NASCAR Draft Kit: 2025 Top Rookies

The 2025 rookie class will be a bit smaller than last season's group. The level of talent is no less impressive when we examine their racing resumes, in fact, this may be the most talented rookie class in quite a while. We have some very seasoned, young Xfinity Series drivers who will be making the transition in the upcoming season, and they're not entirely unfamiliar with NASCAR Cup Series cars. In addition to our full-time rookies we have some young drivers that will be making some part-time forays into the world of NASCAR Cup Series racing from the lower divisions of the sport. The transition from the Xfinity Series or Camping World Truck Series to the top division of NASCAR is always a big adjustment for young drivers. However, as last season showed, drivers like Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar will have their highlights to go along with their struggles. We'll take a look at the ROTY candidates and some of the young, up-and-coming drivers who will make part-time starts in the NASCAR Cup Series this season, and give you some in-depth analysis on which rookie drivers are the ones to watch closely this season.

Rookie Driver Rankings and Profiles

1. Riley Herbst

Owner: 23XI Racing

Car Number: No. 35

Manufacturer: Toyota                    

After two seasons of part-time racing in the Cup Series, Herbst will make the promotion to full-time at NASCAR's top level in 2025. The seasoned young driver will be moving into 23XI Racing's new third team for the upcoming season and will be the lead driver in the Rookie of the Year chase. Herbst has won three races in the Xfinity Series over the past two season and shown great progress by finishing seventh in the final championship standings of last year. The growing team was willing to take a chance on the 25-year-old driver and put Herbst in their new car. He has not won a championship in the lower divisions of NASCAR but he has shown the ability to win races and rack up Top 10's when given good cars. With just eight races of Cup Series experience in hand, Herbst has a large learning curve ahead of him. He'll have some ups-and-downs in 2025, but should have the inside track on ROTY due to the smaller field of rookies this season.

2. Shane van Gisbergen

Owner: Trackhouse Racing

Car Number: No. 88

Manufacturer: Chevrolet                    

The Kiwi is ready to make the transition to full-time Cup driver after two seasons of part-time racing in NASCAR's top division. Van Gisbergen has wowed us on road circuits as that is a natural extension of his racing background in the Supercars Series. He got a full slate of Xfinity Series races last season to help acclimate the veteran driver to ovals. Van Gisbergen showed improvement in this part of his racing performance, but it still falls short of his road racing excellence. With just 14 starts of Cup Series experience he'll have to do the best he can with a full slate of Cup Series races in 2025. Trackhouse Racing has a lot of faith and confidence in the 35-year-old driver and will put him up against Riley Herbst in the Rookie of the Year battle. It will be a challenging rookie season, but one that could yield one or more wins in the six road racing events of the upcoming season.

3. Will Brown

Owner: Richard Childress Racing

Car Number: No. 33

Manufacturer: Chevrolet                    

Brown dipped his toe into the NASCAR waters last season with a one-off start at Sonoma Raceway for Richard Childress Racing. While the outing (31st-place finish) left a bit to be desired, it gave Brown valuable experience in a NASCAR Cup Series car. He's had a successful and extensive career racing all over Australia in Australian Formula 4, Australian Toyota 86 Series and TCR Australia. He is the reigning 2024 Supercars champion and has 10-career victories in that racing series. Brown has committed to two starts in 2025 with Richard Childress Racing as he continues to develop this third, part-time team. He will attempt both Circuit of the Americas and the Chicago Street Course. It will be interesting to see what Brown has learned since last June and how much better he will be in the two upcoming races of 2025. He may be eyeing a similar Supercars to NASCAR move that recently Shane van Gisbergen has executed.

4. Brodie Kostecki

Owner: Richard Childress Racing

Car Number: No. 33

Manufacturer: Chevrolet                    

Kostecki is in much the same boat as Will Brown. He's a former Supercars champion and achieved about as much success racing Down Under as one can achieve. He made a one-off start in NASCAR in the 2023 season racing at the Indianapolis Grand Prix circuit. He would qualify a dazzling 11th-place and finish a respectable 22nd-place in what was an utter road racing brawl. Although he doesn't have any plans announced for NASCAR in the upcoming season, he does still have interest and Richard Childress still has interest in him. However, as long as there are road racing events in the calendar, there is the possibility that RCR and Kostecki could put something together for 2025. He's a gifted road racer and could have fantasy impact if he decides to race this season.