Michael Bumgarner wins NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Rookie of the Year
The Bumgarner family has been involved in racing for three generations. What started with Mike Bumgarner was later passed down to his sons, Kevin and Keith Bumgarner.
Now the youngest member of the Bumgarner family, Keith‘s son Michael Bumgarner, is starting to blaze his own trail.
Racing full-time in the Late Model Stock Car class at Hickory Motor Speedway this year for the first time, Michael put together a strong season that allowed him to earn the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Rookie of the Year presented by Jostens.
The reigning Limited Late Model champion at Hickory Motor Speedway competed in 29 events throughout the 2023 season, primarily at Hickory in addition to a few visits to South Carolina‘s Florence Motor Speedway.
His campaign included one victory at Hickory, his first in a Late Model Stock Car, as well as 21 top fives and 28 top 10s. He finished the season at Hickory ranked second in the track championship standings to champion Kade Brown.
Those strong numbers allowed driver from Taylorsville, North Carolina to lay claim to the Weekly Series Rookie of the Year honors by 28 points ahead of Nevada‘s Jaron Giannini. Bumgarner also secured NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division I Southeast Region Rookie of the Year honors, besting Georgia‘s Lanie Buice by 50 points.
Bumgarner was not the only rookie recognized by NASCAR for their efforts during the 2023 season. The sanctioning body also handed out Rookie of the Year honors to the best newcomer in the Midwest, Northeast and West, respectively.
Below are the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Regional Rookie of the Year recipients from the Midwest, Northeast and West.
Midwest Rookie of the Year — John Potter
In his rookie season at the Division I level, Potter enjoyed a strong season at Oklahoma‘s Salina Highbanks Speedway. He banked two points-paying wins and claimed the track championship in the headlining B-Mod class at the track.
In addition, Potter ended the year ranked 36th in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division I standings.
Northeast Rookie of the Year — Rocky Warner
Far from your traditional rookie, Warner is a veteran dirt racer with victories at some of the Northeast‘s top race tracks.
Warner‘s 2023 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series season included two victories at New York‘s Fonda Speedway, and he was ranked 45th overall in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division I standings.
West Rookie of the Year — Jaron Giannini
A busy year for Henderson, Nevada‘s Giannini was also a successful one, as he scored five victories split between the Pro Late Model class at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the Modified class at Arizona‘s Tucson Speedway.
Giannini ended the year ranked 24th in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division I standings.
