Race 2 Win: Nationwide Series Race Notes

Nationwide Series

Camping World 300 - Raybestos Rookies Notes

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

THE SEASON STARTS WITH A STREAK: At least two Raybestos® Rookies have been in the top-10 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship standings for 20 consecutive races, dating back to the 2007 race at Kentucky Speedway (race No. 16).

Marcos Ambrose was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the 2007 Camping World 300 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, scoring a 16th-place finish.

DID YOU KNOW? Four Raybestos® Rookies have scored top-five finishes in the Camping World 300:
2000: Jay Sauter, fourth
2000: Kevin Harvick, fifth
2002: Shane Hmiel, fifth
2006: Burney Lamar, second

DID YOU KNOW? Only TWO Raybestos® Rookies have won the pole for the Camping World 300 since the program was created in 1989: Kenny Wallace (1989) and David Green (1991). Wallace’s pole run came in the first race in the history of the program.

DID YOU KNOW? Ron Hornaday Jr. holds the record for most laps led by a Raybestos® Rookie in the February race at Daytona (twice for 43 laps in the 2000 event).

The record for most Raybestos® Rookies to finish on the lead lap in the Hershey’s 300 is six in 2001. All six Raybestos® Rookie drivers entered in the race completed the full distance (120 laps, 300 miles).

Top-10 finishes by Raybestos® Rookies in the Hershey’s 300:
1989: Kenny Wallace, 10th
1990: Joe Nemechek, eighth
1997: Steve Park, seventh
1998: Kevin Schwantz, eighth
1999: Adam Petty, ninth
2000: Jay Sauter, fourth
2000: Kevin Harvick, fifth
2001: Tim Sauter, 10th
2002: Shane Hmiel, fifth
2002: Scott Riggs, sixth
2005: Reed Sorenson, ninth
2005: Carl Edwards, 10th
2006: Burney Lamar, second
2006: Todd Kluever, seventh

RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE HISTORY

David Ragan captured 2007 Raybestos® Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Ragan edged Marcos Ambrose by 27 points (272-245) for the honor. Ragan finished the season with two poles, four top-five and nine top-10 finishes. His best finish of the season was a third-place effort in the Sam’s Town 250 at Memphis (Millington, Tenn.) Motorsports Park (race no. 32). Ragan was fifth in the Nationwide Series championship standings, best of any Raybestos® Rookie.

Roush Fenway Racing has won THREE consecutive Raybestos® Rookie of the Year titles in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and FOUR since 2001. The others:
2006: Danny O’Quinn Jr.
2005: Carl Edwards
2001: Greg Biffle

Danny O’Quinn Jr. narrowly edged John Andretti to win the 2006 Raybestos® Rookie of the Year title in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. O’Quinn Jr. finished one point higher than Andretti in the final standings, the closet margin in NASCAR national series history. He also became the second driver in series history to win the award without completing the full schedule.

Kyle Busch posted a record-setting year on his way to the 2004 Raybestos® Rookie of the Year title. In 34 starts, Busch won five times, captured five poles and scored 16 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes. His second-place finish in the Nationwide Series championship standings is a record for a Raybestos® Rookie. Other Raybestos® Rookie records Busch owns or shares: most starts (34), most wins (tied with Biffle), most top fives (tied with Biffle), most top 10s, most money won ($2,027,050), most championship points (4,943), most laps led (1,108) and most races led (21).

David Stremme holds the record for fewest starts by a driver to win Raybestos® Rookie of the Year. In 2003, he started just 18 of the 34 races and 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.

David Green was the first Raybestos® Rookie to win a race, at Lanier, Ga., in 1991. Green captured the Nestle 200 by 1.58-seconds over Jeff Gordon, a fellow Raybestos® Rookie. A third Raybestos® Rookie, Todd Bodine, placed eighth in the race.

Dennis Setzer was the first Raybestos® Rookie to win TWO or more races in a season. In 1994, he won the Ford Credit 300 at South Boston (Va.) Speedway and The Pantry 300 at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway.

Steve Park was the first Raybestos® Rookie to win THREE or more races in a season. In 1997, he won the BellSouth Mobility/Opryland 300 at Nashville (Tenn.) Speedway, the Detroit Gasket 200 at Michigan International Speedway and the Autolite Platinum 250 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.

Kenny Wallace was the first Raybestos® Rookie to win a pole in the Nationwide Series. Wallace grabbed the top starting spot for the 1989 Goody’s 300 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, the first race in the history of the Raybestos® Rookie of the Year program.