Tuesday, July 8, 2008

NO TROPHY NECESSARY


Just how bad are this year's crop of NASCAR rookies? Regan "Freaking" Smith is the leader at the halfway point in Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings.

Let me repeat that: Regan Smith, driver of the #01 DEI Chevy, is the "best" rookie thus far in 2008. Sam Hornish Jr., who spins so often he rubber-necks his own wrecks anymore, is second in the standings.

Second!!!

Anyway, here are the complete standings:

ROOKIEPOINTS
Regan Smith
167
Sam Hornish Jr.
160
Patrick Carpentier
140
Michael McDowell
119
Dario Franchitti
97

In all fairness, Patrick Carpentier has been the best rookie of the year by far. Unfortunately, he started his inaugural NASCAR campaign in a car outside of the top-35 in points and has failed to qualify for three races in '08. The good news for Carpentier fans is that after falling as low as 48th in the points (following the first Daytona race) and as many as 297 points out of 35th (following the Atlanta race), the likable Canuck has scratched and crawled his way into 37th, 163 points out of a guaranteed spot in the starting grid.

Smith, by comparison, has started in 17 of the 18 races, while Hornish Jr. has crashed... spun... wrecked... started all races on the schedule.


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