[Bob Tanner]

From Jayski:
Rookie News & Notes - Martinsville: Colin Braun was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the October 4 Mountain Dew 250 at Talladega Superspeedway. Braun scored a fourth-place finish, his second top-five and seventh top-10 of the 2008 season. He led the race three times for four laps and claimed top rookie honors for the SIXTH time this season. Brian Scott scored a seventh-place finish at Talladega, his third top-10 of the season and second in the last three races. Scott led the race once for one lap, the first time he has led a lap in 27 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts. Colin Braun leads Donny Lia by 30 points (182-152) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the October 18 Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway. Donny Lia was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2008 Kroger 250 at Martinsville, scoring a ninth-place finish. The best finish by a Raybestos Rookie in five fall races at Martinsville is second by Carl Edwards (2003) and Todd Kluever (2005).(Raybestos PR)(

I see a problem here. Braun is a good little driver with talent in many different areas of driving. But will he ever get a chance in Cup? He doesn't have a "rabbi" like Mark Martin who has been singing his praises since he became potty trained. He doesn't have a brother or daddy who can grease the skids for him. He's a Roush development driver but Jack already has better qualified drivers all of whom will be around for another five years or so.
So, when NA__AR reduces the field in the future that will eliminate the chances for new drivers like Braun. They will literally have to wait until someone either retires or is injured.
This might be a bad era for young kids with aspirations of driving in Cup. We might be seeing more and more drivers finding a more-or-less permanent home in CTS. Worse things could happen to them.

[SteelPhoenyx]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

I see a problem here. Braun is a good little driver with talent in many different areas of driving. But will he ever get a chance in Cup? He doesn't have a "rabbi" like Mark Martin who has been singing his praises since he became potty trained. He doesn't have a brother or daddy who can grease the skids for him. He's a Roush development driver but Jack already has better qualified drivers all of whom will be around for another five years or so.
So, when NA__AR reduces the field in the future that will eliminate the chances for new drivers like Braun. They will literally have to wait until someone either retires or is injured.
This might be a bad era for young kids with aspirations of driving in Cup. We might be seeing more and more drivers finding a more-or-less permanent home in CTS. Worse things could happen to them.

As long as they keep the racing 'real' in CTS, I'll keep watching it. Braun's been having a really good rookie year. I'd hope he would find a seat in Cup when he's ready... doesn't necessarily need to be with Roush. Maybe he'll catch a break like Almirola did.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by SteelPhoenyx

As long as they keep the racing 'real' in CTS, I'll keep watching it. Braun's been having a really good rookie year. I'd hope he would find a seat in Cup when he's ready... doesn't necessarily need to be with Roush. Maybe he'll catch a break like Almirola did.

It's just my personal opinion but I think Aric got "The green weenie." Any Gibbs ride is as good and probably better than the best DEI currently has to offer. But he got stiffed for Wunderkind. This is a case where I hope where, like Kyle Busch and Hendrick, it comes back to bite Gibbs right in it corporate ass. In equal equipment I see Aric every bit as good a wheel as "Sliced Bread."

[SteelPhoenyx]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

It's just my personal opinion but I think Aric got "The green weenie." Any Gibbs ride is as good and probably better than the best DEI currently has to offer. But he got stiffed for Wunderkind. This is a case where I hope where, like Kyle Busch and Hendrick, it comes back to bite Gibbs right in it corporate ass. In equal equipment I see Aric every bit as good a wheel as "Sliced Bread."

I agree, and DEI was smart to snap him up... he seems to be doing decent with the equipment he's running. Not bad for a rookie.

Almirola has been one of my underdogs since the whole Denny incident at the Busch race last year.