Strongest Rookie Classes

[kkfan91]

This was inspired by a Facebook post I saw of David Reutimann's today. It was a picture of the 3 national series rookies of the year in 2004, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, and Reutimann. This got me thinking to see what year had the strongest rookies across all 3 series combined. First here is the chart of all rookies of the year along with their total career wins across the national series. Drivers with a * have raced in 2022.

Year	Cup	Career Wins	Xfinity	Career Wins	Truck	Career Wins	Total wins
1954	Blackie Pitt	0	-	-	-	-	0
1957	Ken Rush	0	-	-	-	-	0
1958	Shorty Rollins	1	-	-	-	-	1
1959	Richard Petty	200	-	-	-	-	200
1960	David Pearson	106	-	-	-	-	106
1961	Woodie Wilson	0	-	-	-	-	0
1962	Tom Cox	0	-	-	-	-	0
1963	Billy Wade	4	-	-	-	-	4
1964	Doug Cooper	0	-	-	-	-	0
1965	Sam McQuagg	1	-	-	-	-	1
1966	James Hylton	2	-	-	-	-	2
1967	Donnie Allison	10	-	-	-	-	10
1968	Pete Hamilton	4	-	-	-	-	4
1969	Dick Brooks	1	-	-	-	-	1
1970	Bill Dennis	0	-	-	-	-	0
1971	Walter Ballard	0	-	-	-	-	0
1972	Larry Smith	0	-	-	-	-	0
1973	Lennie Pond	1	-	-	-	-	1
1974	Earl Ross	1	-	-	-	-	1
1975	Bruce Hill	0	-	-	-	-	0
1976	Skip Manning	0	-	-	-	-	0
1977	Ricky Rudd	24	-	-	-	-	24
1978	Ronnie Thomas	0	-	-	-	-	0
1979	Dale Earnhardt	97	-	-	-	-	97
1980	Jody Ridley	1	-	-	-	-	1
1981	Ron Bouchard	3	-	-	-	-	3
1982	Geoffrey Bodine	24	-	-	-	-	24
1983	Sterling Marlin	12	-	-	-	-	12
1984	Rusty Wallace	55	-	-	-	-	55
1985	Ken Schrader	7	-	-	-	-	7
1986	Alan Kulwicki	5	-	-	-	-	5
1987	Davey Allison	19	-	-	-	-	19
1988	Ken Bouchard	0	-	-	-	-	0
1989	Dick Trickle	2	Kenny Wallace	9	-	-	11
1990	Rob Moroso	6	Joe Nemechek	20	-	-	26
1991	Bobby Hamilton	15	Jeff Gordon	98	-	-	113
1992	Jimmy Hensley	11	Ricky Craven	7	-	-	18
1993	Jeff Gordon	98	Hermie Sadler	2	-	-	100
1994	Jeff Burton	48	Johnny Benson	18	-	-	66
1995	Ricky Craven	7	Jeff Fuller	1	-	-	8
1996	Johnny Benson	18	Glenn Allen Jr	0	Bryan Reffner	1	19
1997	Mike Skinner	29	Steve Park	6	Kenny Irwin	2	37
1998	Kenny Irwin	2	Andy Santerre	1	Greg Biffle*	56	59
1999	Tony Stewart	62	Tony Raines	4	Mike Stefanik	0	66
2000	Matt Kenseth	68	Kevin Harvick*	121	Kurt Busch*	43	232
2001	Kevin Harvick*	121	Greg Biffle*	56	Travis Kvapil	9	186
2002	Ryan Newman	26	Scott Riggs	9	Brendan Gaughan	10	45
2003	Jamie McMurray	16	David Stremme	0	Carl Edwards	72	88
2004	Kasey Kahne	31	Kyle Busch*	224	David Reutimann	4	259
2005	Kyle Busch*	224	Carl Edwards	72	Todd Kluever	0	296
2006	Denny Hamlin*	67	Danny O'Quinn Jr	0	Erik Darnell	2	69
2007	Juan Pablo Montoya	3	David Ragan*	4	Willie Allen	0	7
2008	Regan Smith	7	Landon Cassill*	0	Colin Braun	1	8
2009	Joey Logano*	60	Justin Allgaier*	19	Johnny Sauter*	27	106
2010	Kevin Conway	0	Ricky Stenhouse Jr*	10	Austin Dillon*	20	30
2011	Andy Lally*	0	Timmy Hill*	0	Joey Coulter	1	1
2012	Stephen Leicht	1	Austin Dillon*	20	Ty Dillon*	4	25
2013	Ricky Stenhouse Jr*	10	Kyle Larson*	33	Ryan Blaney*	18	61
2014	Kyle Larson*	33	Chase Elliott*	25	Ben Kennedy	1	59
2015	Brett Moffitt*	12	Daniel Suarez*	5	Erik Jones*	19	36
2016	Chase Elliott*	25	Erik Jones*	19	William Byron*	16	60
2017	Erik Jones*	19	William Byron*	16	Chase Briscoe*	14	49
2018	William Byron*	16	Tyler Reddick*	15	Myatt Snider*	1	32
2019	Daniel Hemric*	1	Chase Briscoe*	14	Tyler Ankrum*	1	16
2020	Cole Custer*	13	Harrison Burton*	4	Zane Smith*	6	23
2021	Chase Briscoe	14	Ty Gibbs*	9	Chandler Smith*	5	28

To break that down here it is ranked by wins for Cup Rookies of the year...2 names obviously will be the top

Kyle Busch*	224
Richard Petty	200
Kevin Harvick*	121
David Pearson	106
Jeff Gordon	98
Dale Earnhardt	97
Matt Kenseth	68
Denny Hamlin*	67
Tony Stewart	62
Joey Logano*	60
Rusty Wallace	55
Jeff Burton	48
Kyle Larson*	33
Kasey Kahne	31
Mike Skinner	29
Ryan Newman	26
Chase Elliott*	25
Ricky Rudd	24
Geoffrey Bodine	24
Davey Allison	19
Erik Jones*	19
Johnny Benson	18
Jamie McMurray	16
William Byron*	16
Bobby Hamilton	15
Chase Briscoe	14
Cole Custer*	13
Sterling Marlin	12
Brett Moffitt*	12
Jimmy Hensley	11
Donnie Allison	10
Ricky Stenhouse Jr*	10
Ken Schrader	7
Ricky Craven	7
Regan Smith	7
Rob Moroso	6
Alan Kulwicki	5
Billy Wade	4
Pete Hamilton	4
Ron Bouchard	3
Juan Pablo Montoya	3
James Hylton	2
Dick Trickle	2
Kenny Irwin	2
Shorty Rollins	1
Sam McQuagg	1
Dick Brooks	1
Lennie Pond	1
Earl Ross	1
Jody Ridley	1
Stephen Leicht	1
Daniel Hemric*	1
Blackie Pitt	0
Ken Rush	0
Woodie Wilson	0
Tom Cox	0
Doug Cooper	0
Bill Dennis	0
Walter Ballard	0
Larry Smith	0
Bruce Hill	0
Skip Manning	0
Ronnie Thomas	0
Ken Bouchard	0
Kevin Conway	0
Andy Lally*	0

Xfinity, again Kyle Busch

Kyle Busch*	224
Kevin Harvick*	121
Jeff Gordon	98
Carl Edwards	72
Greg Biffle*	56
Kyle Larson*	33
Chase Elliott*	25
Joe Nemechek	20
Austin Dillon*	20
Justin Allgaier*	19
Erik Jones*	19
Johnny Benson	18
William Byron*	16
Tyler Reddick*	15
Chase Briscoe*	14
Ricky Stenhouse Jr*	10
Kenny Wallace	9
Scott Riggs	9
Ty Gibbs*	9
Ricky Craven	7
Steve Park	6
Daniel Suarez*	5
Tony Raines	4
David Ragan*	4
Harrison Burton*	4
Hermie Sadler	2
Jeff Fuller	1
Andy Santerre	1
Glenn Allen Jr	0
David Stremme	0
Danny O'Quinn Jr	0
Landon Cassill*	0
Timmy Hill*	0

Trucks

Carl Edwards	72
Greg Biffle*	56
Kurt Busch*	43
Johnny Sauter*	27
Austin Dillon*	20
Erik Jones*	19
Ryan Blaney*	18
William Byron*	16
Chase Briscoe*	14
Brendan Gaughan	10
Travis Kvapil	9
Zane Smith*	6
Chandler Smith*	5
David Reutimann	4
Ty Dillon*	4
Kenny Irwin	2
Erik Darnell	2
Bryan Reffner	1
Colin Braun	1
Joey Coulter	1
Ben Kennedy	1
Myatt Snider*	1
Tyler Ankrum*	1
Mike Stefanik	0
Todd Kluever	0
Willie Allen	0

Here it is by total career wins, Kyle Busch helps his rookie of the years jump to the top, and Carl Edwards gives 2005 the bump over 2004 making up for Todd Kleuver's lack of wins to cover Kasey Kahne and David Reutimann in 2004. The highest year with only Cup is no surprise Richard Petty in 1959. The highest for 2 series is 1991 with Bobby Hamilton contributing 15 and Jeff Gordon doing the rest. The lowest year for all 3 series was 2011 where Andy Lally, Timmy Hill, and Joey Coulter only have Coulters one truck win, though Lally and Hill are still racing in NASCAR I don't see that changing soon. 2007 and 2008 with Montoya, Ragan, and Willie Allen with 7 and Regan Smith, Landon Cassill and Colin Braun with 8 actually come before the lowest with 2 series which was 1995 with Ricky Craven and Jeff Fuller having 8. 12 seasons produced rookies of the year who never won, though all were Cup only seasons the last being Ken Bouchard in 1988 the year before the Xfinity award started. In total 22 drivers who never won a national series race have been rookies of the year.

Year	Cup	Career Wins	Xfinity	Career Wins	Truck	Career Wins	Total wins
2005	Kyle Busch*	224	Carl Edwards	72	Todd Kluever	0	296
2004	Kasey Kahne	31	Kyle Busch*	224	David Reutimann	4	259
2000	Matt Kenseth	68	Kevin Harvick*	121	Kurt Busch*	43	232
1959	Richard Petty	200	-	-	-	-	200
2001	Kevin Harvick*	121	Greg Biffle*	56	Travis Kvapil	9	186
1991	Bobby Hamilton	15	Jeff Gordon	98	-	-	113
1960	David Pearson	106	-	-	-	-	106
2009	Joey Logano*	60	Justin Allgaier*	19	Johnny Sauter*	27	106
1993	Jeff Gordon	98	Hermie Sadler	2	-	-	100
1979	Dale Earnhardt	97	-	-	-	-	97
2003	Jamie McMurray	16	David Stremme	0	Carl Edwards	72	88
2006	Denny Hamlin*	67	Danny O'Quinn Jr	0	Erik Darnell	2	69
1994	Jeff Burton	48	Johnny Benson	18	-	-	66
1999	Tony Stewart	62	Tony Raines	4	Mike Stefanik	0	66
2013	Ricky Stenhouse Jr*	10	Kyle Larson*	33	Ryan Blaney*	18	61
2016	Chase Elliott*	25	Erik Jones*	19	William Byron*	16	60
1998	Kenny Irwin	2	Andy Santerre	1	Greg Biffle*	56	59
2014	Kyle Larson*	33	Chase Elliott*	25	Ben Kennedy	1	59
1984	Rusty Wallace	55	-	-	-	-	55
2017	Erik Jones*	19	William Byron*	16	Chase Briscoe*	14	49
2002	Ryan Newman	26	Scott Riggs	9	Brendan Gaughan	10	45
1997	Mike Skinner	29	Steve Park	6	Kenny Irwin	2	37
2015	Brett Moffitt*	12	Daniel Suarez*	5	Erik Jones*	19	36
2018	William Byron*	16	Tyler Reddick*	15	Myatt Snider*	1	32
2010	Kevin Conway	0	Ricky Stenhouse Jr*	10	Austin Dillon*	20	30
2021	Chase Briscoe	14	Ty Gibbs*	9	Chandler Smith*	5	28
1990	Rob Moroso	6	Joe Nemechek	20	-	-	26
2012	Stephen Leicht	1	Austin Dillon*	20	Ty Dillon*	4	25
1977	Ricky Rudd	24	-	-	-	-	24
1982	Geoffrey Bodine	24	-	-	-	-	24
2020	Cole Custer*	13	Harrison Burton*	4	Zane Smith*	6	23
1987	Davey Allison	19	-	-	-	-	19
1996	Johnny Benson	18	Glenn Allen Jr	0	Bryan Reffner	1	19
1992	Jimmy Hensley	11	Ricky Craven	7	-	-	18
2019	Daniel Hemric*	1	Chase Briscoe*	14	Tyler Ankrum*	1	16
1983	Sterling Marlin	12	-	-	-	-	12
1989	Dick Trickle	2	Kenny Wallace	9	-	-	11
1967	Donnie Allison	10	-	-	-	-	10
1995	Ricky Craven	7	Jeff Fuller	1	-	-	8
2008	Regan Smith	7	Landon Cassill*	0	Colin Braun	1	8
1985	Ken Schrader	7	-	-	-	-	7
2007	Juan Pablo Montoya	3	David Ragan*	4	Willie Allen	0	7
1986	Alan Kulwicki	5	-	-	-	-	5
1963	Billy Wade	4	-	-	-	-	4
1968	Pete Hamilton	4	-	-	-	-	4
1981	Ron Bouchard	3	-	-	-	-	3
1966	James Hylton	2	-	-	-	-	2
1958	Shorty Rollins	1	-	-	-	-	1
1965	Sam McQuagg	1	-	-	-	-	1
1969	Dick Brooks	1	-	-	-	-	1
1973	Lennie Pond	1	-	-	-	-	1
1974	Earl Ross	1	-	-	-	-	1
1980	Jody Ridley	1	-	-	-	-	1
2011	Andy Lally*	0	Timmy Hill*	0	Joey Coulter	1	1
1954	Blackie Pitt	0	-	-	-	-	0
1957	Ken Rush	0	-	-	-	-	0
1961	Woodie Wilson	0	-	-	-	-	0
1962	Tom Cox	0	-	-	-	-	0
1964	Doug Cooper	0	-	-	-	-	0
1970	Bill Dennis	0	-	-	-	-	0
1971	Walter Ballard	0	-	-	-	-	0
1972	Larry Smith	0	-	-	-	-	0
1975	Bruce Hill	0	-	-	-	-	0
1976	Skip Manning	0	-	-	-	-	0
1978	Ronnie Thomas	0	-	-	-	-	0
1988	Ken Bouchard	0	-	-	-	-	0

 

[jaqua19]

Interesting. This paints half the picture because we've had drivers fail to win rookie of the year and have even superior careers.

I wonder what this would look like if you included the top 4 or 5 rookies from each season.

I'd bet the cup series at least, had the best rookie class in 2000.

1999-2005 is the biggest boom in talent we've ever seen

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[kkfan91]

Interesting. This paints half the picture because we've had drivers fail to win rookie of the year and have even superior careers.

I wonder what this would look like if you included the top 4 or 5 rookies from each season.

I'd bet the cup series at least, had the best rookie class in 2000.

1999-2005 is the biggest boom in talent we've ever seen

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

That is a good question I'll have to think about doing that. Will take some more time. I mean just adding DW in 1973 alone adds so many more wins to that year. 1982 adds Mark Martin, 79 you have Terry Labonte, 1976 you have Bill Elliott and Neil Bonnett. Just to name some more examples

 

[*WEAVER*]

Nice work.

 

[LewTheShoe]

Meh. It's that New Math again...

Add 30 tons + 30 pounds + 30 ounces and call it 90 units of weight. I say it's 90 units of gibberish.

All race wins mean something, but they don't all mean the *same* thing. In all racing disciplines, wins in the premier division mean a helluva lot more than wins in the training wheel divisions.

End of rant; carry on; sorry to interrupt.

 

[Formerjackman]

That is a good question I'll have to think about doing that. Will take some more time. I mean just adding DW in 1973 alone adds so many more wins to that year. 1982 adds Mark Martin, 79 you have Terry Labonte, 1976 you have Bill Elliott and Neil Bonnett. Just to name some more examples

1979 was a huge class of Cup rookies, which besides Dale and Terry, had Harry Gant.

 

[ToyYoda]

That 2011 class……woof.

 

[Formerjackman]

That 2011 class……woof.

The thing is, I Lally is a good driver, but he came to stock cars late in life and was driving junk. Lally was a fabulous GT driver in his prime. I think Timmy Hill is better than most people think, but again, junk equipment. My memory of Coulter is much the same. You have to be REAL careful judging some of these people based on what they are driving. Alex Bowman is living proof of that. Even Cody Ware probably isn't as bad as we imagine, but he just makes poor decisions sometimes.

 

[racingfan7]

Kevin Conway was the real MVP with the Z-Line to JGR and then ExtenZe sponsorship, switched owner points between the 34, 37, 38 quite a few times so they could stay in the top 35 in owner points and win ROTY in 2010, then left for Robby Gordon Motorsports and that didn’t go well either I guess?