Rookie of the Year Battle: Nationwide Series Style

As the 2009 season looms, in the grasp the question arises: "Will the Nationwide Series have better races than Cup once again?"

I feel like some of the best racers and some of the best racing happens when the newcomers mix it up with the Cup guys. (As a side note, I do wish there were a rule prohibiting the Cup guys from stinking it up each week, but I'll have to deal with that, I guess.)

Taking a look at the 2009 Nationwide Series, there will be five rookies contending for Raybestos Rookie of the Year.

Each of these guys have an impressive resume.

The 2009 participants are:

1. John Wes Townley — driver of the No. 09 Zaxby's Ford for RAB Racing with Roush Yates engines.

In my opinion, Townley will have the toughest route to win ROTY honors after not being approved to run at Daytona, and thus already being down one race to the competition. He did, however, finish seventh in the ARCA Re/Max Series points last season and competed in the Truck Series with one top-five and eight top-10 finishes.

Townley has three Nationwide Series starts at Charlotte, Phoenix and Dover with a career best of 27th.

2. Scott Lagasse Jr. — driver of the No. 11 Americas Incredible Pizza Company Toyota for CJM Racing with Joe Gibbs Racing engines.

Lagasse Jr. bring several Nationwide Series starts over the past seasons with a best finish of 13th. Now that he enters a car with Joe Gibbs engines, (a team that won how many races last year?) it should give him a great chance to visit Victory Lane and finish at least in the top-five in points.

3. Michael Annett — driver of the No. 15 Hype Energy Drink/Pilot Travel Centers Toyota for Germain Racing with support from TRD.

Annett brings quick success in five ARCA Re/Max Series starts last season. He collected a win at Daytona and had three top-fives and four top-10 finishes (four out of five isn't a bad number.)

He also raced a few times in the Truck Series with one top-five and two top-10 finishes. In one Nationwide Series start, he finished 36th after being collected in a wreck at Homestead in the season finale.

4. Justin Allgaeir — Driver of the No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dodge for Penske Racing with Penske/Jaspar Engines.

Allgaeir "Little Gator" is the reigning 2008 ARCA Re/Max champion. He finished the season with six wins, 14 top-fives and 16 top-10 finishes en route to bringing home the hardware.

Little Gator also started four Nationwide Series events (Charlotte, Texas, Phoenix and Homestead), with a best finish of 11th. He drove those four events in a Penske Dodge and should be one to contend for wins this season.

5. Brendan Gaughan — driver of the No. 62 South Point Hotel and Casino Chevrolet for Rusty Wallace Inc., using Earnhardt-Childress engines.

Gaughan was a regular in the Cup Series for Penske years ago. He recorded one top-five and four top-10 finishes in one full-time season. Gaughan brings 11 years of experience driving in the Truck Series where he has recorded eight wins, 32 top-fives, 55 top-10s and three poles.

Gaughan has started only one Nationwide race. That start came in 1997 at California where he finished 41st.

Experience wise, Gaughan should have the edge, having been one of the only drivers (out of the five) to see most of these tracks before.

What do you think? Leave a comment and vote in the poll for who will bring home the ROTY trophy in '09.