The “Best of 2015” presented by WP Racing Shocks continues with the Best Rookie Drivers of the 2015 season in the Late Model Stock Car division. There wasn’t a huge crop of rookies but there was some impressive rookies competing around the region and here’s the Top 5 of those.
5. Macy Causey
Macy Causey was born into racing. Her grandmother Diane Teel was the first female to start a NASCAR Xfinity Series race in 1982 and this season Causey began her path to NASCAR with her first season in NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Cars. Causey picked up a top five finish and five top tens in her starts at home track Langley Speedway. She didn’t set the world on fire but she did ignite the flames that could propel her to huge success in 2016 with many more laps now under her belt.
4. Tyler Matthews
Tyler Matthews moved up to Late Models this season at both Southern National Motorsports Park and East Carolina Motor Speedway. His season could easily be divided into two seasons as the first half of the season was a struggle and the second half saw the young driver come to life. He picked up his lone victory at East Carolina on July 18th and looks to become a force in the 2016 season.
3. Kason Plott
Kason Plott’s brother Kyle made it to number five on a list of tough rookies during the 2014 season and not to be outdone Kason made the list as well. Kason’s success was very similar to his brother’s a year earlier with 10 top fives, 23 top tens and a lone win on the season. Kason did pick up his win sooner and on a different venue at Anderson Motor Speedway on April 24th where his brother didn’t win until August and at Greenville Pickens Speedway.
2. Christian Eckes
In 15 starts in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Cars at three different tracks, Christian Eckes picked up a single victory and picked up eight top fives and 13 top ten finishes. Eckes lone win came at Caraway Speedway but his performances were strong everywhere he traveled. He’ll compete in 2016 in a JR Motorsports car as a teammate to Josh Berry as well as select ARCA Series starts.
1. Mini Tyrell
Mini Tyrell competed in a handful of events at Shenandoah Speedway in 2014 but competed a full schedule at the scenic track in 2015. His rookie campaign the 10 year old driver became the youngest driver to ever win a Late Model event and backed that up with another win for a season total of two victories. Tyrell was the only rookie to win more than one event in 2015 and at just 10 years old, the sky is the limit for him as he continues to learn his craft at unsanctioned tracks before being able to move on to NASCAR at age 14.
