Much has been made of the “old guys” standing in the points standings so far this year. I saw a stat last week that showed the average age of the drivers in the top 10 increased more than five years since the same time last year. Veterans like Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin, Sterling Marlin and Dale Jarrett all occupy spots in the top 10 after the race in Texas last week. Many theories have been thrown about as to why the veterans seem to be performing better this year.

Some point to rules changes about car set-up implemented by NASCAR favoring the older drivers, others say it is just cyclical; I say that these guys are just darn good drivers and it shouldn’t be a surprise to see them doing well. The guys who are considered “veterans” are veterans for a reason; they can drive a race car.