An overarching industry initiative to spotlight NASCAR's rising stars before they reach the sport’s top levels, the NASCAR Next program (#NASCARNext) has helped identify some of the sport’s top young talent.
“This program has made great strides in a short time,” said Jill Gregory, NASCAR vice president, industry services. “The evolution of NASCAR Next builds on that success with the influx of young, talented drivers continuing throughout all of NASCAR’s racing series. This program provides a platform to help foster their growth within our sport, and introduce these young and talented drivers to NASCAR fans who will likely be hearing more about them in years to come.”Now in its fifth season, the career résumé of NASCAR Next alumni is impressive, highlighted by Chase Elliott’s 2014 NASCAR XFINITY Series championship, Kyle Larson’s 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award, and Cole Custer’s September 2014 win at New Hampshire in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, making him the youngest winner in NASCAR national series history.
Of the 28 drivers previously selected for the program, 21 have raced in one of NASCAR’s three national series (NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), and 11 are competing full-time there in 2015.
The team was assembled through a thorough process that included separate nominating and voting panels. Drivers must be between the ages of 15-25, have tangible and expressed goals in eventual competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and possess the skillset to realize that goal.
Additionally, each driver in NASCAR Next must be actively competing in a NASCAR touring or weekly series – NASCAR K&N Pro Series East or West, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Euro Series or NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitors also are eligible providing they are in the first full-time season in their respective series.
2015: NASCAR’s Future is Bright … and Young | 2014: Who’s Next? Most Likely One Of These | 2013: Sport’s Young Rising Stars Spotlighted | 2012: NASCAR's Next Generation Of Stars Are On Deck | 2011: Another Wave of Stars Are Knocking At The Door
The 2015-16 NASCAR Next class consists of Rico Abreu, Nicole Behar, Kyle Benjamin, James Bickford, William Byron, Cole Custer, Ruben Garcia Jr., Austin Hill, Jesse Little, Dylan Lupton, John Hunter Nemechek and Dalton Sargeant. Source NASCAR Home Tracks Marketing
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