Murphy excels in ARCA debut

As temperatures continue to rise throughout the summer, the action at short tracks around the country is as intense and frenetic as ever.

The month of July featured marquee events like the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown at Langley Speedway, but plenty of competitors in different series and regions still made strong impressions in their pursuit to find Victory Lane.

Here are five drivers to keep an eye on during the month of August and beyond.

Darren Krantz Jr. 

In his first Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 start at South Boston Speedway, Darren Krantz Jr. earned a second-place finish in a 38-car field.

The 14-year-old Huntington, New York native backed that up with a solid 13th in the Hampton Heat at Langley Speedway. Krantz' average finish of 7.5 puts him in contention for the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown title ahead of the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway in September.

Camden Murphy

Monster Jam driver Camden Murphy tackled the Monster Mile of Dover Motor Speedway in his ARCA Menards Series debut on July 18, when he brought home a runner-up finish.

Murphy has a handful of starts in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series on his resume. The only scheduled appearance Murphy has with Nitro Motorsports so far proved he can be competitive in the ARCA Menards Series with the right equipment at his disposal.

Conner Weddell

Although Chase Johnson holds the American Racer Late Model points lead at Dominion Raceway in Virginia, another young driver in the class has built a winning reputation in Conner Weddell.

Known affectionately as "C-Weed," Weddell has tallied three victories at Dominion so far in 2025. Weddell faces a significant deficit to Johnson in the standings, but he is primed for more success after sweeping both Late Model events at Dominion on July 12.

Chase Robertson

The current leader in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division II national standings, Chase Robertson has visited Victory Lane at Bowman Gray Stadium four times this year.

Robertson is no stranger to winning championships, having earned Bowman Gray's Sportsman division title back in 2023. More victories at the Madhouse will put Robertson in a great position to claim another track title and, potentially, a DII national championship. 

London McKenzie

Two victories in the Cook Out Summer Shootout's Pro Division at Charlotte Motor Speedway have London McKenzie within range of the championship.

McKenzie has kept himself busy throughout the 2025 season. Along with running both legs of the Virginia Triple Crown, McKenzie made his ARCA Menards Series East debut at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida earlier this year.