The 2003 NASCAR season started out with four of the first five races going to guys with more than three full years on the tour. Since then only four of the twenty-one races were won by drivers with full-time rides in 1999 or before.
The top ten in Winston Cup points shows a similar story. Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were both rookies in 2000 and yet they have more experience in Winston Cup than third and fourth place Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson. In all over half of the current top ten in NASCAR Winston Cup points are new since you drank yourself into a 3 1/2 year coma.
So why are all the new faces on top? There are a few reasons.
The first answer is the answer to why everything in NASCAR is like it is today, money. Sponsors like young, good looking, bright drivers to associate with their products. As a result the best teams are hiring young drivers and landing the big-money sponsorship deals. Give a top tier team a big budget and a reasonably talented driver and they'll win.
This is not to take anything away from today's young drivers. They are in Winston Cup because they belong there.
The stars of today started their racing careers earlier than the legends of yesterday. Many started racing in elementary school in karts then worked their way up through the ranks on talent. Today's 20-something NASCAR Winston Cup star already has over 20 years of competitive motorsports experience under his belt.
Youth by itself is an advantage in NASCAR. Sharper reflexes, better vision, and less fear make these drivers more aggressive and ready to create a hole where there isn't one. The wisdom of age sometimes leads the older drivers to be more cautious. While it is true that you have to keep the car intact to win, you sometimes have to take a chance to see the checkers.
In general the average age of NASCAR Winston Cup drivers seems to be dropping. This trend will continue. The big money sponsors want the younger faces, and the top teams need the big sponsors. It used to be shocking to see a rookie win a race, now it is expected. It's just a matter of time now before a rookie wins the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup title.
