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2022 NASCAR Cup Series Top 50 Prospects

This list is based primarily, though not exclusively, on my stats-based prospect model, which predicts each driver’s peak seasonal Top-10 total through age-30. Of course, the stats can’t tell you everything about a drivers’ potential, which is why the drivers are not ranked strictly by sorting the projections. Other factors considered include drivers’ background and demonstrated skills that have not (yet) translated into good finishes. While imperfect, this model takes an objective approach to driver valuation, which can be useful in identifying prospects that might otherwise go overlooked.

It is also worth noting that the model attempts to answer, “How much success will this driver have in Cup?” That is not quite the same question as “How much success would this driver have in Cup assuming equal opportunity among drivers?” Driver development in NASCAR is far from a meritocracy, as many drivers receive opportunities based on factors unrelated to their on-track talent. The projections implicitly favor drivers who have received opportunities, which is one reason why they should be taken with a grain of salt.

Like the prospect models I have cited in the past at Motorsports Analytics, this iteration considers age, series raced in, performance, equipment, and number of races run. For each driver, the model spits out a peak Top-10 projection. However, this number isn’t so much a prediction. Rather, think of it is an average of many possible outcomes. To help illustrate this, I have included a table containing each driver’s odds of eclipsing both 1 Top-10 (Cup regular) and 22 Top-10s (championship contender).

A few guidelines before we get into the prospects:

· The driver’s age for the majority of the calendar year (the “age” noted in each capsule) matters. I’d expect Noah Gragson to outdrive Jesse Love right now; however, Gragson is six years older, lending much less wiggle room for growth in the instance he isn’t an instant top producer in the Cup Series.

· If a driver already has 10 starts at the Cup Series level, they are no longer considered a prospect. This criterion rules out good young drivers who might still be considered for Cup rides, like John Hunter Nemechek and Gray Gaulding. Additionally, if a driver has declared an intention to compete full-time in the Cup Series in 2022, they aren’t eligible, which excludes Austin Cindric, Justin Haley, Harrison Burton, and Todd Gilliland.

· No drivers born prior to 1995 were considered. Thus, you won’t see Austin Hill, Brandon Brown, Ryan Sieg, or Grant Enfinger ranked.

· Only drivers who have run at least four races in either Xfinity, Trucks, or ARCA were considered. This excludes many talented drivers who have succeeded in a wide variety of racing disciplines, including USAC Midgets, Late Models, and sim racing. The exclusion of these drivers is in no way a commentary on their talent; rather, it is an acknowledgement of my inability to evaluate it.

1. Ty Gibbs

Age 19 | Xfinity | Peak Top-10 Projection: 22.0

Gibbs looked like an exciting prospect this time last year, but he really upped his game in 2021. He dominated the ARCA competition by winning half of the series’ races and the championship. Even more impressively, he consistently ran up front in a partial Xfinity schedule, unexpectedly logging four wins.

Still just 19, he’ll compete for the Xfinity title this year and might be the favorite to win it. Gibbs will race in the Cup Series someday soon — and not just due of his last name. He’s a legitimate phenom who has a very real chance of winning dozens of races and multiple championships at the Cup level.


2. Sam Mayer

Age 19 | Xfinity | Peak Top-10 Projection: 21.5

This time last year, I ranked Mayer as NASCAR’s top prospect, saying: “He may struggle to consistently post good finishes early on, as he did in last year’s Truck Series foray. But Mayer’s 2021 will be about growth rather than proficiency.”

Mayer struggled pretty badly upon taking over the JRM №8 in June. He DNF’d 6 times in his first 13 races, recording an average finish of 24.2. He finished the season on a high note, however, posting an average finish of 9.6 over his final five races.

Mayer is very competitive on short tracks. He showed top-5 ability at both Bristol and Martinsville last year and has won at the former in the Truck Series. He needs to hone his craft on the bigger tracks, but he has plenty of time to do so as an 18-year-old. Once again, Mayer’s season will be more about growth than proficiency. But don’t be surprised if he’s competing for wins every week once the playoffs roll around.


3. Jesse Love

Age 17 | ARCA | Peak Top-10 Projection: 20.4

Love put on quite a show as a 16-year-old. Not only did he repeat as the ARCA West champ, but he also put on a strong in the national ARCA Series. He capped it off by out-wheeling Ty Gibbs to win the season finale at Salem.

Love just turned 17, making him too young to run a full ARCA schedule. However, he will run 14 races in the Venturini Motorsports №20. Look for him to pick up where he left off last season by winning multiple races. If all goes well, he should find himself in a top Truck Series seat in 2023.


4. Taylor Gray

Age 17 | ARCA | Peak Top-10 Projection: 18.2

Gray’s 2021 campaign was derailed by a serious street accident in April. However, he returned to action in July (at my hometown Elko Speedway), seemingly without skipping a beat. For the second consecutive year, he was very competitive in the ARCA ranks, scoring two victories in ARCA West and eight top-5s in the national series. While impressive, it isn’t Gray’s performance that places him so high on this list — it’s his age. Gray won’t turn 17 until March 25th, yet he’s already established himself on the lower rungs of the developmental ladder.

For as much promise as Gray has shown, he still has a lot to prove. His overly aggressive driving style has ruffled some feathers, but he’s still plenty young enough to eventually mature into a Cup driver. His father also recently bought into David Gilliland Racing, which ensures Gray will receive plenty of opportunity to develop. He should compete for wins in the ARCA ranks this season and will also run several races in the DGR №17 truck.

5. Corey Heim

Age 19 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 16.9

Heim was somewhat overshadowed by Ty Gibbs’ utter dominance in ARCA, but he put on an exceptionally strong showing of his own in 2021. Removing Gibbs’ stats from the picture, Heim won 60% of the remaining races and led 43% of the laps. In fact, compared to last season, Heim was the most improved driver by my model.

Still just 19, Heim will run 15 races in the №51 KBM truck in 2022. He will also run the ARCA races for which Jesse Love is ineligible. He’ll have a golden opportunity to compete for wins in elite equipment this year. If he’s able to capitalize, he could find himself on the fast track to a Cup ride.


6. Carson Hocevar

Age 19 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 12.3

Hocevar’s first full season in the Truck Series was a stellar one. Despite racing the full season as an 18-year-old in a Niece Motorsports Truck, he held his own with some of the bigger names in the series. He posted a better average finish than Zane Smith, Sheldon Creed, Stewart Friesen, and Johnny Sauter.

Hocevar was extremely consistent in his rookie campaign, as he finished all but one race. However, he rarely ran up front; he led just 42 laps and often ran outside of the top-10. The next step for him will be to parlay some of his 11th-16th place runs into top-10s — and some of his top-10s into battles for the lead. Still just 19, he has plenty of time to do so.


7. Chandler Smith

Age 20 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 11.2

Smith’s transition to the Trucks Series has not been the smoothest, as his ARCA dominance has not carried over. Though he scored two wins last year, he was wildly inconsistent, especially outside of short tracks. However, as with Sam Mayer, it’s important to remember that Smith is still a teenager who is still rounding out his skill set.

Smith will be back behind the wheel of the KBM №18 in 2022, where he’ll look to improve upon last season’s mediocrity. KBM has a notoriously short leash with underperforming prospects (see Todd Gilliland, Christian Eckes, Raphael Lessard), so this could be something of a make-or-break year for young Chandler Smith.

8. Sammy Smith

Age 18 | ARCA | Peak Top-10 Projection: 10.6

Smith took the ARCA East Series by storm last year. Despite not turning 17 until mid-season, he scored three wins and a championship in the №81 Gibbs entry.

At 17 years old, Smith is too young to run the big tracks in the ARCA. But he will be racing for KBM’s newly minted program in the races for which he is eligible. I’d also expect to see him make at least a couple of Truck Series starts by season’s end. He could be in line for a full-time Truck Series ride with KBM for 2023.

9. Daniel Dye

Age 18 | ARCA | Peak Top-10 Projection: 11.0

Dye showed very well in ARCA East as a 17-year-old rookie by finishing second to Sammy Smith in the standings. He also scored a dominating victory in just his second ARCA start, besting the likes of Ty Gibbs, Corey Heim, Taylor Gray, and Jesse Love at Berlin Raceway.

Now that he’s 18, Dye will run the full 2022 ARCA schedule in GMS’s №43. A strong showing in 2022 could put Dye in line for a Truck Series ride in 2023, especially given GMS’s strong presence in the series.

10. Noah Gragson

Age 23 | Xfinity | Peak Top-10 Projection: 9.8

Gragson logged his third consecutive solid Xfinity season in 2021, scoring three wins and making a strong run at the championship. He has become infamous for his aggressive — and at times, reckless — driving style, which contributed his crashing out of six races last year.

He’ll take his fourth crack at the Xfinity level this year, while also running at least 15 Cup races between Kaulig Racing and Beard Oil Racing. Aside from cutting down on crashing, he doesn’t have too much left to prove at the Xfinity level. A strong 2022 could earn him a full-time Cup ride in 2023. He may not have the upside of the names listed above, but he has a high floor as someone very likely to spend at least a few years in Cup.


11. Santino Ferrucci

Age 24 | Rideless | Peak Top-10 Projection: 9.3

After years of open-wheel racing — including a stint testing for the Haas Formula 1 team as well as a 4th place in the Indy 500 — Ferrucci tried his hand at NASCAR in 2021. On the surface, the results were underwhelming — no top-10s and a 19.6 average finish in seven races.

But given the context, they were actually quite impressive. He got more out of Sam Hunt Racing’s mid-pack equipment than just about anyone else (save John Hunter Nemechek). To wit, he finished four positions better than the team’s other drivers on average. All things considered, competing for top-15s was quite a feat, especially coming from a driver new to stock cars.

Ferrucci could be an exciting NASCAR prospect if he chooses to go that route and can secure sponsorship. As of this writing, he does not appear to have anything lined up for 2022 in either NASCAR or IndyCar.


12. Derek Kraus

Age 20 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 8.6

Kraus took a step back from his promising rookie campaign in 2020. He ran outside of the top-10 most weeks, and aside from a strong showing at Nashville, was never really in the mix for wins.

The bright side is that Kraus is still just 20 and will get a third crack at the Truck Series in 2022. His №19 team will switch to Chevrolet as they hope to reverse last year’s backwards trend. Kraus is still plenty young to improve, but he is no longer a top prospect, as his career has stalled out a bit.


13. Zane Smith

Age 23 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 7.3

Although he finished 2nd in the Truck Series standings each of the last two years, Smith’s 2021 was demonstrably worse than his 2020 rookie campaign. His average finish grew from 10.5 to 13.1, and aside from his win at Martinsville, he wasn’t really competing for wins.

He enters 2022 with a new ride, as he departs GMS Racing for the №38 Front Row Motorsports entry. He’ll look to rebound by replicating the strong showing Todd Gilliland put forth in that ride last year.


14. Christian Eckes

Age 21 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 7.1

Eckes ran a partial schedule last year after he got the boot from KBM following 2020. However, he performed admirably in his 10 races in the Thorsport №98, highlighted by his first career win at Las Vegas.

Eckes will race the №98 truck full-time in 2022, where he should be a championship contender. A strong 2022 could revive Eckes’ status as a prospect with Cup potential.

15. Sheldon Creed

Age 24 | Xfinity | Peak Top-10 Projection: 6.0

Creed’s performance regressed a bit following his championship season in 2020, largely due to his frequent crashing. Nonetheless, he was once again one of the series’ top drivers and competed for wins on a regular basis.

Creed is moving up to Xfinity this season, where he’ll pilot the prestigious №2 RCR Chevrolet. Creed’s calling card is his exceptional restarting prowess, so it will be interesting to see how he stacks up against the standout restarters at the next level — namely AJ Allmendinger, Justin Allgaier, and Ty Gibbs.

Already 24, Creed is getting old by prospect standards. However, his unusual background as an off-road truck racer likely buys him a couple more years of pure prospectdom.


16. Ryan Vargas

Age 21 | Xfinity | Peak Top-10 Projection: 6.5

After running only a smattering of races in 2019 and 2020, Vargas finally got an extended opportunity last year with JD Motorsports’ Xfinity program. Vargas acquitted himself well, given his age and the equipment he’s had at his disposal. He’s generally run mid-pack in mid-pack equipment, despite being one of the youngest full-time competitors.

Vargas will be back in 2022 and will finally get a chance to run the full schedule. Vargas needs an opportunity to show what he can do in decent equipment. He may get that opportunity from his current employer, as JD Motorsports is now focusing their efforts into to two full-time cars.


17. Colby Howard

Age 20 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 5.6

Much like Vargas, Howard held his own in a part-time, mid-pack Xfinity ride at a very young age. While he wasn’t flashy, he performed admirably given his age, experience, and equipment.

He’ll drop down to the Truck Series in 2022, where he’ll join fellow 20-year-old prospect Derek Kraus at McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. Howard will be in good equipment and matched against age-and experience-appropriate talent. This is a golden opportunity for him to show what he can do.


18. Kaz Grala

Age | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 5.5

Grala’s had a strange career. After marginal production in the ARCA East Series and the Truck Series, he landed an Xfinity ride at age-19, where he performed in lackluster equipment. However, his sponsorship dried up in mid-season 2018 and he’s been run just a smattering of races each season since.

Grala has talent, but he’s desperately in need of reps at this point. Fortunately, he’ll finally get some in 2022. He’ll run some Truck Series races with Young’s Motorsports, some Xfinity races with Alpha Prime Racing, and even some Cup races with Floyd Mayweather’s new team. He’s one to watch whenever he’s on the entry list.

19. Ben Rhodes

Age 25 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 4.1

Rhodes’ 2021 championship campaign was quite impressive. However, it was also his sixth full-time season in the series. Now 25, he is at high risk of getting typecast as a Truck Series lifer — something the model takes into account. Still, given his 2021 dominance, he should be able to do a competent job in a mid-pack Cup car right now. To wit, he was rumored to be in contention for FRM’s №38 ride prior to 2021.

Rhodes will return to the Thorsport for a seventh tour of duty in the Truck Series. He has little left to prove at that level, but perhaps another championship-caliber season could earn him an opportunity in Xfinity or Cup. At this point, he’s tracking as a talented Truck lifer moreso than a Cup prospect.

20. Preston Pardus

Age 25 | Rideless | Peak Top-10 Projection: 5.2

Pardus ran the Xfinity road course schedule (plus Martinsville) for DGM and performed well. He comes from a sports car racing background, so his road course prowess is not terribly surprising. He’s largely untested on the bigger tracks — something the model is likely not adequately punishing him for — but I’d be very interested in seeing what he could do in a fuller schedule.

Pardus does not appear to have a ride lined up for 2022 at this time. However, given his performance last year, he seems likely to put something together for the road courses again. If Pardus chooses to commit to NASCAR, it’s not hard to envision him having a successful career in Cup — especially given the sport’s movement towards more road courses and short tracks.

21. Colin Garrett

Age 21 | Rideless | Peak Top-10 Projection: 5.6

Despite being young and inexperienced, Garrett held his own in the 10 races he ran for Sam Hunt Racing over the past two seasons.

As of this writing, Garrett does not appear to have anything lined up for 2022. That’s too bad because he showed glimpses of promise as a 20-year-old last season. I’d be very curious to see what he could do in over a full season and/or in good equipment.

22. Brandon Jones

Age 25 | Xfinity | Peak Top-10 Projection: 5.0

Jones turned in another decent showing in elite equipment in 2022. It’s no secret that Jones’ financial backing has landed him years’ worth of opportunities in great equipment. But to his credit, he’s used those years to mold himself into an upper-echelon Xfinity driver.

2022 will mark Jones’ seventh full season in Xfinity, yet it will only be his age-25 season. Given his financial backing, he likely won’t need to improve much to have some sort of a Cup career — a moderate reduction in crashes might do the trick. But it’s hard to envision him being anything more than a marginal producer in Cup.

23. Parker Retzlaff

Age 19 | Xfinity | Peak Top-10 Projection: 4.8

Retzlaff lacked elite equipment in the ARCA East Series but turned in solid results. He’s young and still has a lot to prove.

Despite his lack of experience, Retzlaff will go Xfinity racing in 2022. He’ll run 10 races in the RSS Racing’s №38. This will be an aggressive assignment for the 18-year-old, but he could put his name on people’s radar if he’s able to keep pace with teammate Ryan Sieg.

24. Tyler Ankrum

Age 21 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 4.7

Ankrum’s performance in the Truck Series slipped quite a bit in 2021, culminating in a dismal 15th place finish in the standings. Ankrum’s still just 21 and has shown flashes of promise in the past, but he’s trending in the wrong direction.

Ankrum will replace Austin Hill in the №16 Hattori truck in 2022. While age remains on his side, Ankrum may not get many more chances in good equipment without better results. 2022 could be a make-or-break year for him.

25. Tanner Gray

Age 23 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 4.3

A former drag racing champion, Gray has had a predictably rocky transition into turning left in a stock car (and truck). Over full two seasons of racing DGR trucks, he managed just ten top-10s.

Gray will return to the DGR for 2022, and since his father bought into the team, he’ll likely be there in 2023 as well. Gray’s prospectdom is still very much an experiment; but so far, that experiment has not gone particularly well.


26. Blaine Perkins

Age 22 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 4.3

After an excellent 2020 season in ARCA West, Perkins made the leap to Xfinity for eight races with Our Motorsports. He mostly ran mid-pack, although he turned in an impressive 13th place finish at Phoenix.

Perkins will run the full Truck Series schedule for CR7 Motorsports in 2022. CR7 will be partnering with GMS this season, so Perkins’ equipment should be pretty good. If he can compete for a playoff spot this year, that might put him on track for an eventual Cup Series ride down the road.

27. Tate Fogleman

Age 22 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 4.0

Fogleman scored an upset victory at Talladega last year but was otherwise mediocre in his two seasons at Young’s Motorsports. Although, mediocrity is nothing to sneeze at coming from a youngster in mid-pack equipment.

Fogleman will take over the №30 On Point Motorsports entry in 2022, where he’ll once again be tasked with wheeling mid-pack equipment. Fogleman is still just 21, but he’ll need to improve his performance and/or find his way into better equipment to even be in the conversation for a quality Cup Series ride.


28. Stefan Parsons

Age 24 | Xfinity | Peak Top-10 Projection: 3.9

For the third year in a row, Parsons turned in a competent performance in a limited Xfinity schedule for B.J. McLeod Motorsports. That is noteworthy coming from a driver in his early-twenties.

Parsons will return to B.J. McLeod Motorsports in 2022, where he’ll finally get the chance to run full-time. Look for him to continue to compete for top-20s in mid-pack equipment. While unexciting, that’s a skill set that is often valued by Cup teams who run in back half of the field, especially if he’s able to consistently bring the car home in one piece.


29. Raphael Lessard

Age 20 | Xfinity | Peak Top-10 Projection: 3.6

Lessard’s career has taken a nosedive since he departed KBM after 2020. He latched on with GMS last season but was released after just lackluster seven races due to a lack of sponsorship.

Lessard will make select starts for the upstart SQR Development Xfinity team in 2022. It remains to be seen how competitive that equipment will be. Lessard has shown flashes of talent and is still just 20; however, he lacks opportunity at this point.


30. Riley Herbst

Age 23 | Xfinity | Peak Top-10 Projection: 3.5

After a mediocre showing in ARCA, Herbst predictably underperformed his JGR and SHR equipment in Xfinity. He crashed frequently and has yet to seriously contend for wins. On the bright side, he was among the youngest Xfinity competitors, so he has time to improve.

Herbst will return to SHR in 2022, where he will once again get the chance to showcase his skills in elite equipment. To ever sniff a Cup ride, Herbst will need to get a lot better, including drastically cutting down on his crashing. Luckily, his financial backing will likely give him several years to work out these flaws. Sponsorship dollars can’t buy talent, but they can sometimes buy the time needed to develop it.

31. Halie Deegan

Age 20 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 3.3

Deegan’s first crack at the Truck Series was underwhelming, even coming from a 19-year-old. Despite wheeling DGR equipment, she only scored one top-10 and was involved in more than her share of on-track incidents.

Deegan will race full-time for DGR again in 2022, where she’ll hope to improve. She likely won’t compete for wins — or even top-5s — in 2022. But as a 20-year-old, even middling production in the Truck Series will put her on an encouraging prospect trajectory.


32. Spencer Davis

Age 23 | Trucks? | Peak Top-10 Projection: 3.3

After quietly producing in the ARCA East ranks, Davis dabbled in the Truck Series in 2020 and 2021 with decent results. While he didn’t score any top-10s, he mostly ran mid-pack despite wheeling his family’s lower-tier equipment.

It is unclear whether Davis will return to his family’s team for another part-time season in the Truck Series. Regardless, he’ll need to garner an opportunity in good equipment to ascend beyond the Truck Series.

33. Joey Iest

Age 19 | ARCA West | Peak Top-10 Projection: 3.2

Iest pulled double-duty in 2021, competing full-time in both the ARCA East and ARCA West divisions. He performed admirably in both, even scoring a win at Colorado by holding off Jesse Love.

Iest showed promise in the ARCA ranks as an 18-year-old, but still has a lot to prove. He will once again compete for the ARCA West title in 2022 and may make his Truck Series debut as well. He hopes to run the full Truck Series schedule in 2023, which would be a true test of his ability.


34. Mason Massey

Age 25 | Xfinity | Peak Top-10 Projection: 3.2

Massey was a competent, mid-pack driver over a limited Xfinity schedule for B.J. McLeod Motorsports. Not bad coming from a 24-year-old.

Massey run the majority of the 2022 Xfinity schedule for DGM Racing. This should be an equipment upgrade for Massey, so look for him to at least compete for top-20s. A strong showing could help Massey get his name on teams’ radars.

35. Mason Diaz

Age 22 | ARCA | Peak Top-10 Projection: 3.0

Diaz was competitive in the ARCA ranks last year, scoring three top-5s and even leading the most laps at Kenly. At 21, he’s getting a bit old to still be middling in the ARCA ranks, but he’s shown some promise

Diaz will not be returning to the Visconti №74 car in 2022 but will race at Daytona in the №44 Jeff McClure entry. He’ll likely need to land a Truck Series ride to put himself on the prospect radar.


36. Matt Mills

Age 25 | Xfinity | Peak Top-10 Projection: 2.8

For the third consecutive year, Mills held his own driving the full Xfinity schedule for B.J. McLeod Motorsports.

He’ll run it back with B.J. McLeod in 2022, but he’ll likely need an opportunity in better equipment to land on the prospect radar. Now 25, he’s starting to get old by prospect standards.


37. Drew Dollar

Age 21 | ARCA | Peak Top-10 Projection: 2.7

Dollar greatly underperformed his KBM equipment in his eight Truck Series races. He crashed often and scored a best finish of 10th at Daytona. He did fare well in a limited ARCA schedule, but that was largely due to his top-tier equipment.

Dollar will return to the ARCA ranks in the KBM №18 and will also run the four Xfinity superspeedway races in the JGR №18. Dollar has a lot of improving to do, but as a 21-year-old with funding, he’ll have time to work on it. Sponsorship dollars can’t buy talent, but they can sometimes buy the time needed to develop it.


38. Conner Jones

Age 16 | ARCA | Peak Top-10 Projection: 2.6

At the young age of 15, Jones ran well in a handful of races in the ARCA ranks last year. The sample is small, but it was enough to show glimpses of promise at a very young age.

Jones is slated to run at least three ARCA races in 2022 for Venturini Motorsports. He is a ways away from even landing a Truck Series ride, but he could put himself squarely on the prospect map by showing top-5 ARCA ability in 2022.


39. Rajah Caruth

Age 20 | ARCA | Peak Top-10 Projection: 2.6

Caruth performed well in the ARCA East series, scoring two top-5s and finishing third in the standings. However, he lacked race-winning speed and is completely unproven against more refined competition.

Caruth return to Rev Racing to run the full ARCA schedule in 2022. He will also run a few Xfinity races in the №44 for Alpha Prime Racing. If he can compete for wins this year, Caruth could line himself up for a good Truck Series ride in the near future.

40. Nick Sanchez

Age 21 | ARCA | Peak Top-10 Projection: 2.3

Sanchez fared well in ARCA last year, scoring 13 top-10s for Rev Racing. He even nabbed a victory at Kansas by outmaneuvering Ty Gibbs and Corey Heim on a late-race restart.

He’ll once again run the ARCA schedule for Rev Racing in 2022, where he’ll look to add to his win total. He’ll also run several Xfinity races for BJ McLeod Motorsports. Sanchez turns 21 this summer, making him a tad old to still be figuring out ARCA; but a strong showing this year could lead to opportunity in a higher series


41. Howie DiSavino III

Age 21 | Xfinity | Peak Top-10 Projection: 2.3

DiSavino ran five Truck Series races for Jordan Anderson Racing last year, where he turned in middling results. His best finish was a 22nd place finish at Pocono.

Still just 20, DiSavino will run six Xfinity races in the Alpha Prime Racing №45 in 2022. Continued competent showing in lesser equipment could help DiSavino catch the eye of a more established team.


42. Kyle Sieg

Age 21 | Xfinity | Peak Top-10 Projection: 2.2

Sieg impressed in a partial ARCA schedule last year, posting an average finish of 8th. He also ran a couple of Xfinity races for his family’s RSS Racing team.

He’ll move up to Xfinity in 2022, where he’ll run a partial schedule in the №28 RSS machine. He’ll also continue to run a partial ARCA schedule. While he’s had some ARCA success, Sieg is still very unproven. His Xfinity schedule will be a challenge for him, but success there could eventually put him in the conversation for a Cup ride — especially if he’s able to outrun his brother, Ryan.


43. Jake Drew

Age 22 | ARCA West | Peak Top-10 Projection: 2.0

Drew had a strong rookie season in ARCA West. Though he didn’t win any races, he consistently ran in the top 5 and finished runner up in the standings.

Drew will return to the ARCA West series this year in search of his first win and a championship. Drew turns 22 next month, making him rather old by ARCA prospect standards. Nonetheless, a successful 2022 season could earn him a Truck Series ride.

44. Bret Holmes

Age 25 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 1.9

Holmes struggled in his first foray into the Truck Series. The 2020 ARCA champ mostly ran in the back half of the field his seven races, though he did score an 11th-place finish at Las Vegas and lead 11 laps at Talladega.

Holmes will once again race for his family’s Truck Series team in 2022. He is currently scheduled to run 10 races this year. A strong showing in the Truck Series could lead to future opportunities for him. However, his prospect clock is ticking, as he turns 25 in May.


45. Gracie Trotter

46. Thad Moffitt

Age 21 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 1.8

Moffit has run a smattering of ARCA races each of the last five seasons, yielding middling results. He’s led just 13 laps in his 44 races, while seldom cracking the top-5.

47. Parker Chase

Age 21 | ARCA | Peak Top-10 Projection: 1.8

Chase ran just a handful of ARCA races for Venturini Motorsports in 2021 but returned solid results. He also got a couple of starts in the KBM №51 on road courses, where he ran mid-pack.

Chase will run 10 more races for Venturini Motorsports’ ARCA program in 2022. A strong showing there could earn him another look in a KBM truck.

48. Lawless Alan

Age 22 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 1.6

Alan was unremarkable in nine Truck Series starts last year. But at 21 years old, he still has time to improve. He also has arguably the best name on this list.

He’ll run the full Truck schedule for Niece Motorsports this year, piloting the №45 machine. He’ll get ample opportunity to show what he can do and hopefully improve on his 2021 results.

49. Jesse Little

Age 25 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 1.7

After a decent 2020 campaign with JD Motorsports, Little struggled through 23 races after switching to B.J. McLeod Motorsports.

Little will run a partial Truck Series schedule with Young’s Motorsports in 2022. Little showed promise in the past, but time is running out on his prospectdom now that he’s 24. Nonetheless, a strong performance in the №02 truck could help him reverse course.

50. Jack Wood

Age 21 | Trucks | Peak Top-10 Projection: 1.4

Wood took over the GMS №24 for the season’s final 12 races and struggled badly. He managed just one top-10 and crashed out of three races. Wood is only 21 and does not have much experience on the NASCAR developmental ladder, but his Truck Series debut was a rough one.

Wood will return to GMS this year to run the full season. His equipment will be good, especially with GMS consolidating to two full-time teams; but it will be up to him to capitalize on it.

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