NASCAR's future in good hands with young stars

While Hendrick's domination, Gordon surpassing Earnhardt, Smoke's mouth and the embarrassments of Michael Waltrip Racing have dominated headlines through the first quarter of the season, and rightfully so, something has been widely overlooked.

It seems a group of second-year stars are quietly demonstrating driving skills and abilities well beyond their years. Last year, they broke on to the scene with one truly finding success and making the Chase. This season, a monstrous improvement -- yet no one is talking about them, and that's a shame.

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In a year where top-name guys like Kasey Kahne, Casey Mears and Ricky Rudd are struggling to stay in the top 35, these youngsters are putting together solid top-20 finishes week in and week out and are proving the future of the sport is in good hands.

When Denny Hamlin ended his 2006 rookie campaign third in points with two wins and 20 top-10s, some considered him due for the dreaded sophomore slump. And who could blame them? Just that year we saw Carl Edwards fail to live up to the expectations he set after a tremendous first season. Well, so much for history -- Hamlin has four top-five finishes in the first nine races, he's failed to finish on the lead lap just twice, and currently sits fifth in points.

Hamlin might not have a win, but he's been close on multiple occasions: A third at Las Vegas, a third at Martinsville, he clearly had the best car in Phoenix but a pit-road speeding penalty proved too much to overcome and he had to fight for a third there. Then last week at Talladega, out front with just eight laps to go but fuel caught up with him and forced him to pit before the green-white-checkers end, leading to a 21st-place finish.

It's only a matter of time before we see the No. 11 back in Victory Lane and it looks as if he will do something only three drivers have accomplished the last ten years -- finish top-10 in points in his first two Nextel Cup seasons (Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart).

Clint Bowyer had a modest rookie season. Seventeenth at the year's end, he finished with four top-fives and 11 top-10s while leading a race eight times. After his fiery finish at Daytona, Year 2 looked like it could have been a difficult one.

Fortunately for Bowyer, that isn't the case. He quickly rebounded from Daytona with three top-10 finishes in his next four races and is currently 10th in points. With races at Richmond, Charlotte and Dover on the horizon -- tracks where he has posted top-20s in the past-- he's in position to move up.

Battling week in and week out just stay in the top 35, David Stremme's rookie season was filled with disappointment and questions on whether the 29-year-old could cut it with the big boys. Fast-forward to 2007 and he has proven he can. (Continued)