Racing can be a tough road. It can be even tougher when you're the newkid. You're bringing experience, but it's often much different than whatyou are about to face. You've been a big fish in a small pond. The pondgot larger, but so did the expectations. You're basically starting allover, and you feel like you're a lap down. Several series are seeing agrowth in the number of new racers. Let's take a look at some of therookie classes for 2005.
NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL DIVISION, WEST SERIES
There are 10 drivers who are registered to compete for the Sunoco Rookieof the Year award. Pictured are six of the competitors who will betrying for this honor, which has included some top names in the past.Previous rookie award winners in the series include Austin Cameron(1998), Lance Hooper (1996), Rick Carelli (1992), Chad Little (1986),and Derrike Cope (1984).
Andrew Lewis was leading the rookie pointbattle after four events. The Corona, California, driver was rookie ofthe race at the Stockton 99 Speedway event and had two Top-10 runs infour starts. Spencer Clark of Las Vegas was top rookie in both PhoenixInternational Raceway appearances, including a fifth. Tracy, California,driver Rick Ruzbarsky had two Top-10s on his resume. Former IRL andSprint racer Sarah Fisher, living in Indianapolis after growing up incentral Ohio, has come west to try stock car racing. Andrew Myers ofHuntington Beach, California, notched a Top 10 at Phoenix. JasonJefferson of Yakima, Washington, comes from the NASCAR AutoZone EliteDivision, Northwest Series, finishing Third in points in 2004. He hasalso recorded a West series victory in 2003. David Cardey of Riverside,California, notched a Top-10 run at Mesa Marin. Former Mesa Marin trackchampion Brandon Miller of Bakersfield was scheduled to be on the Westtour in 2005, but he has moved on to Busch Grand National racing withKevin Harvick. Roseville, California, racer Tim Smith and ChrisSchmelzle from Victoria, British Columbia, round out the rookie field.
NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL DIVISION, NORTH SERIES
Eight drivers registered for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award on theNASCAR Grand National Division, Busch North Series as the largest classsince 2001. Previous award winners include Ricky Craven, Andy Santerre,Brad Leighton, and Ryan Moore.
First to register for the program was20-year-old Charles Lewandowski, a graduate of the Dodge Weekly RacingSeries Late Model division at Stafford (CT) Motor Speedway. Don Wagnerhas run 14 Busch North races since 2002, but has preserved rookie statusby racing in fewer than six per year. The Dover, New Jersey, resident isa veteran of asphalt Modified racing. James Civili, 21, of Meridien,Connecticut, comes to the class on the heels of '04 wins in theBudweiser Nationals at Waterford (CT) Speedbowl and the Sunoco Modifiedportion of the World Series at Thompson (CT) International Speedway. Theyoungest member of the class, 19-year-old Sean Caisse of Pelham, NewHampshire, moved up the racing ladder from Street Stocks to the Midgetsof NEMA and into the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2004. Marc Rogers,30, is a graduate of Wall Township (NJ) Speedway's Modified who alsoraced at Flemington (NJ) Speedway in NASCAR Weekly Series competitionbefore the track closed. Long Island resident Anthony Demonte has roadcourse experience as well as Dodge Weekly series action at Riverhead(NY) Raceway and Thompson. Jeff Anton comes to stock car racing from abackground in AMA motocross. Joe Masessa of Franklin, New Jersey, racedsome Late Models in Pennsylvania, but the bulk of his experience comesfrom Grand American Road Racing's Grand-Am Cup Series.
NASCAR AUTOZONE ELITE DIVISION, MIDWEST SERIES
It will be the "Fantastic Four" for the rookie class of 2005 in theNASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest Series. Their experience willdefinitely come into play as the series will see another season ofintense competition.
Josh Bauer of Random Lake, Wisconsin is a26-year-old who ran two series events last season, resulting in a pairof Top-20 finishes. Bauer finished Fourth in the '05 season opener. Hestarted racing in 2000 and competed in Grand National Sportsman cars ondirt as well as Mid-American Stock cars on the pavement. His biggest wincame at the Milwaukee Mile in a Mid-American Stock Car Series event.
Andrew Morrisey made a name for himself on the Wisconsin short tracks.He owns the Late Model qualifying record at Madison InternationalSpeedway and has posted wins at Madison, Slinger Super Speedway, andWisconsin Dells Motor Speedway. The 20-year-old from DeForest,Wisconsin, tested the series waters in 2004 and came away with threeTop-10 runs in five races.
Dexter Bean is an 18-year-oldsecond-generation racer who entered the year as a high school senior.The Westby, Wisconsin, resident has two years of Late Model racing underhis belt in NASCAR Dodge Weekly racing at LaCrosse (WI) FairgroundsSpeedway. He finished Twenty-Fifth in an ARCA event at DaytonaInternational Speedway and finished in the same spot during a NASCARSouthwest Series event at Phoenix.
Nick Schumacher began his racing in1984 at the controls of a Go-Kart. The 29-year-old Hartford, Wisconsin,racer also competed in Legends Cars, Mid-American Stock Cars, Modifieds,and ASA Late Models. He has a Karting title to his credit as well as atrack championship at Slinger Super Speedway.
NASCAR AUTOZONE ELITE DIVISION, NORTHWEST SERIES
The rookie class of 2005 is enjoying the series schedule for 2005. Manyof the racers already have experience on the tracks that will be testedthis year.
Erick Hargraves, 22, of Yakima will make his series debut.The '04 Late Model track champion at Yakima (WA) Speedway turned thetrick as a class rookie and is thrilled with the prospect of threeseries dates at this venue. Hargraves also captured the Late Model andLimited Sportsman mains during the '04 Fall Classic, defending his '03Limited Sportsman crown. He also scored a track championship in StreetStocks in 2003 at Yakima.
Marty Sokulski has had a couple of seriesstarts but hopes the '05 effort will yield better results. TheWoodinville, Washington, resident had a Thirteenth-Place run in 2003 andhas regrouped to pick up the effort. He holds the distinction of beingthe winner of the first Limited Stock Bomber race at Evergreen (WA)Speedway on the 0.676-mile oval in 1997. He finished in the top three inBomber points at Evergreen with 40 Top-Five finishes in those twoseasons. His late-model career has yielded four wins and 25 Top-Fives.
Ed Thomsen felt the need for speed while racing Mini ATVs in Utah in1985. The Richland, Washington, racer got behind the wheel of a MiniStock at Tri-City (WA) Raceway from 1994-1997 and spent some time as apit crewmember before getting the driving bug again. His best seriesfinish of Fifteenth came in one of his two starts in 2004.
Troy Tramelljumps into the Marvin Bright-owned No. 5 piloted in 2004 by TomSweatman. In his quest for Rookie of the Year, Tramell brings 20 yearsof experience in Go-Karts, Northwest Super 4s, and Super Late Models. Hehails from Yakima, Washington, and holds an associate's degree inprecision metal fabrication.
Darren Trimble will be a teammate to MagicValley (ID) Speedway winner John Bender in 2005. Trimble is a graduateof the Late Model ranks at Evergreen Speedway, Stateline Speedway, andYakima. The 35-year-old racer lists Snohomish, Washington, as hishometown.
NASCAR AUTOZONE ELITE DIVISION, SOUTHEAST SERIES
There are four drivers who will compete as rookies in the NASCARAutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series, and they are going to find nofavors from the veterans. In this division, the whole field isthundering to the front at the drop of the green.
Gary Helton ofSeymour, Tennessee, has had tremendous success in Late Models throughoutthe South. The former champion of the Southern All-Stars has alsostarted his season on the right foot, gaining a Top-Five at NashvilleSuperspeedway.
Michael Foy of Grayson, Georgia, had the early lead inthe rookie point standings. Foy's best runs have been Top 10s at Houstonand South Boston.
Eddie Stivers III is running a self-owned operationfor 2005. The Columbia, South Carolina, racer has extensive dirtexperience and made limited starts in the series last year. Asheville,North Carolina, racer Terry McMahan was pressed into service when WayneBowen stepped out of the ride because of knee surgery.
NASCAR AUTOZONE ELITE DIVISION, SOUTHWEST SERIES
Three of the declared rookies for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year awardwere making themselves known in the early stages of the '05 season.Tucson, Arizona, racer Dustin Jones had moved into Fifteenth in theoverall point standings but was still looking for that first Top-10 run.Three other rookies have notched Top 10s, but they are chasing Jones forthe rookie point lead. Right behind him (Sixteenth in the overallstandings) is Don Campbell of Campbell, California. Other rookies topost Top-10 runs this year include David Mayhew and Ryan Foster.