The NASCAR Cup Sequence Rookie of the Yr battle is one in all many intriguing storylines that play out over the course of 36 weeks of competitors.
In 1979, the NASCAR Winston Cup rookie class included Harry Gant, Terry Labonte and eventual ROTY Dale Earnhardt. In 2000, Matt Kenseth beat the likes of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Dave Blaney, Scott Pruett and Mike Bliss to earn the award.
Essentially the most spectacular rookie class in recent times got here alongside in 2020, when Cole Custer’s win at Kentucky and subsequent playoff berth gave him the nod over Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, John Hunter Nemechek, Brennan Poole and Quin Houff.
This yr, the Cup Sequence Rookie of the Yr battle can be fought out between road-course ace and 2023 Chicago Road Race winner Shane van Gisbergen and three-time NASCAR Xfinity Sequence winner Riley Herbst. Herbst drives for a staff in 23XI Racing that made the Championship 4 with Reddick in 2024, whereas van Gisbergen drives for Trackhouse Racing, which has develop into a staff that’s often good for a few wins yearly.
Up to now, nevertheless, the Rookie of the Yr battle has taken place within the basement of the factors standings and much away from the entrance of the sector.
Herbst and van Gisbergen weren’t anticipated to mild the world on hearth this season, however their outcomes — or lack thereof — have nonetheless been stunning.
It is van Gisbergen who holds a five-point edge over Herbst within the standings, accruing 97 factors via eight races to Herbst’s 92. Stage factors — of which van Gisbergen has 14 and Herbst has zero — are one other massive think about van Gisbergen holding a slim lead, as is SVG’s sixth-place end at Circuit of the Americas.
Herbst has arguably been extra constant, although his lack of stage factors has stored him under van Gisbergen within the standings. He began the yr with three consecutive Seventeenth-place finishes at Daytona, Atlanta and COTA, and picked up one other top-20 at Las Vegas. Within the three races since, nevertheless, Herbst has completed thirty third, thirty first and thirty fourth. SVG hasn’t been significantly better, as after amassing a top-10 at COTA, he completed thirty first or worse within the subsequent 4 races earlier than ending twentieth at Darlington on Sunday.
Van Gisbergen and Herbst presently sit thirty third and thirty fourth within the Cup Sequence standings, respectively, forward of solely Cole Custer and Cody Ware amongst drivers who’ve run all eight races this season.
There’s loads of time for each drivers to show issues round, however whereas the ROTY battle is presently a good one, it is a silent affair happening within the chilly, darkish basement of NASCAR.
