First 2016 Race Results for the NASCAR Xfinity Sunoco Rookies

Cars line the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR XFINITY Series PowerShares QQQ 300
at Daytona International Speedway on February 20, 2016 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
(Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Image)

There were six XFINITY drivers who raced in the 35Th Annual Powershares QQQ 300 who are competing for the 2016 Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award. The NASCAR Rookie of the Year (ROY) Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a NASCAR season.

How Did The 2016 Xfinity Rookies Do In Daytona?

NASCAR Xfinity Sunoco Rookies Qualifying:

Starting Position	Name	Car #
5	Erik Jones	20
7	Brandon Jones	33
13	Brennan Poole	48
31	Ryan Preece	01
32	Ray Black, Jr.	07
38	B.J. McLeod	78

NASCAR Xfinity Sunoco Rookies Finish:

Finish Position	Name	Car #
7	Brandon Jones	33
24	B.J. McLeod	78
27	Brennan Poole	48
31	Erik Jones	20
33	Ray Black, Jr.	07
40	Ryan Preece	01

While Erik Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing) produced the better qualifying result; Brandon Jones emerge the clear winner in the class with his seventh place start and finish. Brandon was the only rookie to earn a bonus point awarded for a top-ten finish and was named Rookie of the Race. He is currently third in the point standings.

Man, a top-10 finish in our first race at Daytona is awesome. Brandon Jones stated.  This Barrett Jackson/Menards team worked really hard during the off season to get these speedway cars ready to come here, and I think it really showed today.  I had to learn the draft pretty quick in practice, but I got it figured out. I hate we got caught up in that wreck early on, but it shows how hard this team works. We worked with our RCR teammates and came out of here with a seventh-place finish. I can't wait to get to Atlanta."

Ryan Preece was caught up in an accident on Lap Seven in Turn One. His #01 made contact with the #85 Lucas Oil Chevrolet of ARCA veteran Bobby Gerhart, causing severe right side damage to both vehicles.

Brandon Jones, Brennan Poole, and Erik Jones were involved in the second caution on Lap Fourteen for an accident in the backstretch.  While Ray Black Jr. brought out caution number four on Lap 103 when he stalled in the backstretch.

The Rookie of the Year Scoring system uses the following criteria:

• A 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 point system is used for scoring finishing positions by the rookies. The highest-finishing rookie in each race earns 10 points, the second-highest, nine points, etc.
• Of the 33 races, only the top 16 are counted in the NASCAR XFINITY Series rookie race.
• In order to be eligible for the Rookie of the Year award, a driver must attempt to qualify in at least eight out of the first 20 events.
• Attempting to qualify for a race earns the rookies one bonus point, which is a bonus that is available for all 33 events.
• Bonus points are awarded for a finish in the top 10. A rookie who wins a race is awarded 10 points; second place gets nine and so on down the line with a 10th-place effort earning one point.
• Following the final race of the season, the highest-ranking rookie in the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship receives 10 bonus points. The second-highest rookie earns nine points, third receives eight, etc.
• During the final weekend of the season, a Rookie of the Year panel meets and rewards favorable conduct in the following categories: conduct with NASCAR officials in the garage and pit areas; conduct and awareness on track; personal appearance and relationship with the media. The panel rates each driver, with scoring ranging from a maximum of 10 to a minimum of 1. Total points will be averaged from each panel member’s ballot. The points derived from the panel will be added to the entry, competition, and bonus points after the final race of the season to determine the overall Rookie of the Year winner.