Know Your Driver: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Name: Richard Lynn "Ricky" Stenhouse Jr.

            Nickname: N/A

Date of Birth: October 2, 1987 (age 27)

Hometown: Olive Branch, Mississippi

Family: Danica Patrick, girlfriend

First Career Start: May 29, 2011 (Charlotte)

Car Number and Make: #17 Ford Fusion

Primary Sponsors:

• Fastenal
• Zest
• Fifth Third Bank
• NOS
• Juicy Juice

Team: Roush-Fenway Racing

Teammates: Trevor Bayne, Greg Biffle

Best Career Points Finish: 19th (2013)

Career Victories: 0

Notable Wins: N/A

Description: First off, I have to disclose that the picture I provided above of Ricky is no longer current. He had his glorious mullet cut off a week ago, but I couldn't help but post it anyway.

Stenhouse has been a loyal driver since breaking into big time stock car racing in the late 2000s, having been with Roush Fenway Racing from his days in ARCA and the XFinity Series, and now in the Sprint Cup Series.

Though he has made the big time now, his route up to the premier series came with a struggle. Stenhouse had a penchant for wrecking cars often when he began in the XFinity Series. It became such a bad trend that Jack Roush yanked him from the ride mid-season in 2010. After a five race layoff, however, Stenhouse came back with a vengeance, racking up top-10s and taking home Rookie of the Year honors.

Stenhouse carried that momentum into the 2011 XFinity season and channeled it well, scoring his first career win at the Iowa Speedway after holding off Cup Series regulars Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski. He again won at Iowa when the series returned there for the second time that season and beat Edwards again for the win. But it was an insane finish as Stenhouse's motor blew up a few hundred yards before the finish line. Edwards lost control in the oil and plowed into the back of Stenhouse, pushing him across the line for the win.

Stenhouse would then go on to win the 2011 XFinity title and repeated that feat again in 2012, winning six races in the process. That success prompted a move up to the Sprint Cup Series in 2013, a season in which Stenhouse was consistent, but didn't score a top-10 finish until the 26th race of the season and he ended with three total top-10s. He did take home Rookie of the Year honors again, however.

Stenhouse is still searching for consistent success in the Sprint Cup Series. He finished a lowly 27th in points in his sophomore season and isn't faring much better in the current season. As with his other teammates, if Roush can turn around the gigantic struggles it's been having for over a year now, Stenhouse could solidify himself, as he has shown flashes of good finishes. 

Fun Facts: Stenhouse is dating fellow driver Danica Patrick and has been since 2013, along with being a big University of Mississippi supporter.