The next generation
The 21st century has ushered in the new era of the development driver in NASCAR. The Nextel Cup organizations and manufacturers have taken a baseball-like approach, signing young talent and bringing them up through a farm system that includes late models, Craftsman Trucks and Busch.
It works. Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Reed Sorenson and David Ragan are among the drivers who have come through the system, forming Cup's next generation.
Who are the best prospects we can expect to see in Cup in the next several seasons? Let's take a look
1. Stephen Leicht
Leicht's victory in the Busch race at Kentucky was the only victory for a non-Cup regular (unless you count Aric Almirola's shared win with Denny Hamlin at Milwaukee) in the series this season. It came in his 38th Busch start over the past three seasons with Robert Yates Racing, which signed the now-20-year-old after he won the ASA late model championship. Yates thought enough of Leicht's talent to consider promoting him to Cup this season, but decided he needed another year in triple-A, a wise move. Leicht still needs to drive with more consistency. He has four top-10s in 20 races this season, but is eighth in the points. Depending upon what 50-year-old Ricky Rudd decides to do, Leicht could be in Cup next year.
2. Brad Coleman
Joe Gibbs Racing signed the 19-year-old after last season, when Coleman won an ARCA race at Kentucky and drove in two Busch races for Brewco. Coleman started on pole and finished ninth at Talladega in his fifth start for Gibbs and followed with a second at Kentucky and a fourth in Milwaukee for three top-10s in eight starts. Coleman is scheduled to run in nine more Busch races this season, including Saturday at Gateway. He figures to run a full season in Busch in '08 and could be ready for Cup in '09. Coleman's emergence likely made Gibbs' decision to grant Almirola his release to join Ginn Racing an easy one.
3. Erik Darnell
The 24-year-old put himself in line for a promotion at Roush Racing with his victory in the Craftsman Truck race at Kentucky in April. Darnell had a solid first season in the Trucks, winning Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors with four top-fives and 12 top-10s in 25 races en route to finishing 12th in the points in '06. Darnell hasn't been as consistent this season (three top-10s in 13 races), but two crashes and a blown engine have contributed to it. Darnell won by 10 seconds at Kansas, proving he can get it done when the truck is right.
4. Joey Logano
At the age of 17, Logano has "can't miss" stamped on him. Signed by Gibbs nearly two years ago, Logano won his first start in a NASCAR Grand National West race at Phoenix in April. He also won his second start, in a NASCAR GN East race at Greenville, S.C. Then, he topped both of them by out-dueling Kevin Harvick to win a GN East race at Iowa Speedway in his fourth start. Logano has won four of nine this season and he'd undoubtedly be getting ready for a Busch debut if he was 18, NASCAR's minimum age for its touring series.
At 15, Logano was the youngest driver to win a USAR Hooters Pro Cup race. Mark Martin spotted him racing against son Matt in a lower division the previous year and recommended Roush Racing sign him. When negotiations stalled, Logano signed with Gibbs.
Mark Martin believes Lagono is ready for Cup now.
"I am absolutely, 100 percent positive, without a doubt that he can be one of the greatest that ever race in NASCAR," Mark Martin said in June, 2005. "I'm more sure of it than I was sure of Matt Kenseth. I would put him in that No. 6 car in a heartbeat."
How soon will Logano get his shot at Cup? He should be in Busch next season and could be in Cup by '09.
5. Ryan Mathews
Mathews' NASCAR résumé is short; i's also impressive. Mathews finished fourth in his seventh start in the Craftsman Trucks race at Kentucky after starting from the pole. He was sixth in the previous race at Memphis. The 27-year-old is a developing driver, not merely one in development. Bill Davis Racing's Toyota team signed him to run a limited -- likely five races or less -- schedule this spring. Tyler Walker was supposed to run the rest of the schedule for Davis, but he was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR in May for violating its substance abuse policy, and Mathews inherited the job. He's made the most out of the opportunity. If Davis doesn't sign him to a longer-term contract, somebody will.
6. Brad Keselowski
A veteran of the Busch and Truck series, the 23-year-old was unemployed in mid-June when Germain Racing called to offer him the No. 9 Toyota in the Trucks for the Memphis race. Ted Musgrave had been suspended for one race by NASCAR. In his first race with a front-line team, Keselowski qualified on pole and was leading with nine laps to go when Travis Kvapil knocked him out of the way. Keselowski's performance prompted Dale Earnhardt Jr. to offer him a three-race deal to drive the JR Motorsports Busch car; Keselowski finished 14th last week at Chicagoland. That's quite a turn of fortune for a driver who started this season in Busch with Keith Coleman Racing before the team suspended operations. With Coleman, Keselowski's best finish in 13 races was 24th. Isn't it amazing what different equipment with a different team can do for a driver?
7. Bobby East
It's been a difficult transition for East from the open-wheel USAC Sprint and Midgets to stock cars. East drove in 23 of 25 races in the Craftsman Trucks last season with a top finish of 11th while finishing 23rd in the points. The 22-year-old has raced in two Busch races this season with Brewco Motorsports, finishing 22nd and 24th. So, why is he on this list? East knows how to race and he knows how to win. He was the youngest USAC race winner at age 16 and its youngest champion at 19 in Midgets. East also has a long-term contract with Ford, which has had trouble finding the funds to promote his career.
8. Kraig Kinser
Kinser had never raced on pavement when he joined the Truck series last season. He was signed by MB2 Motorsports based upon his performances in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series and continued his development deal when Ginn purchased the team. Kinser, son of Steve, won seven WoO features in '05. Kinser's best finish in 18 races in '06 was ninth, and his best this year has been 14th, running with Morgan/Dollar Motorsports under an agreement with Ginn. It will take a few years to make the switch, but Kinser has the talent to make it to Cup with Ginn's support.
