NASCAR's next stars excelling in smaller circuits

	A candidate to race Cup this year, the 20-year-old Stephen Leicht is likely to make the move to NASCAR's top series next season. John Cordes/Icon SMI

The 21st century has ushered in the new era of the development driver in NASCAR. The Nextel Cup organizations and manufacturers have taken a baseball-like approach, signing young talent and bringing them up through a farm system that includes late models, Craftsman Trucks and Busch.

It works. Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Reed Sorenson and David Ragan are among the drivers who have come through the system, forming Cup's next generation.

Who are the best prospects we can expect to see in Cup in the next several seasons? Let's take a look

1. Stephen Leicht

Leicht's victory in the Busch race at Kentucky was the only victory for a non-Cup regular (unless you count Aric Almirola's shared win with Hamlin at Milwaukee) in the series this season. It came in his 38th Busch start over the past three seasons with Robert Yates Racing, which signed the now-20-year-old after he won the ASA late model championship. Yates thought enough of Leicht's talent to consider promoting him to Cup this season, but decided he needed another year in triple-A, a wise move. Leicht still needs to drive with more consistency. He has four top-10s in 20 races this season, but is eighth in the points. Depending upon what 50-year-old Ricky Rudd decides to do, Leicht could be in Cup next year.

2. Brad Coleman

Joe Gibbs Racing signed the 19-year-old after last season, when Coleman won an ARCA race at Kentucky and drove in two Busch races for Brewco. Coleman started on pole and finished ninth at Talladega in his fifth start for Gibbs and followed with a second at Kentucky and a fourth in Milwaukee for three top-10s in eight starts. Coleman is scheduled to run in nine more Busch races this season, including Saturday at Gateway. He figures to run a full season in Busch in '08 and could be ready for Cup in '09. Coleman's emergence likely made Gibbs' decision to grant Almirola his release to join Ginn Racing an easy one.

3. Erik Darnell

The 24-year-old put himself in line for a promotion at Roush Racing with his victory in the Craftsman Truck race at Kentucky in April. Darnell had a solid first season in the Trucks, winning Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors with four top-fives and 12 top-10s in 25 races en route to finishing 12th in the points in '06. Darnell hasn't been as consistent this season (three top-10s in 13 races), but two crashes and a blown engine have contributed to it. Darnell won by 10 seconds at Kansas, proving he can get it done when the truck is right.

4. Joey Logano

At the age of 17, Logano has "can't miss" stamped on him. Signed by Gibbs nearly two years ago, Logano won his first start in a NASCAR Grand National West race at Phoenix in April. He also won his second start, in a NASCAR GN East race at Greenville, S.C. Then, he topped both of them by out-dueling Kevin Harvick to win a GN East race at Iowa Speedway in his fourth start. Logano has won four of nine this season and he'd undoubtedly be getting ready for a Busch debut if he was 18, NASCAR's minimum age for its touring series.

At 15, Logano was the youngest driver to win a USAR Hooters Pro Cup race. Mark Martin spotted him racing against son Matt in a lower division the previous year and recommended Roush Racing sign him. When negotiations stalled, Logano signed with Gibbs.

Martin believes Lagono is ready for Cup now.