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The perception is that the young'uns have taken over NASCAR Winston Cup racing, creating some resentment, expressed or quietly felt, by the Old Guard. It is true that a splendid crop of twentysomethings has grabbed more than its usual share of the spotlight, on and off the racetrack. Regardless of the perception, the truth is that the over-40 crowd is not ready for rocking chairs, or to be snubbed.
Expectations It is a matter of expectations. Much more is expected from drivers who win most of the races and championships than from the youngsters, especially the rookies. That's simply common logic. When the so-called "Young Guns" intrude on the establishment, far exceeding expectations as they did last year and the first half of this season, it's a big deal with the media.
The Young Guns, particularly rookies Jimmie Johnson (26), Ryan Newman (24), and sophomore Kurt Busch (23), are full of vinegar, immensely talented, aggressive, fearless, sometimes rambunctious, and brutally honest. They're awed but not intimidated by racing their childhood heroes.
Johnson and his first-year Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team, owned by Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon (age 31) and led by Chad Knaus, were amazing in their first half-season. Johnson won twice, might have won two others, posted four Top-5 and 11 Top-10 finishes, and ranked third in points after the first 17 races. The California native was on a pace to eclipse Tony Stewart's record-shattering rookie season of 1999, in which he won three times.
Newman, driving a Penske Ford to victory in the prestigious The Winston all-star race, and Busch, contributing to the resurgence of Jack Roush's Ford teams with his first Winston Cup triumph at Bristol, were outstanding during the first half, though they lacked Johnson's consistency.
The Young Guns were so visible in the early races that it seemed one or more was running in the Top 5 all the time. At least one twentysomething-four at Darlington-finished in the Top 5 in all but three of the first 17 points races. So it seemed. Drivers in their 40s and 30s appeared in the Top 5 in all but one race. Of the possible 85 Top-5 places in the first 17 outings, twentysomethings earned 23, but the 40s crowd took 28 and those in their 30s had 34.
Including Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s victory at Talladega, the 20s crowd won four races, two less than the 40s class. Historically the age group that wins the most races, the 30s won seven, given the edge by 39-year-old Michael Waltrip's victory in the Pepsi 400. Matt Kenseth, age 30, led the series with three victories, Stewart, 31, had two, and Bobby Labonte, 38, the other.
Excluding Sterling Marlin, 45, who won two of the first five races with a 4.2 average finish and led the points standings for 16 races, the oldest guys started slowly, opening the door for the intrusion by the kids. Other than Marlin and Daytona 500 champion Ward Burton, 40, another 40-plus driver didn't win until Mark Martin, 43, in the Coke 600 at Charlotte, the 12th race. Dale Jarrett, 45, needed 14 races to win, teammate Ricky Rudd, 46 in September, needed 16.
Today's yearlings are winning younger and quicker than did most of their elders. For instance, Terry Labonte, 45, won his first Winston Cup race at age 23 in his 59th start, but Marlin was 36 years old in his 279th start (see chart). Dale Earnhardt won in 16 starts at age 27. Harvick won his third start, Earnhardt Jr. his 12th at 25, and Johnson his 13th.
Reasons For Disparity There are reasons for that disparity. Manufacturers, racing officials, and leading car owners scout and recruit drivers at an early age and develop them in NASCAR and other minor leagues. The trend toward youth probably began with Jeff Gordon. Nurtured but left unprotected by Ford Motor Co., Gordon was nabbed by Chevrolet owner Rick Hendrick in 1992. Everybody, certainly car owners, knows what Gordon did.
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