Led by Cole Whitt, who currently ranks second in NASCAR Camping World Truck standings, this year’s Sunoco Rookie of the Year class shapes up as one of the strongest top-to-bottom in series history. Five drivers – Whitt, Kligerman, Miguel Paludo, Nelson Piquet Jr. and Joey Coulter – have posted at least one top-five finish in the first nine races.
• Kligerman became the latest to claim a top five, at Texas Motor Speedway.
• Coulter was fifth in Texas, to match his series-best finish scored the previous week at Kansas Speedway.
• Three Sunoco rookie contenders rank in the top 10 overall after nine races: Whitt (second), Kligerman (eighth) and Coulter (ninth). Whitt is the rookie points leader by 22 over Coulter.
The number of rookies with a top-five finish compares with arguably the top freshman class in series history. In 1997 five rookies scoring at least one top-five finish ranked among the final series top 20. Rookie of the Year Kenny Irwin and Tony Raines each won races during their rookie season. The other three contenders – Stacy Compton, Rick Crawford and Boris Said – later became series winners.
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