Race 2 Win: UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

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UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

Kasey Kahne was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the Subway 400 at North Carolina Speedway. Kahne finished second, 0.010 seconds behind winner Matt Kenseth, the fourth closest finish since electronic scoring was introduced in 1993. He started third in the race, the best qualifying effort by a Raybestos® Rookie this season.

Kahne posted the best finish ever by a Raybestos® Rookie in the 40-year history of the North Carolina Speedway. The previous best effort was a fifth place effort by Jamie McMurray in the 2003 Subway 400.

A Raybestos® Rookie has finished no worse than sixth in the last three races at Rockingham: McMurray, Tony Raines (sixth in November 2003), and Kahne.

The Subway 400 is Kahne's best career NEXTEL Cup finish and it came in just his second career start. He took Raybestos® Rookie of the Race honors for the first time in 2004. He trails Scott Wimmer by two points (28-26) in the Raybestos® Rookie of the Year standings.

Wimmer was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the Daytona 500, grabbing a third place finish. He scored the best finish by a first-year driver since Jeff Gordon placed fifth in 1993 and was the only Raybestos® Rookie to place inside the top-15.

DID YOU KNOW? A Raybestos® Rookie has finished in the top-10 in each of the last four NEXTEL Cup races: Tony Raines (sixth at Rockingham, November 2003), Jamie McMurray (ninth at Homestead, November 2003), Scott Wimmer (third at Daytona, February, 2004), and Kasey Kahne (second at Rockingham, February 2004).

LAS VEGAS RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE TIDBITS

The best start by a Raybestos® Rookie is second (Ryan Newman 2002 and Scott Pruett 2000).

First top-10 finish: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (10th place finish in 2000).

First Raybestos® Rookie to lead at least one lap: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (four times for 42 laps in 2000).

First time two or more Raybestos® Rookies finished in the top-10: Kevin Harvick and Ron Hornaday in 2001. Harvick finished eighth while Hornaday placed ninth. NOTE: Ryan Newman and Jimmie Johnson also finished in the top-10 in 2002. Newman placed fourth ahead of Johnson, who finished sixth.

First time two or more Raybestos® Rookies led at least one lap: 2002, when Newman led three times for 49 laps and Johnson led once for six laps.

Most laps led by a Raybestos® Rookie: 49 (Newman in 2002).

RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE HISTORY

The way to the Winston Cup 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 (2004).

A Raybestos® Rookie has won a Bud Pole position in each of the last eight seasons, dating back to 1996.

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), and 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
Scott Wimmer     28
Kasey Kahne      26
Johnny Sauter    19
Brendan Gaughan  17
Brian Vickers    15
Scott Riggs      14

  
HIGHEST FINISHING RAYBESTOS® ROOKIES BY RACE

EVENT               HIGHEST FINISHING ROOKIE
Daytona 500         Scott Wimmer, third
Subway 400          Kasey Kahne, second

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