The Associated Press
AVONDALE, Arizona 鈥� The NASCAR kids keep coming on strong. Five of the highest-starting eight drivers in NASCAR鈥檚 lineup for its Monster Energy Series race today are 26 or younger.
Ryan Blaney, starting next to pole-sitter and teammate Joey Logano on the front row, is 23. Kyle Larson, 24, starts in the second row.
Blaney finished second in this year鈥檚 Daytona 500; Larson won at Michigan last year and finished second in the last two Cup races.
The age keeps dropping down the grid, and the fourth row consists of Chase Elliott, who is finally old enough to drink, and Erik Jones, who doesn鈥檛 turn 21 until the end of May. Elliott was third last week in Las Vegas and won a pre-season qualifying race at Daytona.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of talent out there,鈥� said Martin Truex Jr., winner last week in Las Vegas. 鈥淲e鈥檝e seen what the young guys are doing. They鈥檙e nipping at our heels and making me feel old.鈥�
Also in the field is rookie Ty Dillon (24) and Trevor Bayne, who six years ago became the youngest winner of the Daytona 500 one day after his 20th birthday. He鈥檚 26 now and practically a Cup veteran.
Of course, pole-sitter Logano is no old-timer at 26, but he鈥檚 well established as one of the circuit鈥檚 stars. He has 17 NASCAR wins, including last year鈥檚 November race in Phoenix.
He came to Phoenix embroiled in controversy after hard-racing with Kyle Busch last week led to a scuffle on pit road. But Logano isn鈥檛 considered part of this group of fresh new NASCAR stars, among them Larson, who keeps flirting with another win.
鈥淚t would be nice to get a win and we have challenged now for most of, the last probably five, races,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really cool to run up front. I鈥檝e never had this speed this early in the year. I鈥檓 soaking it all in and enjoying it.鈥�
Truex said today鈥檚 young drivers are helped by the co-operation between teams in the same ownership group or part of an alliance. Truex and his Furniture Row Racing group benefit as the sister team to Joe Gibbs Racing. The deep resources and sharing practices differ greatly from when he started his career driving for Dale Earnhardt.
鈥淲hen I started, we had two cars at DEI and it was two different teams and two different buildings and not sharing everything,鈥� he said.
鈥淪o things have changed a lot, and I think it鈥檚 helped those guys a ton get off the ground, but obviously we鈥檝e seen a ton of talent come into the series.鈥�
Blaney drives a Ford for Wood Brothers Racing, but the team is essentially a B Team for Roger Penske, who has Logano and Brad Keselowski starring for Team Penske.
鈥淭hey have been really good to us as far as sharing information,鈥� Blaney said.
