2017 the Second Straight Season Rookie of the Year and Champion Come from Same Organization in Cup Series

2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year Recipient Erik Jones
Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images/NASCAR Media

For the second straight season, both the Sunoco Rookie of the Year recipient and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion came from the same organization. Erik Jones secured the ROTY honors this season while Furniture Row Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. earned the championship in the Cup series.

2016 Sunoco Rookie of the Year Recipient Chase Elliott
David Becker/NASCAR via Getty Images

Last season, Hendrick Motorsports had this accolade to add to Johnson's seventh championship in the series. Chase Elliott received the ROTY honors last season.

In recent seasons, the Rookie of the Year honors has become more important as the battle has contained some of NASCAR's next top stars and has been more competitive then it was in 2010-2012. Looking back to those three seasons; Kevin Conway, Andy Lally, and Stephen Leight all earned ROTY honors. All three of those drivers are no longer competing in NASCAR's top level, with the exception of Leicht, who made his return to the series earlier this year with BK Racing for one race.

In 2018, three drivers have announced they will compete for Rookie of the Year with William Byron, Darrell Wallace Jr., and Ray Black Jr. As the offseason continues, the silly season could add a few more names to this hat. Byron is looking to join Jones as triple-crown ROTY winners as Jones has locked all three series ROTY honors in 2015 (NCWTS), 2016(NXS), and 2017(MENCS).

Jones is also looking to become the 11th driver to win the championship and Rookie of the Year in his career as he moves over to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2018. He replaces 2000 ROTY Matt Kenseth in the No. 20 car.