Truck Series Rookies

Though none of the eight Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidates are in the top 10, four are showing veteran like promise.

J.R. Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick is 25 points outside the top 10 in 11th.
He has a Driver Rating of 77.4, an Average Running Position of 16.6, eight Fastest Laps Run and has 17 Laps Led, which is tops among rookies. He is also the only rookie to score a top-five finish this year – he finished fourth at Daytona.

Tayler Malsam
Malsam is 13th in points.
He has a Driver Rating of 75.7, an Average Running Position of 15.7 and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 52.1%.

Prepare to be confused:

Though he's 19th in points, James Buescher has been the top rookie. He has the 12th-best Driver Rating (78.1), the 13th-best Average Running Position (15.1) and an 11th-best Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 62.1%.

Then there's Ricky Carmichael, who is making the transition from motocross.

Carmichael, 8th in points, has a Driver Rating of 77.5, an Average Running Position of 13.7, five Fastest Laps Run and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 65.5%.

Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year Standings after three races of the 2009 season:
1. J.R. Fitzpatrick 33
2. Ricky Carmichael 30
3. Tayler Malsam 28
4. James Buescher 27
5. Johnny Sauter 24
6. Chase Austin 16
7. Brent Raymer 6
8. Chris Jones 5

source: nascar press release

Montoya Has Everyone's Attention

As one article put it: Taking out Tony Raines is one thing. Taking out Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. is something else entirely.

I've seen Montoya get into it in each race he's been in, from his own team mate, to others that he's battling for position with, the latest victim being Tony Stewart.

My first thought was, "What the heck is this guy doing?". I've seen interviews saying he is going to race hard, and I got all grumpy about it, but then again, who hasn't gone through this phase where they are new to the Cup series, and tried to barrel their way through the field and other competitors cars? If you think about it, it's a fairly distinguished & long list of drivers.

So with that latter thought, I calmed myself down and read this article: link