Race 2 Win: Final Raybestos Rookie Notes

Busch Grand National Series

News and Results | Point Standings | 2002 Schedule | 2001 Schedule and Results

Final Raybestos Rookie Notes

2002 Raybestos® Rookie of the Year Scott Riggs had an impressive season. He scored two poles, two wins, eight top-fives and 13 top-10 finishes. His victories came at the Pepsi 300 at Nashville Superspeedway and the Auto Club 200 at California Speedway. He was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race 14 times in 2002, more than any other driver. Riggs won the pole for the Channellock 250 at Bristol (his career first in his fifth career start) and the Kroger 300 at Kentucky Speedway. Riggs finished 10th in Busch Series points, the only Raybestos Rookie to place inside the top-10. Riggs has led more miles than any other Raybestos® Rookie this season. In 34 starts, he led 20 times in 12 races for 557.51 miles. He officially won Raybestos® Rookie of the Year by 70 points (327-257) over Johnny Sauter.

Sauter was the only other Raybestos® Rookie to win in the Busch Series this season. Sauter scored his first career win in the Tropicana Twister 300 at Chicagoland Speedway in his 23rd career start. He became the first of the Sauter brothers (Jay and Tim) to win a race in the NASCAR Busch Series. For the season, Sauter racked up one pole, one win, three top-fives and six top-10s. Sauter's pole came in his 13th career start at Talladega when he took the top starting spot for the Aaron's 312 in April. Sauter was the Raybestos® Rookie of the race seven times this season.

Shane Hmiel was the third different Raybestos® Rookie to win at least one pole this season. Hmiel grabbed his first pole in just his seventh start at the Pepsi 300 at Nashville and took the top starting spot just four races later at the Busch 200 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Hmiel scored two top-five finishes: a career best fourth place effort at New Hampshire and a fifth place finish in the EAS/GNC Live Well 300 at Daytona International Speedway. He scored two top fives, eight top-10s and took home the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race award seven times this season.

Kerry Earnhardt scored the best finish of his Busch Series career with a second place finish in the Mr. Goodcents 300 at Kansas Speedway. He took home Raybestos® Rookie of the Race honors twice in 2002 (Kansas and the Sam's Town 250 at Memphis where he finished fifth). For the season, Earnhardt posted two top-five and five top-10 finishes.

Casey Mears was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race at the Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Mears finished 12th and took top finishing Raybestos® Rookie honors for the second time this season. He was also the top Raybestos Rookie at the Aaron's 312 at Talladega Superspeedway in April.

Brian Vickers was the highest qualifying Raybestos® Rookie at Homestead. Vickers qualified second, just .035 second behind pole winner Jeff Green. Vickers second place start was the best of his Busch Series career. Vickers was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race at the Hardee's 250 at Richmond International Raceway with a seventh place finish.

Kasey Kahne was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the FUNAI 250 at Richmond International Raceway, scoring a 15th place finish. Kahne's best finish of the 2002 season came at the Cabela's 250 at Michigan International Speedway where he finished 10th.

Four Raybestos® Rookies have started all 34 Busch Series races this season: Riggs, Hmiel, Mears, and Earnhardt.

RAYBESTOS®  ROOKIE CONTENDER POINT STANDINGS

DRIVER                       POINTS
Scott Riggs                     327 
Johnny Sauter                   257
Shane Hmiel                     245
Kerry Earnhardt                 242
Casey Mears                     216             
Brian Vickers                   182
Kasey Kahne                     173 
Dan Pardus                      103                  
  
HIGHEST FINISHING RAYBESTOS®  ROOKIE BY RACE

EVENT                           HIGHEST FINISHING ROOKIE
EAS/GNC Live Well 300           Shane Hmiel, fifth
1-866-RBCTerm.com 200           Scott Riggs, fourth
Sam's Town 300                  Johnny Sauter, third
DarlingtonRaceway.com 200       Johnny Sauter, 11th
Channellock 250                 Scott Riggs, ninth
O'Reilly 300                    Scott Riggs, fourth
Pepsi 300                       Scott Riggs, first
Aaron's 312                     Casey Mears, fifth
Auto Club 300                   Scott Riggs, first
Hardee's 250                    Brian Vickers, seventh
Busch 200                       Shane Hmiel, fourth
Stacker 2 200                   Scott Riggs, second
CARQUEST Auto Parts 300         Scott Riggs, third
MBNA 200                        Scott Riggs, 11th
Inside Traxx 300                Shane Hmiel, ninth
Kroger 300                      Scott Riggs, fourth
 GNC Live Well 250              Shane Hmiel, sixth
Stacker 2/GNC Live Well 250     Johnny Sauter, sixth
Tropicana Twister 300           Johnny Sauter, first
Charter Pipeline 250            Johnny Sauter, 11th
NetZero 250                     Scott Riggs, 16th 
Kroger 200                      Johnny Sauter, fourth
Cabela's 250                    Scott Riggs, sixth
Food City 250                   Scott Riggs, 18th 
Gatorade 200                    Scott Riggs, 10th 
FUNAI 250                       Kasey Kahne, 15th 
MBNA All-American Heroes 200    Shane Hmiel, 10th 
Mr. Goodcents 300               Kerry Earnhardt, second
Little Trees 300                Shane Hmiel, 10th 
Sam's Town 250                  Kerry Earnhardt, fifth
Aaron's 312                     Scott Riggs, fourth
Sam's Club 200                  Shane Hmiel, eighth
Bashas' Supermarkets 200        Johnny Sauter, seventh
Ford 300                        Casey Mears, 12th

News and Results | Point Standings | 2002 Schedule | 2001 Schedule and Results