NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE
RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE CONTENDERS
Ryan Newman was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the UAW-Daimler
Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He finished fourth, his first
top-five finish of the 2002 season and his second top-10. It was also his
first top-10 finish in two career Winston Cup starts at Las Vegas.
Newman has been the Raybestos® Rookie of the race in each of the three
Winston Cup events this season. He leads the Raybestos Rookie of the Year
standings by nine points (44-35) over Jimmie Johnson entering the MBNA
America 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Newman is the only Raybestos® Rookie Contender to finish on the lead lap
in all three Winston Cup races this season.
Newman and Jimmie Johnson both led laps in the Las Vegas race, the first
time this season two or more Raybestos Rookies have led at least one lap in
the same race. Newman led three times for 50 laps (second most of any driver
in the race) while Johnson held the top spot once for six laps, the first
time he has led a lap in his six-race Winston Cup career.
Johnson finished sixth at Las Vegas, his first top-10 finish of the
season.
In just 11 career NASCAR Winston Cup races, Newman has scored four top-10
finishes.
Newman moved from seventh to second in Winston Cup points, 75 points
behind leader Sterling Marlin. No other Raybestos Rookie ranks in the top-10.
Shawna Robinson made her second start of the 2002 season at Las Vegas.
She dropped out due to an accident after completing 212 laps and was credited
with 42nd in the final finishing order.
All three Raybestos Rookies entered at Las Vegas qualified for the race
on their speed; none used a provisional to start the race. Newman was the
highest qualifying rookie, claiming the second starting position. It was his
best start since he won the pole for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte last May.
He missed capturing the pole by just three one-thousandths of a second.
Johnson started 25th while Robinson earned the 36th position.
2001 Raybestos® Rookie Champion Kevin Harvick scored one of the most
emotional wins in Winston Cup racing's modern era when he won last year's
MBNA America 500 at Atlanta. Harvick took the checkered flag in his third
career Winston Cup start by just inches over Jeff Gordon (the official margin
of victory was .006 second). It was his third race driving for car owner
Richard Childress since taking over for the late Dale Earnhardt.
The 2001 Raybestos Rookie class enjoyed one of their strongest
performances in qualifying for the 2001 MBNA America 500. All five Raybestos
Rookies that started the race qualified for the event on their speed:
Harvick (fifth), Ron Hornaday (15th), Jason Leffler (22nd), Andy Houston
(29th) and Kurt Busch (36th).
By winning the pole for the Daytona 500, Johnson joined Loy Allen (1994)
and Mike Skinner (1997) as the only drivers in their rookie season to win the
pole for the Daytona 500. He is also among an elite group of modern era
(since 1972) drivers who have won poles early in their careers. Johnson won
his first Winston Cup pole position in just his fourth career start. Ryan
Newman and Mark Martin both won a pole in their third career start while
Johnny Benson won his first career pole in his fourth start.
Newman made history by becoming the first Raybestos® Rookie to compete in
the Budweiser Shootout. Newman qualified for the special event reserved for
pole winners by capturing the top starting position for the 2001 Coca-Cola
600 at Charlotte. Newman started eighth and finished 15th, completing all 70
laps of the special event.
RAYBESTOS ROOKIE CONTENDER POINT STANDINGS
DRIVER POINTS
Ryan Newman 44
Jimmie Johnson 35
Shawna Robinson 18
Carl Long 2
HIGHEST FINISHING RAYBESTOS ROOKIES BY RACE
EVENT HIGHEST FINISHING ROOKIE
Daytona 500 Ryan Newman, seventh
Subway 400 Ryan Newman, 14th
UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 Ryan Newman, fourth
