Aaron's 312 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

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

· Clint Bowyer was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the Pepsi 300 at Nashville Superspeedway. He finished fourth, scoring his first top-five finish in only his second career Busch Series start. He took Raybestos® Rookie of the Race honors for the first time in 2004. Bowyer becomes just the second Raybestos® Rookie to log a top-five finish this season.

· Kyle Busch finished sixth at Nashville, his fourth top-10 finish this season. He stretched his lead to 35 points (102-67) over Paul Menard in the Raybestos® Rookie standings.

· Busch climbed one spot in the Busch Series championship standings with his top-10 run at Nashville. He enters Saturday's Aaron's 312 at Talladega Superspeedway third in points, 64 behind leader Michael Waltrip and 56 behind second place David Green. Busch holds a 61-point advantage over fourth place Robby Gordon. No other Raybestos® Rookie ranks in the top-20 in the standings.

· The Pepsi 300 was the first race this season where TWO Raybestos® Rookie finished in the top-10.

· Bowyer led the Nashville event four times for 104 laps and becomes the second Raybestos® Rookie to lead the most laps in a Busch race at Nashville, joining Greg Biffle (2001).

· DID YOU KNOW? A Raybestos® Rookie has finished fourth or better in each of the last three races entering the Aaron's 312 at Talladega.

· A Raybestos® Rookie has led the most laps in the last two consecutive Busch Series races entering Saturday's race at Talladega. Kyle Busch led the most laps at Texas (four times for 147 laps) while Bowyer led the most laps at Nashville.

· The Pepsi 300 was the first race this season where TWO Raybestos® Rookies each led at least one lap in the race. One or more Raybestos® Rookies have led at least one lap in four of the six races at Nashville. One or more Raybestos® Rookies have now finished in the top-10 in all six Busch Series races at Nashville, including each of the past four Pepsi 300 races.

· Entering the Talladega race, Busch has led the most miles and laps of any Raybestos® Rookie. He has led nine times for 193 laps (283.12 miles). Bowyer has held the top spot four times in once 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: Kyle Busch and Paul Menard.

TALLADEGA RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE TIDBITS

· Coy Gibbs was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the 2003 Aaron's 312 at Talladega.

· DID YOU KNOW? A Raybestos® Rookie has scored a top-10 finish in each of the last four Aaron's 312 races at Talladega: Mike Borkowski (10th in 2000), Greg Biffle (sixth in 2001), Casey Mears (fifth in 2002), and Coy Gibbs (tenth in 2003).

· The best finish by a Raybestos® Rookie at Talladega is second by Steve Park in 1997.

· Johnny Sauter is the only Raybestos® Rookie to win a pole in 12 Busch Series races at Talladega. Sauter won his first career Busch Series pole when he took the top spot for the 2002 Aaron's 312.

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 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 102
Paul Menard 67
Donnie Neuenberger 42
Clint Bowyer 26
J.J. Yeley 24
Stan Boyd 21
Billy Parker 17
Rick Markle 10
Brian Conz 1

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