Congratulations to Gilbertsville’s Payton Talbot on being named the 2023 NASCAR Division II National Champion. (Submitted Photo)

GILBERTSVILLE – Payton Talbot, a 19 year old from Gilbertsville, NY and a 2022 GMU alum, began his passion for racing when he was nine years old as a go-cart driver. Little did he know that he would make it big as the 2023 NASCAR Division II National Champion 10 years later.

After five years of go-cart racing, Talbot moved up to drive in the dirt car sportsman class. He currently drives a 602 Bicknell crate sportsman car. His most notable 2022 racing accomplishments include being named the "Thunder on the Thruway" champion and the Fonda track champion.

The 2023 racing season's hard work and dedication has brought even more notoriety to this young driver. He has most recently claimed his biggest title yet as he has been named the NASCAR Division II National Champion in addition to claiming the NASCAR D2 Northeast Regional Championship title. For the second year in a row, he is the "Thunder on the Thruway" champion  and the Fonda track champion.

Payton raced in 29 events this 2023 season. He had 10 wins, 24 top five finishes, and 25 top 10 finishes. He competes against drivers around the nation as well as in Canada in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts weekly series that includes five divisions as well as a rookie division. Talbot has raced this season at the local Utica-Rome Speedway, Devil’s Bowl Speedway out of Vermont, and at Fonda Speedway.

The racing communities have been more than supportive of Payton. This was never more evident than when he blew a motor in a Tuesday evening race and needed to have another one in the car and ready for a Friday night race. Payton not only had offers of motors and cars but experts came from everywhere to help him to get his car back together. Major sponsors of Payton's 14T race car include Fastline Performance of Chadwicks, NY; Ted's Body Shop of New Berlin, NY; Parker Excavation of  Mt. Vision, NY; and LMC of Cohocton, NY. 

Payton aspires to move up to a modified car in the future. He will be heading to Nashville, Tennessee for the NASCAR awards presentations in November. Congratulations Payton!

- Information from Team Talbot