Team co-owner David Dollar calls him "an owner's dream."

Patience, says crew chief Doug Wolcott, is what sets Tayler Malsam apart from his peers.

Malsam currently leads Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings, albeit by a single point, over Johnny Sauter (No. 13 Fun Sand/Rodney Atkins/Curb Records Chevrolet), but the 20-year-old holds the rare distinction of being a freshman driver ranked among the championship top 10. The Sammamish, Wash., sprint car graduate posted consecutive top-10 finishes at Texas, Michigan and Milwaukee.

His greatest achievement may be finishing on the lead lap in 10 of his 11 starts.

"Tayler is really coming on and has exceeded all our expectations," said Dollar, co-owner of Randy Moss Motorsports. "He is a team owner's dream by taking care of the equipment and bringing the trucks home each week in one piece."

Wolcott calls Malsam a team player. "Tayler has a lot of talent but what really sets him apart is that he is very patient and really looks out for his crew," he said. "He really stands behind the guys, even when we have trouble in the pits. He's on the radio telling them it's okay and gets back on the track and races hard to get the spots back."