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Best 9 of '09: Best Rookies
9th - Terry Evans/Myrtle Beach
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Terry Evans moved up this season from the Mini Stock division at Myrtle Beach Speedway, where he was a strong competitor week-in and week-out and while he had a good run in the Late Model Stock Cars this season, it proved to be a big test. Evans did a good job and was solid as a rookie on the tough old track despite being thrown into a high profile ride driving for NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver, Chad McCumbee. Evans is sure to take what he learned this past season and turn it into a great opportunity to make a trip to victory lane.
8th -Nick Cole/Lonesome Pine
Nick Cole was another driver moving up from the Mini Stock division after several years of competing at Lonesome Pine, Motor Mile and even on the dirt at Wythe Raceway. This season he turned up the wick on his racing career as he piloted his now familiar #63 Chevron sponsored car on the 3/8 mile, Lonesome Pine Raceway. Cole took home the Rookie of the Year award at the Coeburn, VA track and had a good run in the big Limited Late Model race at Martinsville Speedway to cap off a great season with eight cylinders instead of four.
7th - Jordan Pennington/Motor Mile
Moving into the Late Model Stock Car world from the USAC Ford Focus Midget Series, Jordan Pennington got his season started off slowly, but by the end of the season was a top ten competitor at Motor Mile Speedway. Running and finishing in the top ten at the Radford, VA track is a tough feat given that the 4/10 mile plays host to the most competitive LMSC races among weekly tracks. After a late season move to FDJ Motorsports, Pennington began to perform turning in back to back top tens qucikly and picking up the track's Rookie of the Year award.
6th - Michael Rouse/UARA-STARS
If you're going to be a rookie in any form of Late Model Stock Car racing, the UARA-STARS Series would be at the peak of the challenge. Michael Rouse didn't blow anyone away with his performances, but with an underfunded family operated team the young driver proved he could wheel these big heavy Late Model Stock Cars. Rouse accumulated four top tens in just 12 starts and finished second in the Rookie of the Year battle to a much better funded, Brennan Poole. Rouse could be a formidable challenger in 2010 with the experience gained.
5th - Cole Miktuk/Hickory
Cole Miktuk was one of the top Late Model Truck drivers at Caraway Speedway in past seasons, known as the "Race Kid", his move to Late Model Stock Cars was successful too despite not picking up a win after running the majority of the 2009 season at Hickory Motor Speedway. Miktuk nearly pulled off a victory during the August 1st race as he battled with eventual winner, Jesse LeFevers and eventual champion and 14-time winner, Andy Mercer until the final lap when LeFevers pulled away. Despite not running all the races this season he still finished fourth in points on the historic track.
4th - Bruce Anderson/South Boston
Moving up from the Limited Late Models at South Boston, where he was as strong of a competitor as there's ever been, Bruce Anderson put his family owned team to the test and came away with a victory on the tough track despite not competing in all the races. Anderson, who's name has become known around the region for his Limited racing prowess, where he won two division track championships is now slowly becoming a force in the Late Model Stock Car community and his win in August proved he may be one of the guys to beat in LMSC more often in 2010.
3rd - Lee Pulliam/South Boston
Lee Pulliam was able to beat out, Bruce Anderson for the Limited Late Model championship at South Boston in 2008 and in 2009 running in Late Model Stock Cars, he was able to get to victory lane before his rival in the feature division. Pulliam couldn't have picked a better time for his first victory either as the eyes of larger series were upon the South Boston, VA track as they also played host to the NASCAR Camping World East Series. May 30th will certainly be a date etched into Pulliams memory for a long, long time.
2nd - Brennan Poole/UARA-STARS
Winning a race in your rookie season in a Late Model Stock Car is a huge feat as several of these "Best 9 Rookies" were able to accomplish that feat. For Brennan Poole, who won a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race at Tri-County on May 8th, it wasn't the win that set him apart, it was the performance of a lifetime on LMSC Racing's greatest stage. At Martinsville in the Bailey's 300, LMSC racing's biggest event, Poole led laps in the second half of the race after qualifying in the top ten and then nearly pulled off the win late only to finish third, the best finish ever by a "true" rookie. Poole also won the UARA-STARS Series Rookie of the Year with two top five finishes.
1st - Dexter Canipe, Jr./Hickory
If winning a race as rookie is a huge accomplishment then winning nine races at two different tracks, finishing second in a single UARA-STARS race, winning the rookie of the year at one track and a track championship would be almost unheard of. Dexter Canipe, Jr. proved that all of that could be accomplished as he did each one of the them winning seven races at Tri-County, two at Hickory, finishing second in a lone UARA start at Hickory, the Rookie of the Year at Hickory and claiming the Tri-County Motor Speedway track championship. Canipe showed how well years of Limited Late Model experience can prepare you for a full-time Late Model Stock Car ride with a good team.
