Rookies hold their own in the truck series

If all the 2001 rookies that have competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series throughout the 2001 season all happened to compete in a given race, they would make up a third of a 36-truck starting field. Of 12 rookies that have competed this season, four have competed in all the races so far on the 2001 schedule, Ricky Hendrick, Travis Kvapil, Matt Crafton, and Billy Bigley.

If these drivers are any indication, the future of the truck series is in excellent hands. With Travis Kvapil's win Friday night at the Silverado 350 in Texas, this year's rookie class has earned two wins on the season. Ricky Hendrick is the other rookie among this season's eight different winners and four first-time winners.

To prove the strenght of this year's rookie crop, take a look at average finishes. Among the four full-time rookies, two average top-10 finishes, with Kvapil's average finish of 7.8 and Hendrick's average finish of 8.1. Crafton averages a top-20 with an average finish of 16.2.

In addition to his win earlier this season, Hendrick also has 17 top-10s on his resume. The only driver with more top-10s to his credit this season is veteran driver Joe Ruttman. Kvapil's accomplishments aren't too shabby, either. Kvapil has scored 10 top-fives this year, including his win and three second-place finishes.

Both Kvapil and Hendrick have represented the rookie class well in 2001 by both being championship contenders in a very close points battle. Kvapil and Hendrick aren't pulling all the weight, though. On two ocassions this season, at South Boston Speedway and Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., five rookies finished on the lead lap. The newcomers will be tested again aOct. 14, as the rookies roll the dice and test their luck in the Nevada 250 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

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