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Bob Margolis

When it comes to developmental drivers, Roush Racing seems to have a stash of them hidden away in some small warehouse, just waiting for their number to be called.

With little fanfare, Roush Racing put one of its finalists from last season's Driver X competition behind the wheel of a Craftsman Truck this past weekend. Peter Shepherd, 19, didn't exactly set the world on fire – he started 25th and finished 31st – but he proved he can race with the big boys.

Afterward, Shepherd knew exactly who to thank for giving him his big break.

"I really want to thank Jack Roush for giving me this opportunity to drive the No. 50 Ford F-150 truck this weekend," Shepherd said. "This has been a great learning experience for me and I couldn't have done it without the support of everyone behind me."

Despite the current lack of qualified drivers available to fill seats in both the Busch and Nextel Cup series, there definitely is a solid group of young drivers waiting in the wings.

Canada-native Shepherd is just one of more than a dozen young drivers making names for themselves week in and week out at local tracks across North America, hoping that some big team owner will discover them.

Here are 15 more of the hottest young drivers currently racing in NASCAR's regional circuits, ranging in age from 17 to 30, hoping to become the next Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Reed Sorenson or Kyle Busch:

Travis Bennett
Hometown: Ellensburg, Wash.
Age: 27
Current series: NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series
Resumé:

  • 2004 Northwest Series championship runner-up (lost by one point)


  • 2004 Northwest Series Rookie of the Year


  • Notable Northwest Series alumni: Greg Biffle, Mike Bliss, Kevin Hamlin

Sean Caisse
Hometown: Pelham, N.H.
Age: 20
Current series: NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series
Resumé:

  • 2005 Busch East Series Rookie of the Year


  • Finished seventh in points in rookie season


  • Currently driving for Andy Santerre Motorsports, a new team owned by former NASCAR Busch Series driver and four-time Busch East Series champion Andy Santerre


  • Notable Busch East Series alumni: Martin Truex Jr., Ricky Craven

Doug Coby
Hometown: Milford, Conn.
Age: 27
Current series: NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
Resumé:

  • Recorded first career victory at Stafford Motor Speedway, in Stafford Springs, Conn., in 2006


  • Finished seventh in points in 2005 in third year on Whelen Modified Tour


  • 2000 Stafford Motor Speedway Pro Stock track champion


  • 1998 Stafford Motor Speedway Late Model track champion


  • Notable Whelen Modified Tour alumni: Todd Bodine, Steve Park, Mike McLaughlin, Jeff Fuller, Jimmy Spencer

Kenny Edwards
Hometown: Columbia, Mo.
Age: 23
Current series: NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series
Resumé:

Matt Hirschman
Hometown: Northampton, Pa.
Age: 23
Current series: NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
Resumé:

  • Competing for 2006 Rookie of the Year honors on Whelen Modified Tour


  • Son of five-time Whelen Modified Tour champion Tony Hirschman


  • Served as crew chief for father's 2004 and 2005 championship efforts

Jason Hogan
Hometown: Cleveland, Ga.
Age: 23
Current series: NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series
Resumé:

  • 2005 Southeast Series championship runner-up


  • 2005 Southeast Series Bud Pole champion


  • Finalist in 2005 Roush Racing "Driver X" tryout (aka the Gong Show)


  • 2002 Southeast Series Rookie of the Year


  • Notable Southeast Series alumni: Rick Crawford, Jason Keller, David Reutimann

Van Knill
Hometown: Tucson, Ariz.
Age: 21
Current series: NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series
Resumé:

  • Competing in Super Late Model class at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway


  • Posted two wins and leads track point standings in his first season at Irwindale

Nick Lynch
Hometown: Burley, Idaho
Age: 24
Current series: NASCAR Grand National Division, AutoZone West Series and NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series
Resumé:

  • Began career in NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series at Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls, Idaho


  • Finished fifth in 2005 Southwest Series point standings


  • Competing for Rookie of the Year in AutoZone West Series in 2006


  • Younger brother of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver and 2003 AutoZone West Series champion Scott Lynch


  • Graduated from the University of Arizona in just three years


  • Notable AutoZone West Series alumni: Brendan Gaughan, David Gilliland, Kevin Harvick, Chad Little

Burt Myers
Hometown: Walnut Cove, N.C.
Age: 30
Current series: NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
Resumé:

  • 2005 Whelen Southern Modified Tour championship runner-up


  • Two-time Modified track champion at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.


  • Posted three Whelen Southern Modified Tour victories in 2005


  • Third generation racer from Myers family, pioneers of NASCAR racing in the 1950s.

Coleman Pressley
Hometown: Asheville, N.C.
Age: 17
Current series: NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series
Resumé:

  • Competing in NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Late Model class at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway


  • Son of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver and former NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series champion Robert Pressley


  • Has posted one win in 2006, his first year in Late Models

Eric Richardson
Hometown: Bakersfield, Calif.
Age: 20
Current series: NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series
Resumé:

  • Competed in NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series in 2004-05; won 2005 Late Model track championship at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif.


  • Competing for Rookie of the Year honors in Southwest Series in 2006


  • Notable Southwest Series alumni: Kurt Busch, Rick Carelli, Matt Crafton, Ron Hornaday, Burney Lamar

Brandon Riehl
Hometown: Boring, Ore.
Age: 29
Current series: NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series and Southwest Series
Resumé:

  • 2005 Northwest Series championship runner-up


  • Has continued winning ways on Northwest Series in 2006 with victory at Meridian (Idaho) Speedway

Tim Schendel
Hometown: Sparta, Wis.
Age: 27
Current series: NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest Series
Resumé:

  • 2000 Midwest Series Rookie of the Year


  • Four career Midwest Series victories


  • Finished in top five of Midwest Series standings for the past three years


  • Has run Craftsman Truck Series events


  • Notable Midwest Series alumni: Clint Bowyer, Erik Darnell, Matt Kenseth, Travis Kvapil, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard

Peyton Sellers
Hometown: Danville, Va.
Age: 22
Current series: NASCAR Grand National Division, AutoZone West Series
Resumé:

  • 2005 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series national champion


  • Raced NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Late Models at South Boston (Va.) Speedway


  • After winning 2005 national title, signed driver development deal with Richard Childress Racing


  • Competing in AutoZone West Series for RCR in 2006, where he already has posted two top-five finishes in his first three starts.


  • Made his Busch Series debut this past weekend at New Hampshire. Started 41st and finished 37th after an early-race spin

Todd Szegedy
Hometown: Ridgefield, Conn.
Age: 30
Current series: NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
Resumé:

  • 2003 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion


  • 2002 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Rookie of the Year


  • Has run events in Busch Series


  • At this time, there are no plans for Roush's new protégé to race again – the next Craftsman Truck Series race isn't for another three weeks. But more than likely it's a matter of time before he finds himself a home behind the wheel of a Roush Racing-prepared Ford F-150.