With the 2010 NASCAR season winding down, it looks as if it’s pretty
much certain that Kevin Conway is going to be the 2010 Sprint Cup Series
Rookie of the Year. After all, he’s the only rookie left competing in
the series on a regular basis. Terry Cook started off the season as
another contender for the rookie honor, but has since fallen by the
wayside, leaving Conway the lone candidate for the award. So, by
default, Conway looks to be on his way to being crowned this season’s
best newcomer.
Isn’t that kind of a hollow victory, though? Sure drivers admit to
taking wins and trophies however they can get them—hence, the old
saying, “I’d wreck my mom to win a race.” But when you’re the only
person competing for an award, should you automatically get it pretty
much by default? Should there be some kind of minimum standard that
should be met to achieve the honor?
By asking that question, I don’t mean to demean Conway or his racing
ability. But when you compare him to recent rookies of the year, does he
stack up? After all, Joey Logano won during his rookie season of 2009.
Sure, it was a rain-shortened race win. But he was in position to take
the victory when the race was called for wet weather. Some of the most
recent top rookies prior to Logano are Regan Smith (2008), Juan Pablo
Montoya (2007), Denny Hamlin (2006), Kyle Busch (2005) and Kasey Kahne
(2004). Are Conway’s stats this year comparable to the stats most of
these drivers put up during their rookie campaigns? Not really and
compared to some of them—not by a long shot.
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