Race 2 Win: Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

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Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

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

Kyle Busch was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the October 23 Subway 500 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. He grabbed a ninth-place finish, his 12th top-10 finish in 38 career NEXTEL Cup Series starts. In six short-track races this season, Busch logged three top-10 finishes. He took Raybestos® Rookie of the Race honors for the 21st time in 32 races.

Busch maintains a comfortable lead in the Raybestos® Rookie standings entering the Oct. 30 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, leading Travis Kvapil by 77 points (303-226).

DID YOU KNOW? Busch was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the Golden Corral Buffet & Grill 500 (race No. 4) at Atlanta in March, claiming a 12th-place finish. He finished on the lead lap after starting 42nd.

Busch is the only Raybestos® Rookie to win a race this season, capturing the September 4 Sony HD 500 at California Speedway. He became the youngest race winner (20 yrs., 4 mos. and 2 days) in NEXTEL Cup history. Busch edged Greg Biffle at the finish line by .554 seconds to win in his 31st career start.

Busch is also the only Raybestos® Rookie to score a top-five finish this season. He has racked up eight top fives in 32 starts entering the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500.

Busch became the youngest pole winner in NASCAR’s premier series (19 yrs., 9 mos. and 24 days) when he grabbed the No. 1 qualifying spot for the February 27 Auto Club 500 at California Speedway. He is also the most recent Raybestos® Rookie to win a pole and is the only first-year driver to win a pole in 2005.

Busch is the only Raybestos® Rookie to lead the most laps in a race this season. He led the Sony HD 500 five times for 95 laps, the most he has led in a single race in his NEXTEL Cup career.

Season Tidbits:

Busch has led more miles (448.50) than any other Raybestos® Rookie in 2005 (17 times in eight races for 295 laps). Kvapil has led eight times in six races for 36 laps (54.41 miles).

Raybestos® Rookies at Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Kasey Kahne was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the 2004 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta, grabbing a sixth-place finish. He led the race once for four laps and was the only first-year driver to lead a lap in the event.

Kahne became just the sixth Raybestos® Rookie since 1975 to post a top-five finish in the fall race at Atlanta. The others:
1979: Dale Earnhardt, second
1987: Davey Allison, fifth
1994: Mike Wallace, fifth
1997: Jeff Green, fourth
2001: Kevin Harvick, third

Since 1975, Kenny Irwin is the only Raybestos® Rookie to win a pole at the fall race in Atlanta. Irwin grabbed the top spot for the 1998 event.

The best finish in the fall race at Atlanta (since 1975) is second Earnhardt in 1979. He finished one-half car length behind winner Neil Bonnett.

Earnhardt holds the record for most laps led by a Raybestos® Rookie in the fall race at Atlanta (since 1975). He led six times for 69 laps in the 1979 event.

Top-10 finishes by Raybestos® Rookies in the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (since 1975):
1976: Sam Sommers, ninth
1977: Ricky Rudd, eighth
1979: Dale Earnhardt, second
1979: Terry Labonte, seventh
1979: Joe Millikan, ninth
1980: Jody Ridley, sixth
1982: Mark Martin, 10th
1987: Davey Allison, fifth
1992: Jimmy Hensely, eighth
1994: Mike Wallace, fifth
1997: Jeff Green, fourth
2000: Matt Kenseth, ninth
2001: Kevin Harvick, third
2002: Ryan Newman, 10th
2004: Kasey Kahne, fifth
2004: Brian Vickers, seventh

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 gone on to win a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup title: Earnhardt (1979), Rusty Wallace (1984), Alan Kulwicki (1986), Jeff Gordon (1993), Tony Stewart (1999) and Matt Kenseth (2000).

At least one Raybestos® Rookie has won a Bud Pole in each of the last 10 years (1996-2005). There has been a first-time Bud Pole winner in each of the last 19 years (1987-2005).

RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE CONTENDER POINT STANDINGS
DRIVER POINTS
Kyle Busch 303
Travis Kvapil 226 

HIGHEST-FINISHING RAYBESTOS® ROOKIES BY RACE
EVENT HIGHEST FINISHING ROOKIE
Daytona 500 Kvapil, 19th 
Auto Club 500 Busch, 23rd 
UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 Busch, second
Golden Corral 500 Busch, 12th 
Food City 500 Kvapil, seventh
Advance Auto Parts 500 Kvapil, 27th 
Samsung/RadioShack 500 Busch, 21st 
Subway Fresh 500 Busch, eighth
Aaron’s 499 Kvapil, 18th 
Dodge Charger 500 Busch, 23rd 
Chevy American Revolution 400 Busch, fourth
Coca-Cola 600 Busch, 25th 
MBNA RacePoints 400 Busch, second
Pocono 500 Busch, fourth 
Batman Begins 400 Busch, ninth
Dodge/Save Mart 350 Kvapil, 21st 
Pepsi 400 Kvapil, 23rd 
USG Sheetrock 400 Busch, 14th 
New England 300 Busch, fourth
Pennsylvania 500 Mike Garvey, 34th 
Allstate 400 Busch, 10th 
Sirius Satellite Radio at The Glen Busch, 33rd 
GFS Marketplace 400 Kvapil, 38th
Sharpie 500 Kvapil, 19th 
Sony HD 500 Busch, first
Chevy Rock & Roll 400 Busch, fourth
Sylvania 300 Busch, 27th 
MBNA RacePoints 400 Busch, second
UAW-Ford 500 Kvapil, 16th 
Banquet 400 Busch, 21st 
UAW-GM Quality 500 Kvapil, 17th 
Subway 500 Busch, ninth

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