Erik Darnell and fellow Roush Racing driver David Ragan share a laugh. (Ronda Greer Photo)

It's been a year since Erik Darnell became Roush Racing's "Driver X," the ultimate winner in an on-track competition that drew resumes from several hundred of the nation's top, young competitors.

The prize was a full season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the hope of following Roush truck graduates Greg Biffle and Kurt Busch into the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series.

"I don't know if you can really have an accurate assessment of 'Are things the way I thought they'd be?'" said Darnell, a 23-year-old native of Beach Park, Ill., whose grandfather Bay Darnell was a well-known stock car competitor in the 1960s and 1970s.

"I knew I'd be competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series but I'd never competed at this level before so I did not know what to expect as far as demands on time and what else would go into being a professional driver in the upper level of the sport."

Darnell added, "It's been a lot of fun, not only on track but off the track as well, learning how to represent the team and the sponsors that support us."

When Darnell, the current Raybestos Rookie of the Year leader, won the Budweiser Pole at Nashville Superspeedway, he became the third Roush Racing driver to post a fast qualifying time in 2006. He joined Mark Martin (No. 6 Scotts Ford) and fellow Driver X graduate David Ragan as pole winners.

"Everyone who ever straps into a racecar dreams of being discovered and having the opportunity I've got," said Darnell, who posted a career-best finish of second at Memphis Motorsports Park.

When the season resumes Sept. 16 at New Hampshire International Speedway, Darnell hopes to join Busch as a rookie winner at the 1.058-mile track.

"I'm very fortunate that my dream became a reality," he said.