In compiling racing CVs for drivers featured on this website, I use total Final wins along with success in what I believe to be the five stock car Major Championships: World, British, European, National Series (the annual shoot-out) and the All Season National Grading Points. Although the silver roof is awarded to the National Series Champion, I still see the All Season Grading Points as a valid reflection of the achievements and consistency of individual drivers.

In 2011, I compiled a list of the most successful drivers to date based on the 5 Majors and total Final wins, using a points system. No set of statistics is perfect, especially when attempting to compare different eras of the sport, but overall, if a fair and constant measure is applied a reasonably accurate result will emerge. 

Last year (2012) I widened the statistical base to include success in four other significant Championships, all long running:

UK Open Championship - has been in existence since 1990, except for 2003, and while promoted at various stadiums initially, it is now a regular annual event at Skegness stadium in May.

BriSCA Supreme Championship - first event was in 1969 and has been an annual fixture for 28 out of the subsequent 42 years. Usually scheduled for the second half of the season and held at different stadiums around the country.

Grand National Championship - this event was first held in 1971 and every year since except for 1979. It is again held at different stadiums nationwide.

Trust Fund Championship (formerly Drivers Benevolent Fund Trophy) - first held in 1977 and has been an annual feature on the fixture list every year since at a variety of stadiums. The trophy is a splendid solid silver model of 119 Brian Wallace's car on a large plinth. Brian tragically lost his life in a racing accident at White City Stadium Manchester.

Points Scoring System

Out of interest, points have been allocated for success in the various Championships as set out below:

World and All Season National Grading Points Championships (1954- to date)

1st) 15+1, 2nd) 13, 3rd) 11, 4th) 9, 5th) 7, 6th) 5, 7th) 4, 8th) 3, 9th) 2, 10th) 1

British Championship (1956- to date)

1st) 8+1, 2nd) 6, 3rd) 4

European Championship (1977- to date)

1st) 5+1, 2nd) 3, 3rd) 1

National Series (2002- to date)

1st) 10+1, 2nd) 8, 3rd) 6

Final Wins (1954- to date)

1 point for each win

UK Open, BriSCA Supreme, Grand National and Trust Fund Championships (1969- to date)

1st) 10+1, 2nd) 9, 3rd) 8, 4th) 7, 5th) 6, 6th) 5, 7th) 4, 8th) 3, 9th) 2, 10th) 1

The Results

TOP 30 MOST SUCCESSFUL F1 STOCK CAR DRIVERS BASED ON 5 MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS, 4 OTHER SIGNIFICANT CHAMPIONSHIPS AND TOTAL FINAL WINS

1954-2013

(IN BRACKETS AFTER EACH DRIVER - POINTS SCORED AND LAST RACING SEASON)

1) 515/1 Frankie Wainman Jnr (1447 - current)

2) 53 John Lund (1214 - current)

3) 391/1 Stu Smith Snr (1132 - 1980)

4) 2/22/1 Paul Harrison (836 - current)

5) 391/1 Andy Smith (806 - 2011)

6) 212 Frankie Wainman Snr (666 - 2007)

7) 33/1 Peter Falding (649 - 2009)

8) 55/5 Bert Finnikin (487 - 2003)

9) 2 Willie Harrison (468 - 1990)

10) 199 Mike Close (433 - 1988)

11) 190 Len Wolfenden (343 - 1997)

12) 260 Dave Barresford (341 - 2009)

 13) 97 Murray Harrison (325 - current)

 14) 396 Doug Cronshaw (315 - 1987)

15) 38 Fred Mitchell (308 - 1970)

16) 21 Mark Gilbank (291 - current)

17) 390/1 Stu Smith Jnr (263 - current)

18) 5 Doug Wardropper (242 - 1968)

19) 306 Mick Noden (237 - 1993)

20) 375 George Ansell (197 - 1976)

21) 422 Nigel Whorton (191 - 1994)

jnt 22) 245 Alan Wardropper (183 - 1967)

jnt 22) 304 Dave Mellor (183 - 1990)

24) 84 Tom Harris (182 - current)

25) 152 Ron Rogers (179 - 1984)

 26) 68 Trevor Frost (175 - 1965)

27) 42 Aubrey Leighton (169 - 1964)

28) 85 Ray Tyldesley (167 - 1997)

jnt 29) 73 Rob Cowley (163 - current)

jnt 29) 55 Craig Finnikin (163 - current)

TOP 10 DRIVERS IN 5 MAJORS AND TOTAL FINAL VICTORIES

1954-2013

World Final Championship

1) 53 John Lund (184)

2) 391/1 Stu Smith Snr (166)

3) 515/1 Frankie Wainman Jnr (165)

4) 33/1 Peter Falding (139)

5) 391/1 Andy Smith (137)

6) 2/22/1 Paul Harrison (135)

7) 2 Willie Harrison (94)

8) 55/5 Bert Finnikin (88)

9) 212 Frankie Wainman Snr (87)

10) 199 Mike Close (76)

All Season Grading Points Championship

1) 515/1 Frankie Wainman Jnr (342)

2) 53 John Lund (272)

3) 391/1 Stu Smith Snr (232)

4) 212 Frankie Wainman Snr (200)

5) 391/1 Andy Smith (178)

6) 2/22/1 Paul Harrison (177)

7) 33/1 Peter Falding (145)

8) 2 Willie Harrison (120)

9) 38 Fred Mitchell (115)

10) 199 Mike Close (98)

British Championship

1) 515/1 Frankie Wainman Jnr (99)

2) 53 John Lund (84)

3) 391/1 Stu Smith Snr (55)

4) 391/1 Andy Smith (52)

5) 2/22/1 Paul Harrison (49)

6) 55/5 Bert Finnikin (47)

7) 2 Willie Harrison (44)

8) 199 Mike Close (34)

9) 190 Len Wolfenden (24)

10) 422 Nigel Whorton (23)

European Championship

1) 515/1 Frankie Wainman Jnr (27)

2) 2/22/1 Paul Harrison (26)

3) 53 John Lund (25)

4) 33/1 Peter Falding (23)

5) 199 Mike Close (22)

6) 55/5 Bert Finnikin (14)

7) 304 Dave Mellor (13)

jnt 8) 318 Rob Speak (12)

jnt 8) 250 Keith Chambers (12)

jnt 10) 190 Len Wolfenden (9)

jnt 10) 259 Paul Hines (9)

National Series

1) 515/1 Frankie Wainman Jnr (101)

2) 391/1 Andy Smith (52)

jnt 3) 2/22/1 Paul Harrison (26)

jnt 3) 390/1 Stu Smith Jnr (26)

5) 55 Craig Finnikin (25)

6) 84 Tom Harris (11)

jnt 7) 21 Mark Gilbank (8)

jnt 7) 33/1 Peter Falding (8)

jnt 9) 259 Paul Hines (6)

jnt 9) 4 Dan Johnson (6)

jnt 9) 247/H247 Gary Castell (6)

Total Final Wins

1) 391/1 Stu Smith Snr (501)

2) 515/1 Frankie Wainman Jnr (257)

3) 53 John Lund (222)

4) 212 Frankie Wainman Snr (120)

5) 2 Willie Harrison (118)

6) 38 Fred Mitchell (117)

7) 396 Doug Cronshaw (114)

8) 199 Mike Close (109)

9) 391/1 Andy Smith (105)

10) 55/5 Bert Finnikin (101)

TOP 10 DRIVERS IN OTHER SIGNIFICANT CHAMPIONSHIPS

1969-2013

UK Open Championship

1) 515/1 Frankie Wainman Jnr (107)

2) 391/1 Andy Smith (91)

3) 2/22/1 Paul Harrison (83)

4) 53 John Lund (46)

5) 97 Murray Harrison (40)

6) 73 Rob Cowley (28)

jnt 7) 21 Mark Gilbank (27)

jnt 7) 390/1 Stu Smith Jnr (27)

jnt 7) 16 Matt Newson (27)

jnt 10) 434 Ivan Pritchard (22)

jnt 10) 247/H247 Gary Castell (22)

BriSCA Supreme Championship

1) 515/1 Frankie Wainman Jnr (79)

2) 2/22/1 Paul Harrison (73)

3) 33/1 Peter Falding (54)

4) 53 John Lund (52)

5) 391/1 Stu Smith Snr (48)

6) 391/1 Andy Smith (44)

7) 212 Frankie Wainman Snr (40)

jnt 8) 55/5 Bert Finnikin (34)

jnt 8) 306 Mick Noden (34)

jnt 10) 260 Dave Berresford (29)

jnt 10) 2 Willie Harrison (29)

Grand National Championship

1) 53 John Lund (201)

2) 515/1 Frankie Wainman Jnr (164)

3) 212 Frankie Wainman Snr (120)

4) 2/22/1 Paul Harrison (108)

5) 33/1 Peter Falding (89)

6) 391/1 Stu Smith Snr (68)

7) 190 Len Wolfenden (66)

8) 391/1 Andy Smith (56)

9) 55/5 Bert Finnikin (55)

10) 97 Murray Harrison (54)

Trust Fund Championship

1) 53 John Lund (128)

2) 515/1 Frankie Wainman Jnr (106)

3) 2/22/1 Paul Harrison (103)

4) 391/1 Andy Smith (79)

5) 21 Mark Gilbank (73)

6) 97 Murray Harrison (62)

7) 260 Dave Berresford (60)

8) 391/1 Stu Smith Snr (56)

9) 33/1 Peter Falding (55)

10) 212 Frankie Wainman Snr (53)

Points of Interest

Drivers from five out of six decades represented in the overall top 30 table.

Despite the late, great Stu Smith's 500+ Final victories, Frankie Wainman Jnr becomes the most successful F1 stock car driver ever.

Of the other current drivers, 4 Dan Johnson, 259 Paul Hines and 16 Matt Newson lie just outside the top 30 list.

Frankie Wainman Jnr completed his 25th season in 2012 leading the overall success table and heads six of the individual Championship tables compared to John Lund who leads in three.

It is unlikely Stu Smith Snr's 501 Final wins will ever be bettered.

The Top 6 All-Time Most Successful Drivers

Pictured below are models of cars for the top six most successful drivers in all nine Championships and including total Final wins over the last 58+ seasons:

1st 515/1 Frankie Wainman Jnr

2nd) 53 John Lund

3rd) 391/1 Stu Smith Snr

 

4th) 2/22/1 Paul Harrison

5th) 391/1 Andy Smith

6th 212 Frankie Wainman Snr

 

Also pictured below are the 2012 5 Major Championship winners represented by Ed Creations diecast models with Stox Signs stickers:

84 Tom Harris (National Series Champion, European Champion and All-Season National Grading Points Champion)

217/1 Lee Fairhurst (World Champion)

55 Craig Finnikin (British Champion)