Adam Anderson surprised many earlier this year when he became the youngest Monster Jam champion ever by claiming the World Freestyle Championship at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. When you view Anderson's accomplishment in the context of all motorsports, not just Monster Jam, it's clear that Adam is representative of a new age in motorsports, an age where the most talented young stars don't wait very long anymore to make their way to the top.

The latest example of this came last Saturday night when Joey Lagano, just three weeks past his 18th birthday became the youngest race winner in the history of the NASCAR Nationwide Series with his victory in the 300 mile race at Kentucky Speedway for NASCAR's second biggest circuit. Immediately following that historic win Joe Gibbs, his team owner, said he plans to have the phenom race at the top level on the Sprint Cup Series later this year. If he runs in four or five Cup races in 2008 it would be truly stunning to see Lagano get a win there, but he seems destined to eventuially become the youngest winner at NASCAR's highest level as well. Kyle Busch currently holds that distinction, having won a Sprint Cup race at the age of 20 years, 126 days, meaning Lagano has more than two years to work with in setting a new standard.

With Lagano expected to run a Gibbs Toyota full time in Sprint Cup in 2009 you can bet that the young hotshot plans to shatter Busch's age record with plenty of time to spare. And that's the crux of this recent phenomenon, whether we are discussing Joey Lagano or Adam Anderson. Motorsports in the last few years has seen the arrival of the greatest young talent ever, talent that has been nutured from the youngest ages we've ever witnessed, stepping right into the spotlight and winning at ages where they would not have been able to even earn a ride just a few years ago.

With all due respect to the megastars with names like Dennis Anderson, Tom Meents, Jeff Gordon, and Tony Stewart, it's the young guns who are soaring to the top faster than anyone could have ever predicted. And that trend will continue as the success of the stock car driver nicknamed "sliced bread" and the Monster Jam star now becoming known simply as "double-A" will open the door for an even bigger invasion of youth to the highest levels in almost every form of motorsports.

The opportunities will be there more than ever before at younger ages, but Anderson and Lagano aren't having this success because of their age, they are doing it despite their age because they both have been able to hone their immense talents for years before hitting the limelight.

Anderson had the advantage of being around Monster Jam his entire life, and obviously inheriting some special racing genes from his legendary father. But Adam committed himself to this sport years ago, learning the business working as a mechanic on the trucks, then never turning down seat time, driving every chance he could get to develop that natural talent. Lagano was winning races long before he could get a drivers license in any and every series that would allow him to compete. Both of these amazing young stars are reaching previous unimagined heights for drivers their age by addiing to their unquestioned talent with a dedicated work effort and a burnng desire to be the best, and to be the. best right now.

While I expect to see more and more younger drivers get earlier opportunities that doesn't mean I expect to see every new young hot shot to be an instant winner. There's no doubt more youngsters will get a shot, since owners sometimes follow the leader - if it works for your competition, then you better try it or you might end up left behind.

Here though is a word of caution: just because an owner finds a hot new propect does not mean that they have found the next Adam Anderson or Joey Lagano. These are two very special talents who have gained years of experience already despite their young ages, and for both, this is onlythe beginning..