Getting to know the 2018 NASCAR Next class

The nine-member 2018 NASCAR Next class includes five new drivers and four returning from last year. As the young drivers continue to turn heads on the race track, learn more about their lifestyles when the helmets come off.

Anthony Alfredo
Age: 18
Hometown: Ridgefield, Connecticut
Series: NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
Best career K&N East finish: Won second race of a Twin 100 at South Boston Speedway in Virginia.
On social: @anthonyfalfredo

'It's definitely a challenge balancing my full-time racing and being a full-time student (at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte). I've learned to prioritize and put my education first when it needs to be. I try to get ahead by getting my schoolwork done before the race weekend so I don't have to stress out about it.' -- Anthony Alfredo

Favorite binge show: The Office
Favorite go-to meal: If there is leftover pizza in the fridge, that is go-to
Favorite video game: Call of Duty (Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops 2)

Hailie Deegan
Age: 16
Hometown: Temecula, California
Series: NASCAR K&N Pro Series West
Best career finish K&N West: Seventh-place finish at Kern County Raceway Park in 2018
On social: @HailieDeegan

'There's no face that's there for a girl right now in NASCAR. I think that everyone's searching for the new face. I think that I'm one of the next coming. ... There's not many. I think it's really cool being one of the next coming up.' -- Hailie Deegan

Favorite binge show: Stranger Things
Favorite go-to meal: Gushers -- My late-model team will bring me three boxes. It's really bad.
Would-be walk-up song: I go through new songs like crazy. Anything hip-hop like Drake or Eminem

Riley Herbst
Age: 19
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Series: ARCA Racing Series
Best career finish in ARCA: First career victory at Pocono Raceway in 2017
On social: @rileyherbst

'I like the way that (Ryan) Blaney drives and his attitude about racing. He gives 100 percent all the time. I like Kyle Busch, too, because he doesn't care ... he just wants to win.' -- Riley Herbst

Would be walk-up song: Jimmy Buffett or Drake (Old, New or Future Drake)
Favorite go-to meal: At home, it's In-N-Out double doubles all day.
Most embarrassing racing moment: When I was younger, I left all my gear at the hotel. I showed up to the track and asked my Dad if he brought my stuff. I had nothing.

Derek Kraus
Age: 16
Hometown: Stratford, Wisconsin
Series: NASCAR K&N Pro Series West
Best career finish in K&N West: A pair of race victories at Kern County Raceway Park in 2017 and '18
On social: @derek9kraus

'I look up to Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson a lot. Kyle Larson will race anything that he wants to. If someone asks him to race something, he'll go and do it. That's what I want to be like. I want to race everything.' -- Derek Kraus

Favorite video game: iRacing
Most embarrassing racing moment: It was a 100-lap race and on the last lap coming out of Turn 2 I was running third or fourth and I spun out by myself.
Would be walk-up song: 'HandClap' by Fitz and the Tantrums

Chase Purdy
Age: 18
Hometown: Meridian, Mississippi
Series: ARCA Racing Series
Best career finish in ARCA: A fifth-place finish at Salem Speedway in 2018
On social: @chasepurdy12

'My NASCAR idol I'd say is Jimmie Johnson. I mean the man has won basically everything you can win in NASCAR. He's got seven titles. I look up to that guy, and I admire who he is and what he has accomplished.' -- Chase Purdy

Favorite binge show: Santa Clarita Diet
Favorite go-to meal: Cheeseburger and fries
Would be walk-up song: 'Walk it Like I Talk it' by Migos

Will Rodgers
Age: 23
Hometown: Murrieta, California
Series: NASCAR K&N Pro Series
Best career finish in K&N East: Race victories at Watkins Glen International and New Jersey Motorsports Park in 2017
Best career finish in K&N West: A pair of second-place results at Sonoma Raceway and Evergreen Speedway in 2017
On social: @willrodgers65

On taking similar path to seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson: 'It is reassuring that somebody like Jimmie did it this way and now I might be able to, too. I align myself with Jimmie, not only because I spent a lot of time in Southern California where he did and he raced Motocross and things like that, but from a personality standpoint, he's very clean-cut, well-polished and he's a respected competitor. So, those are some of the similarities that I like to think about. I'm glad to kind of relate myself to somebody like that.' -- Will Rodgers

Favorite binge show: Breaking Bad
Favorite go-to meal: Mexican food. Junk food would probably be ice cream.
Would be walk-up song: 'Kashmir' by Led Zeppelin

Zane Smith
Age: 18
Hometown: Huntington Beach, California
Series: ARCA Racing Series
Best career finish in ARCA: First career victory at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville in 2018, followed up by a victory at Talladega Superspeedway two races later
On social: @zanesmith41

“There's a difference between being good, and being (Monster Energy NASCAR) Cup Series good. ... They don't really care who finishes top three, they care who won the race. I figured that out with time. You have to go into a race weekend with one choice -- wanting to win.' -- Zane Smith

Favorite binge show: Family Guy
Would be walk-up song: Anything Post Malone
Favorite go-to meal: Seared Ahi Tuna or Cheese Quesadilla (In-N-Out Burger is overrated)

Tanner Thorson
Age: 22
Hometown: Minden, Nevada
Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series/NASCAR K&N Pro Series
Best career finish in NCWTS: 16th-place finish in Truck Series debut at Dover International Speedway in 2018
On social: @Tanner_Thorson

'When I was growing up, (my favorite NASCAR driver was Dale Jarrett. My go-kart was brown and had flames on it and had the 88. It might have been the most hideous go-kart out there, but that was my dude.' -- Tanner Thorson

Favorite thing to do to relax: Drive (to a race track in particular)
Favorite go-to late-night meal: In California, it's In-N-Out (plain cheeseburger, ketchup and spread only with fries and a vanilla shake). Out here in NC, McDonald's or Taco Bell.
Favorite music/singers: I listen to a lot of country while I'm driving and then when I'm heading to the race track, I put some rap on. Diehard fan of Chris Stapleton. It's unreal how good he is. I listen to a lot of Khalid and Kayne West. I like old-school rap, too.

Ryan Vargas
Age: 17
Hometown: La Mirada, California
Series: NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
Best career finish in K&N East: A ninth-place run at Langley Speedway in 2018
On social: @The_Rhino23

“We were running part-time. This changes everything for my family and me. I just moved out to North Carolina (a California native). I dreamed as a kid moving to North Carolina. Now, I'm here and I get to race in a race car. I get to race in the K&N Pro Series.” -- Ryan Vargas

Favorite go-to meal: Chicken McNuggets
Favorite binge show: Friends
Most embarrassing race moment: Taking out a friend while racing for the lead at Kern Raceway