2022 Cup Rookie Class After 16 Races

By: Thomas Luttermoser Image Via Lionel Racing Twitter

2022's Rookie season started of on the highest of high notes. (I would know, I was there) Rookie drivers Todd Gilliland in Front Row Motorsports 38 Ford Mustang, Harrison Burton in the legendary Wood Brothers #21 Mustang and 2020 Xfinity Series Champion (I was there as well) Austin Cindric in the also legendary Team Penske #2 Mustang all made their Cup Series debut this February.

It was a fairly eventful race for the rookie class starting early with a backstretch flip for Burton in the 21 Mustang on lap 62. Todd Gilliland finished Stage 1 in 3rd, scoring 8 points and 1 stage point in Stage 2 finishing 10th before being collected in a Lap 190 wreck. That left just 1 rookie remaining for any hope of a decent finish. No Rookie of the Year competitor had ever won the Daytona 500 before. The closest thing was young Trevor Bayne winning the 57th running of the Great American Race in his part time season for a part time Wood Brothers Racing in only his second ever career start in the NASCAR Cup Series way back in 2011. "Happy Birthday Trevor Bayne 20 years old!" still rings in my head as Darrell Waltrip called that finish. 

This passed February Austin Cindric came off of THE closest Xfinity Series Title fight since the implementation of the playoff system. Dead heat tied, last lap fight for the Regular season championship at Bristol with a door slamming finish across the line with AJ Allmendinger, he fell just a couple feet short of AJ after diving out of Turn 4. In Phoenix, coming to the fish line Daniel Hemric made a desperate last second maneuver to get the lead and, in-turn... the title, from Cindric... and he did. Austin Cindric then came to the hallowed ground at Daytona, scored 5 stage points in Stage 1,  led  21 laps.. and became the first rookie in NASCAR history to win the Daytona 500.

Now that we are 10 races away from the Playoffs heading into a rare off weekend, Austin Cindric still mightily commands the lead for Rookie of the Year with his win locking him into the Playoffs. Austin is 18th in the points and the 14th seed Playoff driver as of Sonoma. 10 positions and 121 points behind him rests Harrison Burton in 28th and just one spot & 2 points back is Gilliland in 29th.

Gilliland scored 9 Stage points in the Daytona 500 only to score 5 additional points in the following races adding up to 14 total. Harrison Burton has scored 18 stage points all season and are both near the bottom of he list of stage points collectors. They both have 3 DNFs and 0 stage wins while Cindric has 1 Stage win, 5 total Playoff Points and 36 Stage points. 

Standings for ROTY

1. Asutin Cindric         362 Points    1 Wins  2 Top-5s  3 Top-10s
2. Harrison Burton     241 Points     0 Wins  0 Top-5s  0 Top-10s   -121 Points
3. Todd Gilliland         239 Points    0 Wins  0 Top-5s  0 Top-10s   -123 Points

This run for ROTY is not a close one, but we are still having fun! Are you?