Fast Track To Success

Rhett Barkau was not in the best of moods at the Virginia International Raceway last summer when his car wrecked midway through the race, but that mood quickly changed when he got some exciting news.

"The guy who was right behind me in the points race for Rookie of the Year didn't finish the race either," Rhett explained. "So that left me with a 40 point lead over him with only one race to go."

Competing in the Trans Am 2 class last summer, points were awarded for the Rookie of the Year honor based on where a driver finished in each of the 12 races held over the course of the season. In a...