May 17, 2006

By Rebecca Gladden

Rebecca Gladden

Denny Hamlin

Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Jeremy Mayfield -- some of the most successful NASCAR drivers in 2005.

But 11 races into the 2006 season, they are all being outpaced by a talented young newcomer, rookie sensation Denny Hamlin.

NASCAR's unprecedented growth in recent years is due in part to its "young guns" - attractive, skilled newcomers who reinvigorate the sport and attract new fans with their youthful exuberance. Today a majority of rookie drivers are placed in competitive rides right out of the gate, circumventing the 'paying-your-dues' requirement of days gone by.

Prior to the start of the current season, pundits were predicting an even more impressive freshman field than in the past few years, and so far the rookies have lived up to billing.

25-year-old rookie Denny Hamlin is 13th in driver points after Darlington, placing him ahead of the above-mentioned drivers, all of whom were contenders for the Cup title during last season's "Chase for the Championship." Kurt Busch is a previous Cup champion, having taken the series' top prize in 2004.

Hamlin is competing in his first full season of NEXTEL Cup racing. He was tapped by current team owner Joe Gibbs to take over the No. 11 Fed Ex car at the end of the 2005 season, simultaneously completing his first full season in the Busch series. Hamlin finished 5th in Busch points last year while making his mark in the Cup series, notching three top-10's and one pole in just seven starts.

Picking up where he left off, Hamlin started the 2006 season with a bang, winning the Bud Shootout in early February. He held off Cup regulars Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the victory and in so doing, became the first rookie driver in history to win the Shootout - a non-points race among drivers who either won a pole in the prior season or were previous Shootout winners.

Though winless thus far in 2006 points-paying races, Hamlin is presently the highest ranked among a talented rookie class. He is also among the top-ranked drivers in a number of other statistics, including:

• Top-10 finishes: Four top-10's ties Hamlin with Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman at 5th.

• Laps Led: Ranked 9th with 77 laps lead, placing him ahead of Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch and Carl Edwards.

• Average Start: Currently 12th with an average starting spot of 15.9.

• Average Finish: Currently 13th with an average finish of 18.7.

• In addition, Hamlin is competing full-time in the Busch series again this year. He ranks 3rd in Busch points with two wins, eight top-10's, and three poles.

1.   Denny Hamlin        119
2.   Clint Bowyer        110
3.   J.J. Yeley           96
4.   Martin Truex Jr.     96
5.   Reed Sorenson        93
6.   David Stremme        77
7.   Brent Sherman        39

Hamlin will be one of the hot young drivers to watch as we head into a hot summer of NASCAR racing.

The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN. Although we may not always agree with what is said, we do feel it's our duty to give a voice to those who have something relevant to say about the sport of auto racing.