2014 Rookie of the Year: A Look at the Eight Contenders

Austin Dillon: Collecting championships in both the Camping World Truck Series (2011) and the Nationwide Series (2013), Austin Dillon is used to making headlines. The grandson of racing icon Richard Childress, Dillon has had to work his way up through the NASCAR ranks and will be one of the big-name Rookies in 2014. He kicked off his 2014 campaign by announcing that he would be bringing back the famed No.3 to the Sprint Cup Series, something that hasn’t happened since Dale Earnhardt’s death at the 2001 Daytona 500. He proved to be fast in the No.3 by topping the charts during preseason thunder at Daytona in early January. Can he follow that up with a fast car during Speedweeks? We will have to see but one thing is for certain, Dillon will be on Rookie making headlines multiple times this season.

Jan 28, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Austin Dillon (3) addresses the media during the Sprint Media Tour at the Charlotte Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports