Tropicana Twister 300 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

· Joey Clanton was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the Winn-Dixie 250 at Daytona International Speedway. Clanton finished 11th, his best finish in nine career starts. Remarkably, the Winn-Dixie 250 was his first start at Daytona and first-ever at a restrictor plate track. He and Coy Gibbs (17th) were the only Raybestos Rookies to finish on the lead lap.

· Gibbs enjoys a commanding lead in the chase for Raybestos® Rookie of the Year entering the Tropicana Twister 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. He holds a 42-point advantage (175-133) over Regan Smith. Gibbs ranks 16th in Busch Series points, best of any Raybestos® Rookie.

· Gibbs posted a good qualifying run at Daytona, grabbing the 12th starting position. He started 11th at Daytona in February and 14th at Talladega in April, giving him an average starting position of 12.33 in the "plate" races this season.

· David Stremme and Chad Blount are the only Raybestos® Rookies that have led a lap in the Busch Series this season. Blount has led once in one race for 56 laps (74.48 miles). Stremme has led twice in two races for 34 laps (34.00 miles).

· Blount owns the best qualifying run by a Raybestos® Rookie this season, a seventh place effort at California Speedway.

· Raybestos® Rookie Johnny Sauter scored his first career Busch Series win in the 2002 Tropicana Twister 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. Sauter started 20th but charged his way to the front, leading the race twice for 48 laps including the final 21. He officially scored the win by .420 second over Todd Bodine. No other first year driver finished in the top-20.

· Shane Hmiel was the only other member of the Raybestos® Rookie to be running at the end of the race. He finished 23rd.

· The rest of the Raybestos® Rookie class had a tough day at Chicagoland. Five drivers failed to finish the race: Kerry Earnhardt (43rd accident), Casey Mears (38th engine), Brian Vickers (31st accident), Scott Riggs (30th accident), and Kasey Kahne (25th accident).

· A Raybestos® Rookie has won a race each season in each of the past three seasons, dating back to 2000: Kevin Harvick (2000, three wins), Ron Hornaday (2000, two wins), Greg Biffle (2001, five wins), and Scott Riggs (2002, two wins). Other first year drivers to score a win in their first season: Steve Park 1997, three wins), Johnny Benson (1994, one win) and Hermie Sadler (1993, one win).

· A Raybestos® Rookie has won at least one pole position in each of the past three seasons, dating back to 2000.

RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE CONTENDER POINT STANDINGS

DRIVER           POINTS
Coy Gibbs           175
Chad Blount         133
Regan Smith         127
David Stremme       115
Joey Clanton         90
Chris Bingham        82
Damon Lusk           66
Chase Montgomery     66     
Jason White          48         
  
HIGHEST FINISHING RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE BY RACE

EVENT                        HIGHEST FINISHING ROOKIE
Koolerz 300                  Chad Blount, 11th  
Rockingham 200               Coy Gibbs, 14th 
Sam's Town 300               Coy Gibbs, 14th 
darlingtonraceway.com 200    Coy Gibbs, 14th 
Channellock 250              Chase Montgomery, 22nd 
O'Reilly 300                 Chad Blount, fifth
Aaron's 312                  Coy Gibbs, ninth
Pepsi 300                    David Stremme, seventh
californiaspeedway.com 300   Coy Gibbs, 13th 
Hardee's 250                 David Stremme, 14th 
Charter Pipeline 250         David Stremme, 14th 
Goulds Pumps 200             David Stremme, sixth
CARQUEST 300                 Coy Gibbs, 24th 
MBNA Armed Forces Family 200 Regan Smith, 16th 
Trace Adkins Chrome 300      David Stremme, third
Meijer 300                   David Stremme, 10th 
GNC Live Well 250            David Stremme, third
Winn-Dixie 250               Joey Clanton, 11th   

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