While the focus has been on the Sprint Cup Series rookies, there is also a strong Nationwide Series rookie contingent. This year’s series brings us five strong young drivers, who are each with strong teams, and have plenty of pressure on their shoulders. So far, it has been mixed results but they’re off to a solid start.
Richard Childress Racing driver Ty Dillon started off the year with a 10th at Daytona, followed by a seventh at Phoenix. Coming off a solid Camping World Truck Series season, Dillon is working with the same group that led his brother Austin to the Rookie of the Year Award in 2012, and the championship last year. There is no doubt that the pressure is there for the younger brother to perform.
“Even if there’s someone putting pressure on me, I’m going to go out there and work twice as hard to prove that I’m twice as good,” Dillon commented in ESPN’s pre-race feature.
The pressure mounts on Dillon’s shoulders beyond that level with the fact that he is Richard Childress’ grandson.
“It makes me want to work harder and prove that I deserve to be here, not just a spoiled rich kid,” he said. “I work hard with my guys.”
Another driver that comes from a famous family is Chase Elliott, who started the year off with a 15th place finish at Daytona, followed by a ninth place finish at Phoenix. With being the son of Bill Elliott, everybody is expecting the young star to do well – especially with the fact that he’s already signed to a Hendrick Motorsports development contract.
It’s easy to look at everybody and listen to what everybody says and get caught up in that, but for me I try to look past it,” Elliott said last month. “I don’t really foresee any more pressure on me than there’s ever been. I try to, like I said, try to look past that and just focus on the task at hand and try to get the job done.”
Rick Hendrick stated on Saturday that Elliott has tested a Sprint Cup car and he likes everything about the 18-year-old so far.
“He’s been fast, smooth, and he drives like he’s got a ton of experience,” Hendrick commented. “He’s also won in everything that he’s been in.”
Elliott’s teammate Regan Smith has also seen the maturity of his young teammate so far and wishes that he was like that at the age of 18.
“He picks up a lot of things real fast,” Smith added on Friday. “It seems like he’s always asking questions, always observing stuff. One of my regrets when I was younger was not asking more questions. Instead, I was a little more hard-headed and tried to learn things my way.”
Coming out of the Turner-Scott Motorsports stable is Dylan Kwasniewski. Kwasniewski started off his rookie campaign in a big way, winning the pole at Daytona. He has finished eighth and 13th in his first two starts.
A lot of people are expecting him to do well as he’s done well coming up through the ranks, winning the K&N Pro East Series Championship last year.
Roush-Fenway Racing also has two young starts that will contend for Rookie of the Year – Ryan Reed and Chris Buescher. Both of these young drivers have ARCA experience – with Buescher having a couple wins to his credit. Buescher missed the race at Daytona as he failed to qualify, though came back with a solid 15th place finish at Phoenix.
Reed had a solid finish at Daytona, though would be involved in a wreck after the checkered flag. The bad luck continued into Phoenix as Reed made heavy contact with the wall after his car got loose off Turn 2.
“I feel fine,” he commented afterwards. “I just hate it for the guys. I don’t know what happened down there. I think a combination of the damp track and the car stepping out with me. I tried to save it – but I couldn’t. I just got real aggressive and hate it that happened.” Reed wound up 22nd.
The Nationwide Series has always been a series that was used to help grow new stars. That tradition will continue this year with these six young stars as they tackle each track every week. They can expect a bumpy ride, but no doubt their talents will shine through and one of them will come out on top. I also predict that you will see at least two of these six go to victory lane this year.
