Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney Could Rank With NASCAR’s Great Rookie Classes (Photos)

It’s only been a few years since some of these drivers got their road licenses, but they’re already tearing up the track in NASCAR.

Chase Elliott, 20, and Ryan Blaney, 22, are two of the most exciting rookies to grace the Sprint Cup Series in a while. They headline a rookie class that, based on early returns, has a chance to be mentioned among the greatest ever.

NESN Fuel took a dive into the history books to identify six rookie classes from NASCAR’s modern era that stand above the rest. From Dale Earnhardt Jr. to Austin Dillon, every star driver had to start somewhere.