NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year Standings: Who’s Who?
What’s Happening? The Rookie of the Year battle is one of the best battles throughout the NASCAR season. The award, given…
NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers were granted a short break these past two weekends but return to action on Saturday. One of the major storylines to follow this season is the ultra-competitive Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year battle. So, which rookies are trending up, and which rookies have some work to do as we exit the All-Star Break?
It’s been a tough start to William Sawalich’s NASCAR National Series career. Despite all the hype that surrounded him in ARCA, Sawalich is floundering at the Xfinity Series level. This performance is so bad that some are questioning if he should have had more time in the Truck Series before taking such a bold step.
His low-light stats include a mere two top tens and only five lead-lap finishes through the first 12 races of the season. To add salt to that wound, through the same number of races in the No. 18 during the 2024 season, Sheldon Creed had four top-fives and seven top tens. Sawalich has shown signs of the driver most expected him to be; however, that has yet to be seen when it counts.
Not far off from Sawalich is his fellow Toyota teammate Dean Thompson. Thompson’s promotion to the Xfinity Series this past offseason raised eyebrows, as Thompson, who was teammates with Corey Heim at Tricon Garage, had finished no better than third (twice) in his Truck Series career. Regardless, Thompson has not had a terrible season, as he currently sits above two drivers in Rookie of the Year standings.
So far, Thompson is running at about or near where most expected him to in Sam Hunt Racing’s only full-time entry. Most of the time, Thompson finds himself sputtering around tenth to 20th, but, shockingly, he has been more consistent than Sawalich, earning him one spot above No. 18. The No. 26 team is far from a winning car this season; however, Thompson may be exceeding expectations in his rookie year.
What’s Happening? The Rookie of the Year battle is one of the best battles throughout the NASCAR season. The award, given…
One of the biggest surprises this Xfinity Series season is Christian Eckes, who was coming off one of the greatest Craftsman Truck Series seasons ever. Eckes, who signed with Kaulig Racing this past offseason, was once thought to be one of the best prospects entering 2025. Now, he is struggling in what was once a top ride. Eckes and his No. 16 team currently sit 18th in points, with a best finish of fifth at COTA in March.
The issue with Eckes this season can be chalked up to bad or even unlucky race day performance, as the No. 16 qualifies inside the top-15 a majority of the time. However, it took Eckes a few seasons to adjust to the Truck Series, and we all know how that panned out. This No. 16 squad won a race and made the Championship Four with A.J. Allmendinger in 2024, and with Eckes’ talents, they may find their groove as the season goes on.
What’s Happening? The 2025 NASCAR season is closer than ever, and most driver rosters for 2025 are complete. This allows us…
Nick Sanchez turned his breakout 2024 season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series into a full-time ride with Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine Racing. Though this team has never won in the Xfinity Series, it came close several times with now part-time veteran Parker Kligerman. While this season has been hit or miss, Sanchez has made strides for improvement, though he remains inconsistent.
So far this season, Sanchez has one top-five and four top-ten finishes, with a best finish of fifth from Atlanta this spring. The former ARCA Menards Series champion is in the midst of a cold streak, as Sanchez has finished no higher than 15th from Bristol to Texas. While Sanchez could win a race, entering this next stretch of the season, finding consistency will be key for the No. 48 team.
Overall, most fans would probably say Taylor Gray’s 2025 season has exceeded expectations, with the Rookie holding his own among series veterans and this talented rookie class. He currently sits 14th in points, good for fourth in Rookie of the Year standings, and has already flirted with winning this season, coming up oh so short at Martinsville (thanks to Sammy Smith).
Some solid runs have sandwiched the first 12 races of Gray’s inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series season, with good numbers to start the year, followed by some forgettable moments, wrapped up with a return to form as of late. His stats include an impressive 7.3 average starting spot, which is third best among full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers. But despite his best efforts, much like his time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, he has yet to find a win.
If Eckes is a disappointment, then his Kaulig Racing teammate Daniel Dye has been a pleasant surprise. When Kaulig paired Eckes in Dye, it felt like a mismatch; on one end, you had Eckes, a nine-time Craftsman Truck Series winner, and on the other, Dye, who qualified for his first playoffs just this past season. Nonetheless, the No. 10 car has had a solid year with the freshman Xfinity Series driver, turning heads as he leads the charge for Kaulig.
Whether it’s luck or just sheer determination, Dye has continually outperformed his Kaulig Racing teammates, Eckes and Josh Williams. Dye has a 14.1 average finish compared to Eckes’ 20.1, and he is one of a few full-time Xfinity Series drivers who has shown improvement when comparing his average start to his average finish. His 13th-place spot in the standings may be a Surprise, but for Kaulig Racing, it surely is a pleasant one.
Carson Kvapil finds himself under the microscope in the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. The second-generation racer is making the jump, not from full-time Truck Series action, but full-time CARS Tour competition, a series in which he is a former Super Late Model division champion and a two-time Late Model Stock division champion. Most felt that, entering this season, Kvapil had a lot to prove, and so far, he has answered the call.
Through 12 races, Kvapil currently leads the rookie of the year standings and has two top-fives and four top-tens. While he is struggling to find consistent runs, the short track ace looks to be adjusting to his new series with ease, as he has put together good showings on intermediate tracks and at Circuit of the Americas back in March.
Perhaps the main reason Kvapil is the leader in the Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year standings is that his JR Motorsports teammate, Connor Zilisch, has a knack for finding bad luck. Seven times this season, the road course specialist has started inside the top ten, but he only has three top tens. While the No. 88 team is fast, race day often gets the better of Zillisch, be that his fault or someone else’s.
For reference, of the six races that Zilisch has led multiple laps, he has one win, one top five, and one top ten. While many questioned what his performance would look like on Ovals, Zillisch has shown to have winning speed on almost every type of track NASCAR goes to. With his one win and second-place position in Rookie of the Year standings (despite missing a race due to injury), Zillisch looks like the class of the rookie field, though he would likely want to see better race day results as the season marches forward.
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