Race 2 Win: Coca-Cola 600 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

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Coca-Cola 600 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

Brian Vickers was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Vickers finished eighth, the first top-10 finish of his 16-race NEXTEL Cup Series career (his previous best effort was 12th at Texas). Vickers is tied with Brendan Gaughan for second in the Raybestos® Rookie standings, 39 behind leader Kasey Kahne (148-108) entering the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.

Vickers led the Chevy American Revolution 400 once for 32 laps, the third consecutive race where Vickers has led at least one lap. Vickers took Raybestos® Rookie of the Race honors for the second time in 2004.

Vickers won his first career Bud Pole at Richmond. His lap of 129.983 mph broke Ward Burton's previous track record of 127.389 mph. Vickers first pole came in his 16th career start and first NEXTEL Cup race at Richmond. He became the ninth different pole winner in the last nine races at Richmond and is the seventh different pole winner of the 2004 season. Vickers was the only Raybestos® Rookie to start inside the top-10.

DID YOU KNOW? A Raybestos® Rookie has won four of the 11 Bud Pole positions this season entering the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. Kasey Kahne has three poles (Las Vegas, Darlington, and California) while Vickers has one (Richmond).

Kahne has led more miles and laps than any other Raybestos® Rookie. Entering the Coca-Cola 600, Kahne has led 18 times in five races for a total of 473.81 miles (293 laps). Other freshman drivers to lead at least one lap this season: Brian Vickers (three times in three races for 35 laps, 31.32 miles), Scott Wimmer (twice in two races for seven laps, 17.82 miles), Johnny Sauter (twice in two races for two laps, 2.03 miles), Brendan Gaughan (once in one race for one lap, 2.0 miles), and Scott Riggs (once in one race for one lap, 1.50 miles).

Kahne is the only Raybestos® Rookie to lead the most laps in a NEXTEL Cup Series race this season. He led the Samsung/RadioShack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway six times for 148 laps.

Kahne enters the race at Charlotte 11th in the NEXTEL Cup Series championship standings, best of any Raybestos® Rookie. He is 89 points behind tenth place Elliott Sadler and 103 behind ninth place Kurt Busch. No other Raybestos® Rookie ranks in the top 20.

Johnny Sauter is the only Raybestos® Rookie that has been running at the finish of all 11 races this season.

CHARLOTTE RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE TIDBITS

Greg Biffle was the Raybestos® Rookie of the race in the 2003 Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Biffle finished 16th in the race and led the event once for one lap.

Matt Kenseth is the only Raybestos® Rookie to win the Coca-Cola 600. Kenseth captured the 2000 600-mile race by .573-seconds over Bobby Labonte.

TWO or more Raybestos® Rookies have finished in the top-five in the Coca-Cola 600 only once. In 2000, Kenseth won the race while Dale Earnhardt Jr. placed fourth.

Two or more Raybestos® Rookies have finished in the top-10 in the Coca-Cola 600 three times since 1975: 1981: Morgan Shepherd (sixth) and Elliott Forbes-Robinson (tenth). 1993: Jeff Gordon (second) and Bobby Labonte (eighth). 2000: Matt Kenseth (first) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (fourth).

Jimmie Johnson is the only Raybestos® Rookie to win the pole for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. Johnson took the top starting spot for the 2002 race.

Only two Raybestos® Rookies have led the most laps in the Coca-Cola 600: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000) and Jimmie Johnson (2002).

Only once since 1975 have THREE Raybestos® Rookies led a lap in the same 600-mile race. In 1993, Jeff Gordon (once for three laps), Bobby Labonte (twice for four laps), and Rich Bickle (once for one lap).

DID YOU KNOW? At least one Raybestos® Rookie has led at least one lap in each of the last FIVE 600-mile races at Charlotte: 1999: Tony Stewart (three times for 13 laps) 2000: Matt Kenseth (twice for 31 laps) 2000: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (five times for 124 laps) 2001: Kevin Harvick (once for one lap) 2002: Jimmie Johnson (five times for 250 laps) 2003: Greg Biffle (once for one lap)

Raybestos® Rookies who have scored top-10 finishes in the Coca-Cola 600 (since 1975): 1977: Sam Sommers, ninth 1980: Kyle Petty, seventh 1981: Morgan Shepherd, sixth; Elliott Forbes-Robinson, 10th 1993: Jeff Gordon, second and Bobby Labonte, eighth 1995: Ricky Craven, tenth 1999: Tony Stewart, fourth 2000: Matt Kenseth, first; Dale Earnhardt Jr., fourth 2001: Kevin Harvick, second 2002: Jimmie Johnson, seventh

Raybestos® Rookies who have scored top-five finishes in the Coca-Cola 600 (since 1975): 1993: Jeff Gordon, second 1999: Tony Stewart, fourth 2000: Matt Kenseth, first; Dale Earnhardt Jr., fourth 2001: Kevin Harvick, second

RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE HISTORY

The way to the NASCAR NEXTEL championship is to win Raybestos® Rookie of the Year. Since 1979, six Raybestos® Rookie of the Year drivers have won the title: Dale Earnhardt (1979), Rusty Wallace (1984), Alan Kulwicki (1986), Jeff Gordon (1993), Tony Stewart (1999), and Matt Kenseth (2000).

A Raybestos® Rookie has won at least one race in each of the last FIVE seasons dating back to Tony Stewart's win at Richmond International Raceway in September, 1999. Other freshman drivers to win: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Richmond, 2000), Matt Kenseth (Charlotte, 2000), Kevin Harvick (Atlanta, 2001), Newman (New Hampshire 2002), Jimmie Johnson (California and both 2002 Dover races), and Greg Biffle (Pepsi 400 at Daytona 2003). The record for most wins by a Raybestos® Rookie is three, shared by Johnson (2002) and Stewart (1999).

RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE CONTENDER POINT STANDINGS

DRIVER POINTS
Kasey Kahne 147
Scott Wimmer 108
Brian Vickers 108
Johnny Sauter 106
Brendan Gaughan 102
Scott Riggs 86

HIGHEST FINISHING RAYBESTOS® ROOKIES BY RACE

EVENT HIGHEST FINISHING ROOKIE
Daytona 500 Scott Wimmer, third
Subway 400 Kasey Kahne, second
UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 Kasey Kahne, second
Golden Corral 500 Kasey Kahne, third
Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 Kasey Kahne, 13th
Food City 500 Scott Wimmer, 13th
Samsung/RadioShack 500 Kasey Kahne, second
Advance Auto Parts 500 Brian Vickers, 13th
Aaron's 499 Brendan Gaughan, 13th
Auto Club 500 Brendan Gaughan, sixth
Chevy American Revolution 400 Brian Vickers, eighth

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