The Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award will feature possibly the strongest rookie class across NASCAR’s three national series since the inception of the award. Austin Dillon will attempt to become the first driver to ever win the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award in each of NASCAR’s national series, having won the award in 2010 (NASCAR Camping World Truck Series) and 2012 (NASCAR Nationwide Series), respectively. He will compete against a formidable group of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie contenders that includes Justin Allgaier, Michael Annett, Alex Bowman, Parker Kligerman, Kyle Larson, Ryan Truex and Cole Whitt.
Contenders for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award in the NASCAR Nationwide Series will feature a talented group of young drivers that includes Dakoda Armstrong, Tanner Berryhill, Chad Boat, Chris Buescher, Ty Dillon, Chase Elliott, Dylan Kwasniewski, Tommy Joe Martins, and Ryan Reed. Rounding out the 2014 rookie class in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be up-and-coming drivers Ben Kennedy, Mason Mingus, Tyler Reddick and Tyler Young.
“We are really excited for such an exceptional group of drivers competing for this year’s Sunoco Rookie of the Year,” said Andrew Kabakoff, Sunoco’s director of marketing. “We are looking forward to following these battles throughout the season.”
On the heels of NASCAR’s newly announced qualifying format that will closely emulate racing competition, the Coors Light Pole Award is another key contingency partner that will undoubtedly receive a lot of attention this season. Austin Dillon’s pole victory in Daytona placed the award in the spotlight earlier this week, as he brings the historic No. 3 car back to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The Coors Light Pole Award is presented to the driver with the fastest time in the last completed qualifying round in each NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (Keystone Light Pole Award) session.
“The contingency program is one of the most unique assets in all of sports as it assimilates our partners directly into the competition taking place on the track each race weekend,” said Jill Gregory, NASCAR vice president, industry services. “With the addition of two new partners, Flowmaster and Renton Coil Spring, the roster of partners participating in the NASCAR Contingency Program across all three of our national series continues to display growth.”
The NASCAR Contingency Program strives to build strong relationships with high quality, performance driven brands that are leaders in their respective categories, and award money to NASCAR teams via per race and year-end awards. Competitors become eligible for prize money by displaying partner decals on the front fender of their race cars and trucks. In some instances, use of a partner product is also required.
Below is the 2014 national series contingency partner lineup and special awards:
· 3M – NSCS*, NNS*
– Lap Leader Award
· American Ethanol – NSCS*, NNS*, NCWTS*
– Green Flag Restart Award (NSCS)
– Awarded to Series Champions (NNS, NCWTS)
· ARP Fasteners – NNS
· Auto Meter Gauges – NSCS, NNS, NCWTS
· COMP Cams – NSCS, NNS, NCWTS
· Coors Light – NSCS*, NNS*, NCWTS* (Keystone Light)
– Pole Award
· Duralast Brakes – NSCS*, NNS*
– Brake in the Race Award
· Edelbrock – NSCS, NNS, NCWTS
· Flowmaster – NSCS
· Freescale – NSCS*
– Wide Open Award
· Goodyear – NSCS*, NNS*, NCWTS*
– Goodyear Tire Award to Series Champions
· Holley Throttle Bodies/Carburetors – NSCS (throttle bodies), NNS, NCWTS
· JEGS – NSCS, NNS
· K&N Filters – NSCS, NNS, NCWTS
· Lincoln Welders – NSCS, NCWTS
· MAHLE – NSCS*, NNS*, NCWTS*
– Engine Builder of the Race/Year Award
· Mechanix Wear – NSCS*, NNS, NCWTS
– Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew (Quarterly/Year End)
· Mobil 1 – NSCS*, NNS*, NCWTS*
– Driver of the Race/Year
· MOOG Steering & Suspension – NSCS*, NNS, NCWTS
– Problem Solver of the Race/Year
· MSD Ignition – NNS, NCWTS
· Renton Coil Spring – NCWTS
· Sherwin-Williams – NSCS*
– Fastest Lap Award
· Simpson Firesuits – NNS, NCWTS
· Sunoco – NSCS*, NNS*, NCWTS*
– Diamond Performance Award to Series Champions
– Rookie of the Year
*Indicates Special Award partner with a year-end bonus.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) governs the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information, visit www.nascar.com and follow NASCAR at www.facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.
