Last year Spade Racing took a look at the six drivers competing for Rookie of the Year. This year we continue to look at that vaunted class (sans John Hunter Nemechek and Brennan Poole) as they strive to establish themselves while avoiding the “sophomore slump”. Returning for 2021 is the PRETTY grade: Performance Relative to Equating Team’s Typical Year (its pretty much how well each driver is doing considering their equipment). Here’s how things look going into Las Vegas:
1. Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing). Best finish: 1st (Daytona Road Course). PRETTY grade: A-. C.Bell retains his slot at the top of the Sophomore Rankings on the back of three top-ten finishes to start the year. Kind to think of it, how do people decide when to separate top-fives from top-tens? Does “He had seven top-tens this year” sound more impressive than “He had two top-fives and five top-tens?” And couldn’t you just say “He had two top-fives and seven top-tens” in that scenario and technically be correct? Why no, I don’t have a girlfriend—how’d you guess?
2. Tyler Reddick (Richard Childress Racing). Best finish: 2nd (Homestead). PRETTY grade: B-. Tyler Reddick swaps spots with Cole Custer on the back of a better best finish and last week’s top-ten finish. Here’s hoping that its just a temporary dip in performance for RCR and not a return to mediocrity (aka “pulling a Roush”).
3. Cole Custer (Stewart Haas Racing). Best finish: 11th (Daytona). PRETTY grade: B-. Its never a good sign when a driver for what is ostensibly a top-flight team doesn’t have a top-ten finish by early-April. But its been a tough start of the year for Harvick, Briscoe, and that guy who really hates Brian Scott.
4. Quin Houff (StarCom Racing). Best finish: 25th (Bristol Dirt). PRETTY grade: D-. He’s the second-worst full-time driver in the points standings, he rarely challenges for the lead lap, and his team doesn’t show any signs of improvement. On the plus side he DOES have seven top-forty finishes.