NASCAR Cup Series 2022 Rookie of the Year - Jayski's NASCAR Silly Season Site

Sunoco Rookie Of The Year Sticker

2022 NASCAR Cup SUNOCO Rookie of the Year Standings

Updated 11-6-2022

Rookie of the Year Pages by Season / Year:

2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013
All-Time NASCAR Cup Rookie of the Year Winners / Stats / Records page

The SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE YEAR SCORING SYSTEM

National Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year points system: the Sunoco Rookie of the Year point system mirrors the points structure that awards the season-long championship, including stage points and playoff points, with the eventual Sunoco Rookie of the Year earning the most points throughout the season.
As is the case with the season-long points structure, a race win earns a Sunoco Rookie 40 points and five playoff points. A second-place finish earns a Sunoco Rookie 35 points; a third-place finish nets 34 points, and so on. A Sunoco Rookie who wins a stage earns 10 points and one playoff point.
The Sunoco Rookie of the Year points system is in all three NASCAR national series – the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series.

ROOKIE ‘YELLOW‘ STRIPES
rookies will be noted on the car they drive by a yellow stripe on the rear bumper of the car.
sometimes a driver not a Rookie of the Year Candidate may have to run a yellow stripe if they not competed on that race track before.
or if NASCAR decides the driver doesn’t have enough experience.
No idea when this first started appearing on rookie cars, but have seen it on a car as early as 1970.

Austin Cindric wins 2022 Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award: Team Penske’s #2-Austin Cindric started the 2022 year with a victory in the season-opening Daytona 500 and he took the season’s final checkered flag on Sunday having earned the Sunoco Rookie of the Year. Cindric, 24, has the Daytona 500 victory, earned five top-five and nine top-10 finishes this season and advanced to the second round of the Playoffs. Cindric also finished 3rd in the All-Star race at Texas Motor Speedway and scored a pole at California Speedway. He said securing that all-important early season victory allowed him to essentially learn the ropes of NASCAR’s major league as a rookie with the security of knowing he’d already earned a Playoff position. “It does change the regular season in the fact I’m able to go through the regular season without the pressure of having to win a race as well as figure everything out,” Cindric said. “And that was probably more of an advantage than I gave it credit for, not having to put pressure on yourself, your team or have to be desperate. From that standpoint I think it was something made me be able to be patient or aggressive in areas I needed to be.” Following Cindric in the rookie standings are fellow Ford drivers – Wood Brothers’ #21-Harrison Burton and Front Row Motorsports’ #38-Todd Gilliland. Burton’s best finish was a third place at the Indianapolis road course this summer. Gilliland’s top effort was a fourth place at the Indy road course.(Jayski.com)(11-6-2022)

Three Rookie’s finish in top five of a Cup race first time since 1994: #8-Tyler Reddick survived a wild overtime battle against #1-Ross Chastain—who, as it turned out, was under penalty for finagling the first corner—to win Sunday’s Verizon 200 at the Brickyard. Reddick’s NASCAR Cup Series victory at the 2.439-mile, 14-turn Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course was his second this month, the second of his career and his second at a road course. NASCAR frowned on Chastain’s artifice and assessed a 30-second penalty that dropped him to 27th at the finish, elevating DAYTONA 500 winner #2-Austin Cindric (rookie) to the runner-up spot. #21-Harrison Burton (rookie) came home third, followed by #38-Todd Gilliland (rookie) and #23-Bubba Wallace. The results were career bests for Burton and Gilliland, and with Cindric, it marked the first time since July 17, 1994 at Pocono Raceway that three rookies have finished in the top five in a Cup race (also finished 2-3-4). Geoffrey Bodine won the race at Pocono with three rookies Ward Burton(2nd – Harrison’s Uncle), Joe Nemechek(3rd) and Jeff Burton(4th – Harrison’s Dad and the 1994 Rookie of the Year) following him. Also, of interesting note: Bodine and the three rookies were all running Hoosier tires. All three of those 1994 rookies would go on the win NASCAR Cup races (Ward won 5 races, including the Dayton 500, Nemechek won 4 races and Jeff won 21 races).(7-31-2022)

Cindric becomes first rookie to hold Cup points lead more than one race Records are meant to be broken and Team Penske’s #2-Austin Cindric is well on his way to etching his name into the record books. With his out-of-the-box win in the season-opening Daytona 500 and then his 12th-place finish last weekend at Auto Club Speedway, the Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate has become the first rookie in series history to hold the points standings lead for more than one race (Daytona, Auto Club). Prior to this season, seven-time series champion Jimmie Johnson was the only rookie to hold the NASCAR Cup Series driver points standings lead during their rookie season but did so following just the Kansas Speedway race in 2002. Cindric currently holds an eight point lead over second place Joey Logano in the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings.(NASCAR)(2-27-2022)

Cindric wins pole for Auto Club Speedway #2-Austin Cindric won the Busch Pole Award for the 25th WISE Power 400 at Auto Club Speedway with a lap of 41.226 seconds, 174.647 mph. This is his first pole in nine NASCAR Cup Series career races. Cindric was the fastest qualifying rookie and the first ROTY Candidate to win a pole since Daniel Hemric won the pole at Kansas in September 2019. Since the Daytona 500 became the season-opening race in 1982, Austin Cindric has become the third different driver to win the Daytona 500 and the pole for the race the following weekend; joining Joey Logano (2015, Atlanta) and Jamie McMurray (2010, Auto Club).(2-26-2022)

Rookie Austin Cindric gets first NASCAR Cup victory in thrilling Daytona: On the 85th birthday of his car owner, Roger Penske, 23-year-old NASCAR Cup Series rookie #2-Austin Cindric beat #23-Bubba Wallace to the finish line by .036 seconds in overtime to win Sunday’s 64th running of the Daytona 500. In a thrilling run to the finish in NASCAR’s new Next Gen race car at Daytona International Speedway, Cindric held off Wallace and #14-Chase Briscoe (.091 seconds behind) to notch his first Cup victory in his eighth start in the series. Cindric got the win in chamber-of-commerce weather with a sold-out crowd jamming the grandstands.(see more HERE)(2-20-2022)

2022 SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE YEAR STANDINGS

car#, driver, rookie/driver points, best 2022 finish
2022 ROTY: #2-Austin Cindric, 835 regular/2226 playoffs (cut from playoffs after to Round of 12), best finish of 1st at Daytona, February 20; finished 12th in drivers points; 1 stage win; 5 top fives & 10 top tens; made playoffs due to race win
#21-Harrison Burton, 573, best finish of 3rd at the Indy Road Course, July 31; 27th in points
#38-Todd Gilliland, 531, best finish of 4th at the Indy Road Course, July 31; 28th in points
(points also include any points garnered from the Daytona Duel races, see below)

HIGHEST FINISHING ROOKIE BY RACE

race, driver(times rookie of race), finish, points
1) Daytona 500, #2-Cindric (1 race best rookie), WON(1st), 45* points & 5 playoff points
2) Auto Club, #2-Cindric(2), 12th (won pole), 31*
3) Las Vegas, #21-Burton(1), 16th, 21
4) Phoenix, #38-Gilliand(1), 19th, 18
5) Atlanta, #21-Burton(2), 25th, 12
6) Circuit of the Americas (Texas), #2-Cindric(3), 8th, 32*
7) Richmond, #21-Burton(3), 18th, 19
8) Martinsville, #2-Cindric(4), 11th, 31*
9) Bristol (dirt), #2-Cindric(5), 16th, 21
10) Talladega, #2-Cindric(6), 21st, 16
11) Dover, #21-Burton(4), 24th, 16*
12) Darlington, #21-Burton(5), 14th, 23
13) Kansas, #2-Cindric(7), 11st, 33*
14) Charlotte, #21-Burton(6), 11th, 26
15) Gateway (World Wide Technology Raceway), #2-Cindric(8), 11th, 36*, won stage 1
16) Sonoma, #2-Cindric(9), 5th, 32
17) Nashville, #2-Cindric(10), 7th, 30
18) Road America, #2-Cindric(11), 7th, 39*
19) Atlanta(2), #2-Cindric(12), 3rd, 34
20) New Hampshire, #2-Cindric(13), 13th, 24
21) Pocono, #21-Burton(7), 23rd, 14
22) Indianapolis (road course), #2-Cindric(14), 2nd, 35
23) Michigan, #38-Gilliand(2), 27th, 10
24) Richmond(2), #2-Cindric(15), 12th, 25
25) Watkins Glen, #2-Cindric(16), 13th, 24
26) Daytona(2), #2-Cindric(17), 3rd, 34
PLAYOFFS
27) Darlington(2), #2-Cindric(18), 16th, 21
28) Kansas(2), #2-Cindric(19), 12th, 25
29) Bristol, #21-Burton(8), 16th, 21
30) Texas, #2-Cindric(20), 15th, 28*
31) Talladega(2), #38-Gilliand(3), 7th, 30
32) Charlotte (ROVAL), #2-Cindric(21), 21st, 22*
33) Las Vegas(2), #38-Gilliand(4), 25th, 12
34) Homestead, #2-Cindric(22), 19th, 18
35) Martinsville(2), #21-Burton(9), 11th, 26
CHAMPIONSHIP RACE
36) Phoenix(2), #2-Cindric(23), 11th, 28*
Highest Finishing Rookies, Times:
#2-Cindric, 23
#21-Burton, 9
#38-Gilliland, 4
Races with no rookie, 0
* also garnered stage points

2022 Sunoco Rookie of the Year Race-by-Race Results

* earned stage points in the race

Phoenix(2) Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (11-6-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 11th, 28* points
#21-Burton, 19th, 18
#38-Gilliland, 29th, 8

Martinsville(2) Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (10-30-2022):
#21-Burton, finished 11th, 26 points
#38-Gilliland, 13th, 24
#2-Cindric, 26th, 11

Homestead Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (10-23-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 19th, 18 points
#21-Burton, 20th, 17
#38-Gilliland, 31st, 6

Las Vegas(2) Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (10-16-2022):
#38-Gilliland, finished 25th, 12 points
#21-Burton, 26th, 11
#2-Cindric, 29th, 25*

Charlotte ROVAL Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (10-9-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 21st, 22* points
#21-Burton, 28th, 18*
#38-Gilliland, 30th, 7

Talladega(2) Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (10-2-2022):
#38-Gilliland, finished 7th, 30 points
#2-Cindric, 9th, 35*
#21-Burton, 36th, 1

Texas Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (9-25-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 15th, 28* points
#21-Burton, 18th, 19
#38-Gilliland, 28th, 9

Bristol Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (9-17-2022):
#21-Burton, finished 16th, 21 points
#38-Gilliland, 18th, 19
#2-Cindric, 20th, 17

Kansas(2) Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (9-11-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 12th, 25 points
#38-Gilliland, 23rd, 14
#21-Burton, 32nd, 5

Darlington(2) Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (9-4-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 16th, 21 points
#21-Burton, 21st, 16
#38-Gilliland, 28th, 9

Daytona(2) Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (8-27/28(rain delayed)-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 3rd, 34 points
#21-Burton, 19th, 26*
#38-Gilliland, 23rd, 19*

Watkins Glen Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (8-21-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 13th, 24 points
#21-Burton, 28th, 9
#38-Gilliland, 38th, 8*

Richmond(2) Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (8-14-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 12th, 25 points
#21-Burton, 25th, 12
#38-Gilliland, 27th, 10

Michigan Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (8-7-2022):
#38-Gilliland, finished 27th, 10 points
#21-Burton, 32nd, 5
#2-Cindric, 37th(last), 1

Indianapolis Road Course Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (7-31-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 2nd, 35 points
#21-Burton, 3rd(career best), 36*
#38-Gilliland, 4th(career best), 38*

Pocono Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (7-24-2022):
#21-Burton, finished 23rd, 14 points
#38-Gilliland, 25th, 16
#2-Cindric, 31st, 6

New Hampshire Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (7-17-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 13th, 24 points
#38-Gilliland, 25th, 12
#21-Burton, 26th, 11

Atlanta(2) Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (7-10-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 3rd, 34 points
#21-Burton, 10th, 34*
#38-Gilliland, 17th, 20

Road America Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (7-3-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 7th, 39 points*
#21-Burton, 22nd, 24*
#38-Gilliland, 25th, 12

Nashville Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (6-26-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 7th, 30 points
#38-Gilliland, 24th, 13
#21-Burton, 25th, 12

Sonoma Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (6-12-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 5th, 32 points
#38-Gilliland, 24th, 18*
#21-Burton, 28th, 18*

Gateway (World Wide Technology Raceway) Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (6-5-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 11th, 36* points, won stage 1
#38-Gilliland, 22nd, 15
#21-Burton, 25th, 12

Charlotte Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (5-29-2022):
#21-Burton, finished 11th, 26 points
#38-Gilliland, 16th, 21
#2-Cindric, 34th, 3

Kansas Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (5-15-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 11th, 33* points
#21-Burton, 21st, 16
#38-Gilliland, 25th, 12

Darlington Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (5-8-2022):
#21-Burton, finished 14th, 23 points
#38-Gilliland, 15th, 22
#2-Cindric, 18th, 19

Dover Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (5-2-2022 rain delayed):
#21-Burton, finished 24th, 16* points
#38-Gilliland, 28th, 9
#2-Cindric, 36th(last), 1

Talladega Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (4-24-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 21st, 16 points
#38-Gilliland, 27th, 10
#21-Burton, 34th, 3

Bristol (dirt) Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (4-17-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 16th, 21 points
#38-Gilliland, 17th, 20
#21-Burton, 20th, 17

Martinsville Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (4-9-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 11th, 31* points
#21-Burton, 26th, 11
#38-Gilliland, 30th, 7

Richmond Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (4-3-2022):
#21-Burton, finished 18th, 19 points
#2-Cindric, 20th, 17
#38-Gilliland, 25th, 12

Circuit of the Americas Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (3-27-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 8th, 32* points
#38-Gilliland, 16th, 21
#21-Burton, 17th, 26*

Atlanta Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (3-20-2022):
#21-Burton, finished 25th, 12 points
#38-Gilliland, 27th, 10
#2-Cindric, 32nd, 5

Phoenix Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (3-13-2022):
#38-Gilliland, finished 19th, 18 points
#2-Cindric, 24th, 13
#21-Burton, 29th, 8

Las Vegas Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (3-6-2022):
#21-Burton, finished 16th, 21 points
#2-Cindric, 19th, 18
#38-Gilliland, 23rd, 14

Auto Club Speedway Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (2-27-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 12th, 31* points
#38-Gilliland, 20th, 17
#21-Burton, 33rd, 4

Daytona 500 Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (2-20-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 1st(won), 45 points* (& 5 playoff points)
#38-Gilliland, 33rd, 13
#21-Burton, 39th, 1

Daytona Duel 150 Qualifying Races Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points (2-17-2022):
#2-Cindric, finished 2nd in Duel #1, 9 points
#21-Burton, finished 3rd in Duel #2, 8 points
#38-Gilliland, finished 15th in Duel 1, 0 points
(top 10 in each Duel gets points for 1-10 finishing spots)

* earned stage points in the race
DNR = Did Not Race/Not Entered
DNQ = Did not qualify/Make the race
TBD = To be determined