Carter collects 2022 Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Award

Cayden Carter of Oskaloosa, Iowa, captured the 2023 Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Award.

Driving for VanderBuilt Race Cars, the 27-year-old picked up his first career win during the 2022 season as he distanced himself from Kyle Brown and Shane DeVolder in the rookie points battle.

"We wanted to do more open stuff and we knew we weren't going to go to all the races, but we seen the rookie deal's your best 24 nights so that was our goal—to win a race and try to win the rookie—so I guess we accomplished that and had a lot of fun this year.

"That definitely made the year. It's tough going from winning a lot of races to winning none and getting our butt kicked every night, but you know you're racing the best guys out here each and every week that means a lot."

Carter began racing karts at age 3 and was 13 years old in his first season behind a USRA B-Mod in 2008. That year he won the 22nd Annual Fall Challenge at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa in just his fifth race in a B-Mod, topping a 60-car field. The race promotor was USMTS President Todd Staley.

In 2011, Carter snagged the Iron Man Challenge crown for USRA B-Mods.

Carter credits owners Joe and Sharon Ferguson, girlfriend Keira Blanke and a supportive family including Jimmy Carter, Brayton Carter, B.J. Carter and Julie Carter with much of his success.

Sponsors on his No. 10C USMTS Modified include VanderBuilt Race Cars, AgriGold, Capital Sign Co., Eibach, Fast Shafts, Ferguson Family Farms, KSE Racing Products, PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain, Performance Bodies, Schoenfeld Headers, Schroeder Racing Products, Stoen Racing Engines and Wehrs Machine & Racing Products.

2022 Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year points:

1. 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa ... 2503 (1 win)
2. 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa ... 2221
3. 44S Shane DeVolder, Pacifica, Calif. ... 2213
4. 38T Dylan Thornton, Santa Maria, Calif. ... 2098
5. 56 Colton Horner, Houston, Texas ... 1685

The racing world lost one of its finest ambassadors and a fan favorite of USMTS fans and compeittors in 2016 when Grant Junghans passed away from a long battle with cancer a the age of 27.

Junghans was first diagnosed with cancer in February of 2010. Despite on-again off-again chemotherapy treatments and numerous surgeries, he never lost his sense of humor, fighting spirit or natural-born tendency to be decent to others.

He was the 2009 USMTS Rookie of the Year and the award has since been renamed in his honor.

USMTS Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year Award winners:

2022 – 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
2021 – 444 Brooks Strength, Raymond, Miss.
2020 – 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
2019 – 62 Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo.
2018 – 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
2017 – 96 R.C. Whitwell, Tucson, Ariz.
2016 – 20RT Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
2015 – 99 Jesse Sobbing, Malvern, Iowa
2014 – 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
2013 – 99H Trevor Hunt, Kearney, Mo.
2012 – 2S Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
2011 – 99 Jason Grimes, Jamestown, N.D.
2010 – 1ST Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
2009 – 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
2008 – 21B Brandon Kenny, Woodward, Okla.
2007 – 25 Scott Green, Derby, Kan.
2006 – 49 Jay Poidinger, Somerset, Wis.
2005 – 26 Brad McEwan, Storm Lake, Iowa
2004 – 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
2003 – 33 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa
2002 – 18 Justin Boney, De Soto, Kan.
2001 – 12 Jason Hughes, Colcord, Okla.
2000 – 105 Kevin Peters, Monmouth, Ill.