Race 2 Win: Siemens 200 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

Busch Series

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Siemens 200 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

J.J. Yeley was the Raybestos® Rookie of the race in the Tropicana Twister 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. Yeley finished ninth and racked up his second top-10 finish in 11-career starts. He also led twice for 25 laps, the first laps he has led in his brief Busch Series career. Yeley took top rookie honors for the first time in 11-career Busch Series starts.

Kyle Busch finished 12th at Chicagoland and maintains a commanding lead in the Raybestos® Rookie standings over Paul Menard (268-139) entering the Siemens 200 at New Hampshire International Speedway.

Busch remains second in the Busch Series championship standings, 52 points behind leader Martin Truex Jr.

Entering the race at New Hampshire, Busch has led the most miles and laps of any Raybestos® Rookie. He has led 25 times for 697 laps (824.12 miles). Bowyer has held the top spot five times for 104 laps (144.32 miles) while J.J. Yeley has led twice for 25 laps (37.50 miles).

DID YOU KNOW? Busch led the most laps in the Tropicana Twister 300 at Chicagoland. A Raybestos® Rookie has led the most laps in six of the 19 races this season. Busch has led the most laps in FIVE races (Nashville-June, Richmond, Texas, Charlotte, and Chicagoland) 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 New Hampshire, 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.

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

NEW HAMPSHIRE RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE TIDBITS

Damon Lusk was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the 2003 Siemens 200 at New Hampshire. Lusk was credited with an 18th place finish.

Only two Raybestos® Rookies have scored a top-five finish in the New England 200 since the Busch Series started competing at the 1.058-mile speedway in 1990 (14 races): Steve Park (second in 1997) and Shane Hmiel (fourth in 2002).

Steve Park's second place finish in 1997 is the best ever by a Raybestos® Rookie in at New Hampshire.

Shane Hmiel is the only Raybestos® Rookie to win a pole position at New Hampshire. Hmiel grabbed the pole for the 2002 event.

Two or more Raybestos® Rookies have finished in the top-10 just once at New Hampshire. In 2002, Shane Hmiel finished fourth while Scott Riggs placed ninth.

At least one Raybestos® Rookie has led a lap in two of the past three races at New Hampshire:
2000: Kevin Harvick (once for 15 laps)
2001: Greg Biffle (once for one lap)
2002: Shane Hmiel (once for 11 laps)
2002: Scott Riggs (once for four laps)

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 268
Paul Menard 139
J.J. Yeley 113
Clint Bowyer 110
Billy Parker 69
Donnie Neuenberger 55
Stan Boyd 54
Travis Geisler 49
Rick Markle 29

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
Alan Kulwicki 250 Clint Bowyer, 10th
Winn-Dixie 250 Kyle Busch, 11th
Tropicana Twister 300 J.J. Yeley, ninth

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