Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has parlayed a sprint car background into a Sprint Cup career track.
Just like Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart , the 23-year-old Mississippian used the knowledge gained by racing the powerful open wheelers as a stepping stone to move on up.
With approximately the same horsepower as a Cup car but at less than half the weight of the Cup car moving up from sprint cars is not as a big a jump as it might be.
In fact, prior to joining the Roush Fenway Racing team Stenhouse drove for Stewart’s sprint car team.
Stewart one of NASCAR ’s fiercest competitors and co-owner of Stewart Haas Racing liked what he saw right away.
“One thing, out of the box, you knew he knew how to step on the gas. In the beginning it was a win it or wear it situation. I would rather have that way than a guy you’d have to poke and prod. We were in a lot better situation that way,” Stewart told Auto.123.com.
Like many drivers starting out Stenhouse was in a hurry to prove himself.
Since SHR had no truck or Nationwide team the offer to run for Roush in the No. 6 Mustang in the Nationwide Series was too good to turn down.
The next part of the learning curve was to be consistent. Stenhouse struggled with that in the beginning of 2010. He crashed five times in the first 12 races, and then failed to qualify for the Nashville race.
Stenhouse didn’t give up and turned things around to win the Rookie of the Year title in the Nationwide Series. “Yes sir. It’s tough being in the spotlight and making mistakes out here but it’s part of it you have to learn from those mistakes and try not let it happen again.”
“You can’t beat yourself up over either. Towards the beginning of last year I was struggling I was kind of beating myself up.” Stenhouse said.
He was able to turn things around and make a huge comeback.
But Roush had, and continues to have, confidence in his driver as Roush said to Auto123.com. “Ricky is the real deal he’s got a lot of potential extraordinarily talented and I just want to be a part of it when he matures where he can do what he might,” said Roush.
Although NASCAR changed the rules to deny Sprint Cup drivers a chance at the Nationwide point’s championship they still may race against their junior colleagues and Stenhouse is fine with that.
“It’s tough, but then again, we started running with Kyle Busch, running with Carl (Edwards); it just builds confidence not only in myself but our team. This year we started off strong and running with them and hopefully continue with that,” said Stenhouse who has three top-ten finishes in the first three races of the year in the Blackwell Angus Ford Mustang.
Although he’s driving for a company with a Sprint Cup team Stenhouse is completely focused on what he’s doing now.
“I just wanted to race for a living I never thought I’d get to this point and I’m grateful. As a kid I just loved racing. If I could make money doing that is what I wanted to do.”
Now I’ve got the opportunity and loving every minute of it,” Stenhouse said.
Just like Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart , the 23-year-old Mississippian used the knowledge gained by racing the powerful open wheelers as a stepping stone to move on up.
With approximately the same horsepower as a Cup car but at less than half the weight of the Cup car moving up from sprint cars is not as a big a jump as it might be.
In fact, prior to joining the Roush Fenway Racing team Stenhouse drove for Stewart’s sprint car team.
Stewart one of NASCAR ’s fiercest competitors and co-owner of Stewart Haas Racing liked what he saw right away.
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| Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR |
“One thing, out of the box, you knew he knew how to step on the gas. In the beginning it was a win it or wear it situation. I would rather have that way than a guy you’d have to poke and prod. We were in a lot better situation that way,” Stewart told Auto.123.com.
Like many drivers starting out Stenhouse was in a hurry to prove himself.
Since SHR had no truck or Nationwide team the offer to run for Roush in the No. 6 Mustang in the Nationwide Series was too good to turn down.
The next part of the learning curve was to be consistent. Stenhouse struggled with that in the beginning of 2010. He crashed five times in the first 12 races, and then failed to qualify for the Nashville race.
Stenhouse didn’t give up and turned things around to win the Rookie of the Year title in the Nationwide Series. “Yes sir. It’s tough being in the spotlight and making mistakes out here but it’s part of it you have to learn from those mistakes and try not let it happen again.”
“You can’t beat yourself up over either. Towards the beginning of last year I was struggling I was kind of beating myself up.” Stenhouse said.
He was able to turn things around and make a huge comeback.
But Roush had, and continues to have, confidence in his driver as Roush said to Auto123.com. “Ricky is the real deal he’s got a lot of potential extraordinarily talented and I just want to be a part of it when he matures where he can do what he might,” said Roush.
Although NASCAR changed the rules to deny Sprint Cup drivers a chance at the Nationwide point’s championship they still may race against their junior colleagues and Stenhouse is fine with that.
“It’s tough, but then again, we started running with Kyle Busch, running with Carl (Edwards); it just builds confidence not only in myself but our team. This year we started off strong and running with them and hopefully continue with that,” said Stenhouse who has three top-ten finishes in the first three races of the year in the Blackwell Angus Ford Mustang.
Although he’s driving for a company with a Sprint Cup team Stenhouse is completely focused on what he’s doing now.
“I just wanted to race for a living I never thought I’d get to this point and I’m grateful. As a kid I just loved racing. If I could make money doing that is what I wanted to do.”
Now I’ve got the opportunity and loving every minute of it,” Stenhouse said.