RSJ Gets it Done

When you compare the season he had last year, to the season he's had this year, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. could easily be called the comeback kid. But no matter what you call him, the only word that really describes him now, is Champion. A title that Ricky has worked so hard to earn, is now his.

Credit to espn.go.com

Every since Ricky was 3 years old, he's been racing. And he's been winning. He started out racing bikes at the age of three. Then he slowly progressed. He soon made his way in to go karts. After making his way through the ranks, he signed with Jack Roush to run in the ARCA Series in 2008. In 2009, he competed in a partial schedule for Roush in the Nationwide Series. Then in 2010, Roush gave Stenhouse a full time ride in the Nationwide Series. But it wasn't all fun and games for Ricky that year. He had 4 DNF's in the first 10 races of the season. This lead to him being replaced by Brian Ickler for three races, and Billy Johnson for a 4th. Then Ricky rejoined the team with a veteran crew chief in Mike Kelly, and had a sudden rebound. He began laying down top fives and top tens, which put him in a close battle with Brian Scott for Rookie of the Year. But after Brian was released from Turner Motorsports late in the year, Ricky clenched the Rookie of the Year battle with a fourth place finish at Homestead-Miami.

The 2011 season was Stenhouse's rebound from all his bad luck last year. Stenhouse brought home two wins for the Roush-Fenway camp, both at Iowa, which also marked his first ever Nationwide Series win. Team mate Trevor Bayne also brought home his first Nationwide win this season at Texas. Ricky also made his first ever Sprint Cup series start this season at Charlotte for the Wood Brother's team, in the #21 car, when Bayne fell ill.

And with all the success the year has brought him, and after everything his been through to make it where he is, I would like to congratulate Ricky on his 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship. Ricky, and the entire Roush-Fenway Racing camp have definitely earned this one.