Joey Miller (No. 12 Curb Records Toyota) has a couple of goals in mind for the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.

One will follow the other.

Miller hopes to join Darrell Waltrip Motorsports teammate David Reutimann (No. 17 Team Tundra Toyota) as the Raybestos Rookie of the Year, an award Reutimann won in 2004.

That will fulfill goal No. 2 when Miller, 21, would become the series' youngest  competitor to be named the top rookie. That honor currently belongs to 2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion Kurt Busch, the series' 2000 Raybestos Rookie of the Year at age 22 years three months; Miller won't celebrate his 22nd birthday until next January.

Interestingly, Miller isn't even the youngest of this year's rookie contenders. Kyle Krisiloff (No. 15 ditech.com/National Land Liquidators/Krud Kutter Chevrolet) turns 20 this Friday.

This year's Raybestos rookie class is the youngest in the 11-year history of the competition with a current average age of 23.

Reutimann didn't exactly waltz to his rookie of the year title. Miller - after two races in which last week's 13th-place finish at California Speedway follows a run of 33rd at Daytona - believes the competition may be the greatest challenge ever.

(Ronda Greer Photo)

"Competing for Raybestos Rookie of the Year is definitely going to be tougher this year than any other and that's attributed to the growth of the series," said Miller, who competed in five races for Waltrip in 2005 with a best finish of 10th at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He ranks fourth in rookie points, which are based upon a driver's 14 best finishes and end-of-year bonuses.

"You have a large class of rookies and most of them are in some of the best equipment. It's equipment that's proven and has won races.

"To come in here and win right away is not something you can go out and do."

Miller, who hails from Lakeville, Minn. - a few miles south of Minneapolis on Interstate 35 - is just the second Minnesotan to compete in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Tommy Archer of Duluth started the series' first event on Feb. 5, 1995 and finished 18th.

He previously drove in the ARCA RE/MAX Series scoring five wins and 12 top-10 finishes along with six poles. Miller won his first ARCA start at Nashville Superspeedway in 2004.

"ARCA is a good environment to learn in but the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is so much tougher," said Miller. "It's one of the toughest series right now and it lives up to its image."

Miller, who builds hot rods and enjoys handgun sports, figures the old saying about "lead, follow or get out of the way" pretty much sums up racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series where only six drivers under the age of 30 have won races during the past two seasons.

"I learned quickly that you have to run so much harder," he said. "All these drivers are going all out every single lap and not giving an inch. In ARCA, if you have a decent handling car, you have a good shot at winning.

"It's totally different over here."