Alan Kulwicki 250 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

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

· Raybestos® Rookie Kyle Busch scored his third win of the 2004 season in the Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway. He took the checkered flag 1.274 seconds ahead of second place finisher Greg Biffle. Busch's victory was his eighth top-five and 12th top-10 this season and took Raybestos® Rookie of the Race honors for the 14th time in 16 races.

· Busch and fellow Raybestos® Rookie Clint Bowyer each led a lap at Kentucky, just the second race this season where two or more Raybestos® Rookies have led a lap in the same race. Busch held the top spot once for the final two laps of the race while Bowyer led once for four laps. The other race was the April event at Nashville.

· Busch stretched his lead in the chase for Raybestos® Rookie of the Year to 124 points over Paul Menard (263-139) entering the Alan Kulwicki 250 at The Milwaukee Mile. Busch is second in the Busch Series championship standings, 10 points behind leader Martin Truex Jr.

· A Raybestos® Rookie has led the most laps in five of the 16 races this season. Busch has led the most laps in three races (Nashville (June), Richmond, Texas and Charlotte) while Clint Bowyer led the most laps at Nashville (April).

· Busch owns the record for most poles by a Raybestos® Rookie in the Busch Series. Entering the race at Milwaukee, Busch has captured four poles: Nazareth, Texas, Darlington, and Richmond. Kenny Wallace, who won three poles in 1989, held the previous mark.

· Busch won the Funai 250 at Richmond International Raceway from the pole, becoming the first Raybestos® Rookie to win from the Bud Pole since the program was established in 1989.

· Entering Saturday's race at Milwaukee, Busch has led the most miles and laps of any Raybestos® Rookie. He has led 21 times for 642 laps (744.49 miles). Bowyer has held the top spot five times for 104 laps (144.32 miles). No other Raybestos® Rookie has led a lap this season.

· Busch is the only Raybestos® Rookies to start every Busch Series race this season.

MILWAUKEE RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE TIDBITS

· David Stremme was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the 2003 Alan Kulwicki 250, scoring a third place finish. Stremme also led the race once for two laps.

· Only one Raybestos® Rookie has won at Milwaukee: Greg Biffle in 2001, who won by a whopping 13.302 seconds. Biffle led the race twice for a total of 19 laps.

· DID YOU KNOW? Four Raybestos® Rookies have scored top-five finishes at Milwaukee since the program was created in 1989:
1993: Hermie Sadler, third
1994: Johnny Benson, third
1997: Steve Park, fifth
2003: David Stremme, third

· DID YOU KNOW? TWO or more Raybestos Rookies have finished inside the top-10 just once in 13 races at Milwaukee. In 2000, Jimmie Johnson (ninth) and Ron Hornaday (10th) accomplished the feat.

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 263
Paul Menard 139
J.J. Yeley 99
Clint Bowyer 91
Billy Parker 61
Donnie Neuenberger 55
Stan Boyd 54
Travis Geisler 40
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
MBNA America 200 Kyle Busch, fifth
Federated Auto Parts 300 Clint Bowyer, third
Meijer 300 Kyle Busch, first