Race 2 Win: MBNA America 200 - Derrike Cope Notes

Busch Series

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MBNA America 200 - Derrike Cope Notes

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE CONTENDERS - NASCAR BUSCH SERIES

Raybestos® Rookie Kyle Busch won the Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, his second win in 20 career starts. He has finished seventh or better in each of the last six races, dating back to the Aaron's 312 at Talladega. Busch has scored two wins, four poles, six top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 2004. Busch took Raybestos® Rookie of the Race honors for the 12th time in 13 races this season and holds an 86-point lead over Paul Menard (216-130) entering the MBNA America 200 at Dover International Speedway.

Busch led the most laps at Charlotte (three times for 93). A Raybestos® Rookie has now led the most laps in four of the 13 races this season. Busch has led the most laps in three races (Richmond, Texas and Charlotte) while Clint Bowyer led the most laps at Nashville. Busch unofficially leads Martin Truex Jr. by 38 points in the Busch Series championship standings.

Busch won his fourth pole of the season at Nazareth and now owns the record for most poles by a Raybestos® Rookie in the Busch Series. Kenny Wallace, who won three poles in 1989, held the previous mark. Busch has won more poles than any other driver this season entering the Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. In addition to Nazareth, Busch grabbed the top starting positions at Texas, Darlington, and Richmond.

Busch won the Funai 250 at Richmond International Raceway from the pole, the first Raybestos® Rookie ever to win from the Bud Pole since the program was established in 1989. He is the first rookie to win the spring Busch Series race at Richmond and the youngest driver to win a race at Richmond (19 years old).

DID YOU KNOW? A Raybestos® Rookie has led the most laps in four of the 13 races this season. Busch has led the most laps in three races this season (Richmond, Texas, and Charlotte). Bowyer led the most laps at Nashville.

Entering Saturday's race at Dover, Busch has led the most miles and laps of any Raybestos® Rookie. He has led 19 times for 579 laps (660.19 miles). Bowyer has held the top spot four times for 104 laps (138.32 miles). No other Raybestos® Rookie has led a lap this season.

Only two Raybestos® Rookies have started every Busch Series race this season: Busch and Menard.

DOVER RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE TIDBITS

Regan Smith was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the 2003 MBNA America 200 at Dover. Smith had a solid run, coming away with a 16th-place finish in the 43-car field.

DID YOU KNOW? Since the Raybestos® Rookie program was created in 1989, only two drivers have finished in the top-five in the spring race at Dover. Jeff Gordon finished second in 1991, the best finish ever by a Raybestos® Rookie in the spring event at the one-mile Delaware speedway. Steve Park placed fifth in 1997 and is the most recent Raybestos Rookie to score a top-five in the spring race.

Kevin Harvick is the only Raybestos® Rookie since 1989 to win the pole for the spring race at Dover. Harvick claimed the top starting spot for the 2000 MBNA America 200. He finished sixth, the only Raybestos® Rookie to finish inside the top-10.

Harvick is also the only Raybestos® Rookie to lead the most laps in the spring race at Dover. He led the 2000 race twice for 97 of the 200 laps.

Two Raybestos® Rookies finished in the top 10 only once in the spring race at Dover: In 2001, Scott Wimmer placed seventh while Greg Biffle claimed a ninth-place finish. Biffle is the most recent Raybestos® Rookie to finish inside the top-10 in the spring race at Dover.

RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE RECORDS

David Stremme was the 2003 Raybestos® Rookie of the Year. Stremme started just 18 of the 34 races, a record number for fewest starts for a driver to win Raybestos® Rookie of the Year. He was the top rookie finisher in 16 of those starts. He was the only Raybestos® Rookie to score three top-three finishes and had more top-10 finishes (seven) than any other first-year driver. He led six races for a total of 86 laps.

2001 Raybestos® Rookie of the Year Greg Biffle holds SEVEN all time records by the rookie of the year: most wins (five), most top-fives (16), most top-10s (21), most money won ($1,623,546), most points (4,509), most laps led (948) and most races led (19).

The best championship finish by a Raybestos® Rookie: third place by Steve Park (1997) and Kevin Harvick (2000).

Hermie Sadler was the first Raybestos® Rookie to win a race, at Rougemont, North Carolina, in 1993.

RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE CONTENDER POINT STANDINGS

DRIVER POINTS
Kyle Busch 216
Paul Menard 129
J.J. Yeley 69
Clint Bowyer 62
Donnie Neuenberger 55
Billy Parker 46
Stan Boyd 40
Travis Geisler 25
Rick Markle 19

HIGHEST FINISHING RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE BY RACE

EVENT HIGHEST FINISHING ROOKIE
Hershey's Kisses 300 Kyle Busch, 24th
Goody's Headache Powder 200 Kyle Busch, seventh
Sam's Town 300 Kyle Busch, 15th
Diamond Hill Plywood 200 Kyle Busch, 17th
Sharpie Professional 250 Kyle Busch, third
O'Reilly 300 Kyle Busch, second
Pepsi 300 Clint Bowyer, fourth
Aaron's 312 Kyle Busch, fourth
Stater Bros. 300 Kyle Busch, seventh
Charter 250 Kyle Busch, fifth
Funai 250 Kyle Busch, first
Goulds Pumps 200 Kyle Busch, tenth
Carquest Auto Parts 300 Kyle Busch, first

News and Results | Point Standings | 2004 Schedule | 2003 Schedule and Results | 2002 Schedule and Results