NASCAR Xfinity Series: Meet the 2021 rookie class

Five drivers have declared for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year candidacy. Who are these newcomers to the series?

The 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season is scheduled to begin this Saturday, February 13 at Daytona International Speedway. All full-time drivers will be vying over 26 races for 12 playoff berths.

Then, those 12 drivers will battle it out for seven races over three rounds to become the 2021 champion on Saturday, November 6 at Phoenix Raceway. But there is another honor to claim: Rookie of the Year.

Last year, Harrison Burton won the Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year award on the strength of his four victories and eighth place finish in the championship standings. This year, five drivers have declared their candidacy for the Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year award. Those five drivers are Jordan Anderson, Josh Berry, Ty Gibbs, Sam Mayer and Ryan Vargas.

Let’s meet these five newcomers to the Xfinity Series.

2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series rookies: Jordan Anderson

After making 124 Truck Series starts, Anderson is ready to move both himself and his team, Jordan Anderson Racing, up to the Xfinity Series full-time. Anderson is slated to drive the #31 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series this year.

Anderson already has 13 Xfinity Series starts, most recently seven in 2017. Jordan Anderson Racing will still field their #3 Chevrolet in the Truck Series, with Anderson running the season opener at Daytona International Speedway and other drivers driving the truck as well throughout the season. The organization has definitely grown over the years.

Anderson enters his rookie Xfinity Series season after continual improvement in his Truck Series career. Last year, he finished in second place in a photo finish in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. It was one of his career-tying two top 10 finishes of the season.

Anderson knows it will take work as he begins a new chapter for both himself as a driver as well as his team. He told NBC Sports the following.

"“We ran (the Truck program) lean and we grew a little bit each year, and that’s our same approach with our Xfinity program as well. I think as we build our notebook and build our sim data for here in the shop – all of those things we’re really trying to focus and build on – I think that consistency is going to play a key role in us getting better as a team and growing as an organization.”"

All four of Anderson’s top 10 finishes in the Truck Series have come at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. Nevertheless, he is confident in his decision and excited for his team as a whole.