DAYTONA BEACH, FL :: Trending numbers can sometimes forecast the future. C.E. Falk’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series numbers are trending toward the top.

With the debut of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national standings this week, Falk opens the season ranked fifth in the series’ Top 500. He has three wins and nine top fives in 10 starts. He enters this weekend leading the NASCAR Late Model track point race by two over Matthew Waltz at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va.

Last year Falk, 25, of Virginia Beach, Va., placed third in national points. He was fourth in 2011, fifth in 2010 and sixth in 2009.

“Believe me, I want to go as far as I can,” Falk said of his climb up the points ladder. “Spring is very important to getting where we want to go. Right now it’s all about having fun and enjoying the opportunity to race every week. As a team we know where we want to be at the end of the year. We want to be on stage at the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series banquet.

“We’re off to a great start. Lee Pulliam is off to a really great start. We all know it’s not where you start, but where you finish that counts.”

Pulliam, 24, of Semora, N.C., is the series’ defending national champion and current national point leader. He’s been dominant over the first six weeks of his season. He leads the series in number of starts with 17 and number of wins with 10. He also leads the NASCAR Late Model track point standings at South Boston (Va.) Speedway.

Langley Speedway’s .396-mile oval was rebuilt and repaved during the off season. A deteriorating base was causing the asphalt to crumble. The old surface was as variable as the weather. So is the new surface, Falk said, but drivers and teams are adapting. On a cool opening night April 6, new track qualifying records were set in all six divisions.

“We’ve had three different tracks during the three weeks of racing there,” Falk said. “It’s been tough. We’re doing our homework. It takes a lot of patience and a great crew to stay on top of it. Getting the car to handle every week is what’s important. That’s where you find more speed. It’s more important because the competition is better than ever.”

Falk joined car owner Bob Unczur to visit a variety of tracks this year including South Boston, Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va., Southern National Motorsports Park in Kenly, N.C., and Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Speedway.

At Langley, Falk and his brother, Wesley, drive cars owned by his parents, Eddie and Susan Falk. Wesley placed second to Greg Edwards in the 2012 track point race.

C.E. Falk won three consecutive Langley NASCAR Late Model championships 2009-11. He placed fifth in track points last year after missing a few events to travel a little. He won races at Langley, South Boston, Motor Mile and Southern National.

“We have one car for Langley and Bob’s car to race everywhere else,” Falk said. “We think we can race for the Langley championship this year.”

Now in its 32nd season, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series is NASCAR’s national championship program for weekly short track auto racing. There are 55 sanctioned tracks throughout the United States and Canada that participate.

A NASCAR Division I driver’s best 18 results through the Sept. 15 closing date count toward their state and national point totals and the champions are decided on overall point total. Once a driver reaches 18 starts, their point total increases incrementally as they replace some poorer runs with better results.

Under the point structure for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, a race winner receives two points for every car in the event up to 20 cars. Second place receives two fewer points and so on through the field. Race winners receive an additional five points. For example, if 20 cars are in the field, the winner receives 45 points, second place 38 and third 36. If there are 15 cars, the winner receives 35 points, second 28 and third, 26.

Track operators also designate support classes as NASCAR Divisions II-V and drivers in those divisions compete for points in the NASCAR Finalist program. The program brings added recognition to support division drivers. Points are kept separately for asphalt and dirt tracks.

More information on the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series is available at www.nascarhometracks.com.