Truex, Hamlin lead candidates for Rookie of the Year

As the 2006 season dawns at Daytona, there's a last-minute touch being added to the back of several Nextel Cup cars: the dreaded yellow stripe.

That's right. After a lean year in which a handful of qualified Nextel Cup rookies entered the fray, '06 brings a banner season of youngsters not often seen, even in the new era of "young gun" wheelmen. No fewer than seven drivers with full-time, fully sponsored teams have entered the race for Rookie of the Year -- the highest official number of ROTY candidates to start the season since 1994.

Unlike that '94 class, this group of rookies comes in with some serious support, aligned with top-quality teams and cars capable of winning a race sooner rather than later. That also means the pressure of producing immediate results also falls on the shoulders of these rookies.

Here's a look at each rookie's resume heading into 2006, their prospects for a win, and most importantly, their odds to take home this year's Rookie of the Year award:

Martin Truex Jr.

Martin Truex Jr. Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Car: No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet
Owner: Dale Earnhardt Inc.
Earned His Opportunity By ... Winning the 2004 and 2005 Busch Series Championships
Best Nextel Cup Finish: 7th (Lowe's)

Analysis: After two championship years in the Busch Series, Truex gets his chance at NASCAR's top level, teaming up with good buddy Dale Earnhardt Jr. to form the new D.E.I. (Paul Menard will run with a third team in selected races.) Brought up slowly, but in the same fashion as his mentor (Dale Jr. was the '98 and '99 Busch Champ), Truex displayed consistency and maturity during his stint in Busch, winning at every type of track from the winding road course at Mexico City to the restrictor-plate drafting monster of Talladega. Calm and collected, Truex is not known for the rookie shortfall of tearing up equipment, and his Busch team remains almost completely intact in his move up to Cup.

Will Win ROTY If ... The chemistry with crew chief Kevin Manion continues as the two transition into Nextel Cup. One of the most underrated crew chiefs in the business, Manion is on his way to being ranked with the likes of Knaus, Zipadelli and Fennig within the next few years. Add Truex's usual consistency, and this team will be tough to beat.

Bumps In The Road If ... D.E.I.'s equipment is not up to par. Truex is driving for an organization that won just one Cup race last season and failed to put any car in the Top 10 in points for the first time since 1999. The equipment won't get better overnight.

Best Shot To Win A Race: Dover. At his hometown track (Truex grew up in nearby Marietta, N.J.), he has finished no worse than second there in his past four Busch Series starts. Expect a similar performance in Nextel Cup.

Odds To Win ROTY: 3-1.

Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

Car: No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet
Owner: Joe Gibbs Racing Inc.
Earned His Opportunity By ... Finishing 5th in 2005 Busch Series Points, while performing above expectations in a late-season audition for Nextel Cup
Best Nextel Cup Finish: 7th (Texas)

Analysis: Truex has championships, but Hamlin enters the rookie race with momentum. The native Virginian justified a late-season promotion to Joe Gibbs' No. 11 in 2005 with instant results. Three Top 10s in seven starts, including a pole and 23 laps led in Phoenix, were easily the best finishes for a program that struggled to even snag a finish in the Top 25 with former driver Jason Leffler. The easygoing, soft-spoken Virginian proved a perfect match for Gibbs' heavily funded FedEx machine.

Will Win ROTY If ... Hamlin catches fire in the first few races of 2006. Momentum is everything in this sport, and this team certainly has it. If Hamlin comes out of the box with 2 or 3 Top 5s in the first six races, they could be unstoppable.

Bumps In The Road If ... Hamlin gets knocked down a peg early. Hamlin has experienced little adversity in his seven starts on the Nextel Cup. Don't forget, the young man has just one Top 5 in the Busch Series and less than 50 races in Busch or Truck to his credit. With an intense rookie battle and raised expectations, Hamlin could be feeling the heat if he falls behind.

Best Shot To Win A Race:  Phoenix. Hamlin won the pole and led 23 laps early in November before inexperience set in, sending him into an on-track spin and a 13th place finish in the final rundown. Doubt he'll make the same mistakes next time.

Odds To Win ROTY: 6-1.