NASCAR Next drivers in national series

Since its inception in 2011, the NASCAR Next program has identified 46 drivers as part of its new wave of up-and-coming talent. From that elite list, all but 10 have graduated to make appearances in the three NASCAR national series, and 13 others have made starts in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

With the Class of 2017-18 being announced May 16, here's a list of 16 drivers currently making regular starts in NASCAR's top three divisions.

Ryan Blaney

Age: 23
NASCAR Next class: 2012
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Bio: Blaney accumulated four wins each in the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series on his way up the NASCAR ladder. The North Carolina native now calls NASCAR's premier series home, as he competes in his second full season with the legendary Wood Brothers Racing team.

William Byron

Age: 19
NASCAR Next class: 2015
Series: XFINITY Series
Bio: In his rookie year in the Camping World Truck Series, the young star produced a stellar campaign with seven wins, earning him a spot in the inaugural Camping World Truck Series postseason. Rick Hendrick and JR Motorsports took note, and Byron now calls Dale Earnhardt Jr. his boss in the XFINITY Series.

Cole Custer

Age: 19
NASCAR Next class: 2014-15
Series: XFINITY Series
Bio: The California native has a pair of Camping World Truck Series wins and is part of the JR Motorsports quartet heating up the XFINITY Series.

Matt DiBenedetto

Age: 25
NASCAR Next class: 2011
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Bio: Now in his third full-time Monster Energy Series season, DiBenedetto holds an average place differential of +2.6. His sixth-place Bristol finish in 2016 left him with an abundance of fans after a heart-warming post-race interview.

Chase Elliott

Age: 21
NASCAR Next class: 2013
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Bio: The 2014 XFINITY Series champion is perhaps the most successful of his NASCAR Next peers. The son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott now wheels Jeff Gordon's legendary No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the premier series and earned Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in 2016.

Gray Gaulding

Age: 19
NASCAR Next class: 2013-14
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Bio: Gaulding is the youngest full-time driver in NASCAR's premier series and is enjoying his first season with BK Racing.

Noah Gragson

Age: 18
NASCAR Next class: 2016
Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Bio: The Las Vegas native has a total of six K&N wins and is now with the successful Kyle Busch Motorsports program in the Truck Series. He is young and being guided by the 2015 NASCAR champion in Kyle Busch, so expect to hear his name in years to come.

Erik Jones

Age: 20
NASCAR Next class: 2014
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Bio: Jones has worked his way up the NASCAR ladder both successfully and quickly. He often has been called a younger version of his mentor Kyle Busch thanks to his dominance in both the XFINITY and Truck Series, where he has a combined 15 wins. He's now with Furniture Row Racing.

Ben Kennedy

Age: 25
NASCAR Next class: 2013
Series: XFINITY Series
Bio: The son of Lesa France Kennedy earned his first Truck Series win in 2016 at Bristol, which locked him into the playoffs. He earned a season-best seventh-place finish in the standings and has now moved up to the XFINITY Series with both Richard Childress Racing and GMS Racing.

Corey LaJoie

Age: 25
NASCAR Next class: 2012
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Bio: LaJoie is a man of many skills with wins in both the K&N Series and ARCA Series. He's now with BK Racing in his first full-time season in NASCAR's premier series.

Kyle Larson

Age: 24
NASCAR Next class: 2012
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Bio: Larson is neck-in-neck with Elliott in terms of the most successful NASCAR Next product. The Chip Ganassi Racing wheelman turned a corner in 2016 with his first premier series win at Michigan and has, since then, been on a hot streak. He now leads the standings by a wide margin thanks to his Auto Club win and consistent top-10 finishes and stage racing dominance.

John Hunter Nemechek

Age: 19
NASCAR Next class: 2015
Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Bio: Nemechek -- son of Joe Nemechek (pictured) -- continues to thrive in the Truck Series with three wins. Now in his third full-time season, he looks primed for a championship run.

Ben Rhodes

Age: 20
NASCAR Next class: 2014
Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Bio: Rhodes has experience in both the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series and it's only a matter of time before he crosses the start/finish line first.

Daniel Suarez

Age: 25
NASCAR Next class: 2011-13
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Bio: The 2016 XFINITY Series champion is another driver who's been in the express lane ever since he entered the sport. He took over the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota from Carl Edwards this season, as Suarez holds a seat at one of NASCAR's most successful organizations. He also carved out a slice of motorsports history by becoming the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR national series race (Michigan, 2016).

Matt Tifft

Age: 20
NASCAR Next class: 2016
Series: XFINITY Series
Bio: Tifft, another driver in the JGR camp, is enjoying is first full-time campaign and sits behind the wheel of the No. 18 Toyota that Kyle Busch has brought to Victory Lane numerous times. Tifft's time, too, is coming.

Darrell Wallace Jr.

Age: 23
NASCAR Next class: 2011-12
Series: XFINITY Series
Bio: Bubba is one of the sport's brightest stars thanks to his on-track success as well as his humorous off-track endeavors with buddy Ryan Blaney. The Roush Fenway Racing driver became the first African American wheelman since Wendell Scott to win a NASCAR race (Martinsville, 2013).