Race 2 Win: Nextel All-Star Challenge - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

Nextel Cup Series

News and Results | Point Standings | 2005 Schedule | 2005 Teams | 2004 Schedule and Results

Nextel All-Star Challenge - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

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

Kyle Busch was Raybestos® Rookie of the race in the May 14 Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. Busch finished fourth, his second top-five and third top-10 finish in 17 career starts. Busch took top rookie honors for the seventh time in 11 races this season.

Busch stretched his lead to 21 points (146-125) over Travis Kvapil in the Raybestos® Rookie standings entering the May 29 Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.

Busch is the only Raybestos® Rookie to score a top-five finish this season. He also placed second to race winner Jimmie Johnson in the March 13 UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Busch is also the only Raybestos® Rookie to win a pole position this season. He took the top starting spot for the Feb. 27 Auto Club 500 at California Speedway.

Kvapil has led more miles (13.50) than any other Raybestos® Rookie this season. He has led twice in one race for nine laps. Busch has led three times in two races for 10 laps (12.00 miles).

Busch became the first Raybestos® Rookie to top $1 million in earnings this season. He earned $1,052,653 in just the first eight races of the year.

Raybestos® Rookies at NEXTEL All-Star Challenge:

No Raybestos® Rookie points will be awarded in either the NEXTEL Open or NEXTEL All-Star Challenge races.

DID YOU KNOW? A Raybestos® Rookie has qualified for each of the last SEVEN NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge races. The streak began in 1998 with the late Kenny Irwin, who finished 13th driving for car owner Robert Yates.

No Raybestos® Rookie is currently eligible for the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge.

Raybestos® Rookies Kasey Kahne (seventh) and Brian Vickers (12th) both competed in the 2004 NEXTEL All-Star Challenge. The 2004 event marked just the second time in the history of the event where TWO or more Raybestos® Rookies qualified for this special event. Ryan Newman and Jimmie Johnson both competed in the 2002 NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000) and Ryan Newman (2002) are the only Raybestos® Rookies to win the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge

Only once in the history of the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge have TWO Raybestos® Rookies finished in the top five. In 2002, Ryan Newman won the race while Jimmie Johnson finished fifth.

DID YOU KNOW? The first Raybestos® Rookie to compete in the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge was Davey Allison in 1987. Allison started third and finished 12th, completing 134 of the 135 laps.

Jeff Burton was the first Raybestos® Rookie to score a top-10 finish in the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge. Burton finish sixth in 1994 driving the Raybestos®-sponsored Ford for Stavola Brothers Racing.

Tony Stewart was the first Raybestos® Rookie to score a top-five finish in the NASCAR All-Star Challenge. He placed second behind race winner Terry Labonte.

The best start by a Raybestos® Rookie in the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge is third, by Davey Allison (1987) and Kevin Harvick (2001).

At least one Raybestos® Rookie has qualified for nine of the 20 NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star races.

Raybestos® Rookies in the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge
1987 Davey Allison, 12th
1994 Jeff Burton, sixth
1998 Kenny Irwin, Jr., 13th
1999 Tony Stewart, second
2000 Dale Earnhardt Jr., first
2001 Kevin Harvick, 21st
2002 Ryan Newman, first
2002 Jimmie Johnson, fifth
2003 Jamie McMurray, 22nd
2004 Kasey Kahne, seventh
2004 Brian Vickers, 12th

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: Dale 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 146
Travis Kvapil 125
Stanton Barrett 42
Eric McClure 18 

HIGHEST-FINISHING RAYBESTOS® ROOKIES BY RACE
EVENT HIGHEST FINISHING ROOKIE
Daytona 500 Travis Kvapil, 19th 
Auto Club 500 Kyle Busch, 23rd 
UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 Kyle Busch, second
Golden Corral 500 Kyle Busch, 12th 
Food City 500 Travis Kvapil, seventh
Advance Auto Parts 500 Travis Kvapil, 27th 
Samsung/RadioShack 500 Kyle Busch, 21st 
Subway Fresh 500 Kyle Busch, eighth
Aaron’s 499 Travis Kvapil, 18th 
Dodge Charger 500 Kyle Busch, 23rd 
Chevy American Revolution 400 Kyle Busch, fourth

News and Results | Point Standings | 2005 Schedule | 2005 Teams | 2004 Schedule and Results