Race 2 Win: Dodge Charger 500 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

Nextel Cup Series

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Dodge Charger 500 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

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

Travis Kvapil was Raybestos® Rookie of the race in the May 1 Aaron’s 499 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Kvapil finished 18th and took top rookie honors for the fourth time this season.

Kyle Busch enjoys a 10-point advantage over Kvapil (107-97) in the Raybestos® Rookie standings entering the May 7 Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

Busch is the only Raybestos® Rookie to score a top-five finish this season. He 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 this season.

Raybestos® Rookies at Darlington

Kasey Kahne is the only Raybestos® Rookie to win the pole position for the spring race at Darlington (since 1975). Kahne grabbed the top starting spot for the 2004 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400. He led the race four times for 24 laps and was the only first-year driver to lead a lap in the event. Kahne posted a 13th–place finish on the lead lap.

Since 1975, the best finish by a Raybestos® Rookie in the spring race at Darlington is fifth, by Ryan Newman in 2002.

Since 1980, TWO or more Raybestos® Rookies have finished in the top-10 in the spring race at Darlington only twice: Lake Speed (eighth) and Jody Ridley (10th) in 1980 and Newman and Jimmie Johnson (sixth) in 2002.

From 1979 until 2000, only five Raybestos® Rookies led a lap in Darlington’s spring race: Matt Kenseth (one for three laps in 2000), Mike Skinner (once for eight laps in 1997), Jeff Gordon (once for one lap in 1993), Bob Schact (once for two laps in 1992) and Dale Earnhardt (once for four laps in 1979). Raybestos® Rookies have led back to back spring races at Darlington just once in the sport’s modern era (1992 and 1993).

Kahne was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at Darlington last November. He scored a fifth place finish on the lead lap and was the only first-year driver to finish inside the top 20. No Raybestos® Rookie led a lap in the race.

Kasey Kahne was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 at Darlington in March. Kahne started from the pole and finished 13th, leading the race four times for 24 laps.

DID YOU KNOW? Only one Raybestos® Rookie has won the pole for the Mountain Dew Southern 500: Kurt Busch. Busch grabbed the top spot for the 2001 race and led the event twice for 73 laps.

DID YOU KNOW? The best finish by a Raybestos® Rookie in the Mountain Dew Southern 500 is second by Ryan Newman in 2002.

TWO Raybestos® Rookies have finished in the top-10 in two of the past three Mountain Dew Southern 500 races:
2002: Ryan Newman (second) and Jimmie Johnson (ninth)
2003: Jamie McMurray (fourth) and Greg Biffle (10th)

At least one Raybestos® Rookie has finished inside the top-10 in each of the past three consecutive Mountain Dew Southern 500 races at Darlington:
2001: Kevin Harvick, eighth
2002: Ryan Newman (second) and Jimmie Johnson (ninth)
2003: Jamie McMurray (fourth) and Greg Biffle (10th)
2004: Kasey Kahne (fifth)

Top-five finishes by Raybestos® Rookies in the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at Darlington (since 1975):
1975: Bruce Hill, fifth
1979: Terry Labonte, third
1984: Rusty Wallace, fourth
2002: Ryan Newman, second
2003: Jamie McMurray, fourth
2004: Kasey Kahne, fifth

Top-10 finishes by Raybestos® Rookies in the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at Darlington (since 1975):
1975: Bruce Hill, fifth
1977: Ricky Rudd, seventh
1978: Ronnie Thomas, ninth
1979: Terry Labonte, third
1982: Geoffrey Bodine, seventh
1984: Rusty Wallace, fourth
1984: Phil Parsons, seventh
1981: Tim Richmond, eighth
1991: Bobby Hamilton, 10th
1993: Kenny Wallace, 10th
1994: Jeff Burton, eighth
2001: Kevin Harvick, eighth
2002: Ryan Newman, second
2002: Jimmie Johnson, ninth
2003: Jamie McMurray, fourth
2003: Greg Biffle, 10th
2004: Kasey Kahne, fifth

Raybestos® Rookies that have led a lap in the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at Darlington (since 1975):
1975: Bruce Hill (once for one lap)
1987: Davey Allison (three times for 86 laps)
1991: Bobby Hamilton (two for five laps)
1991: Ted Musgrave (once for one lap)
1993: Jeff Gordon (once for three laps)
2000: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (once for 16 laps)
2001: Kurt Busch (twice for 73 laps)
2002: Ryan Newman (once for one lap)
2002: Jimmie Johnson (once for one lap)
2003: Jamie McMurray (once for 21 laps)
2003: Greg Biffle (three times for 70 laps)

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       107
Travis Kvapil     97
Stanton Barrett   24
Eric McClure      11 

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

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