2014 Season Rookie Report
Week 5
By Richard Tix
NASCAR Behind the Wall took a preseason and post Daytona 500 race look at the 2014 Rookie class. I have been waiting to let the rookies settle in a bit before taking another look at how there season is going. Well, after the results of Auto Club Speedway and how a few drivers finished I thought their is now better time then now to take a look back at them.
#3 Austin Dillon
Dillon sits 9th in overall points so far in the 2014 season, yet he still has yet to blow anyone away with his performance. However, most races he has stayed out of trouble and sat back and learned. He hasn't been over aggressive and that approach has faired well for him. He has back to back 11th place finishes and has finished top 16 in all but one race (Phoenix 24th).
#42 Kyle Larson
Perfect timing for the rookie report for Kyle, as he just came off an exciting 2nd place finish at Auto Club Speedway. Larson battled Kyle Busch once again on the last lap but came up just short of the win. The more important stat, Larson has come away with a better finish in each of his races as the previous one (38th, 20, 19, 10, and 2nd). From the start he hasn't been as consistent as Dillon, but he has shown that flash of brilliance.
#51 Justin Allgaier
We go from Larson who is 16th in overall standings all the way down to 29th to find the next rookie, Allgaier. So far Bristol seems to have been his best race of the season, finishing 17th and running 25 laps in the top 15. He also had a positive pass differential of +10 on the day/night.
#7 Michael Annett
Just two spots down, 31st, we find the next rookie Annett. Michael is coming off his best finish of the season at Auto Club (19th place finish) after finishing a season best 26th the week before at Bristol. He still only managed to get up to 16th position, but he did have 128 green flag passes. He seems to be taking small steps in the right direction.
#26 Cole Whitt
Auto Club Speedway was overall friendly to the rookie class as Cole Whitt also is coming off his best finish of the season. Was this due to the conservative nature of the rookies set ups? Who knows, but fact is Cole Whitt finished 18th (his first top 20 finish). At one point he made it all the way up to 13th (1 lap) which is his highest of the season other than Daytona.
#23 Alex Bowman
Once again, another rookie having a career high best finish at Auto Club Speedway, Bowman finished the day 22nd after starting 40th. Alex's only race so far in 2014 that has yeilded a positive pass differential was Bristol with +11.
#30 Parker Kligerman
Bad luck has followed this kid around, or is it Parker? Either way you look at it he hasn't had a smooth rookie season so far. In 5 races he has only finished better than 40th two times. Its only up from here right?
Past Rookie Reports:
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