Race 2 Win: Dodge/Save Mart 350 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

Nextel Cup Series

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Dodge/Save Mart 350 - 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 June 19 Batman Begins 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Busch finished ninth, his sixth top 10 of the season. He took top rookie honors for the sixth consecutive race and for the 11th time in 15 starts.

Busch is the only Raybestos® Rookie to post back-to-back top-five finishes this season (second at Dover June 5 and fourth at Pocono June 12).

Busch is the only Raybestos® Rookie to post three consecutive top-10 finishes this season (Michigan, Pocono and Dover)

Busch stretched his lead to 43 points (208-165) over Travis Kvapil in the Raybestos® Rookie standings entering the June 26 Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway.

Busch is the only Raybestos® Rookie to lead in back-to-back races this season. He led twice for 55 laps at Lowe’s Motor Speedway May 29 and twice for 90 laps at Dover.

Busch is the only Raybestos® Rookie to score a top-five finish this season. His other top-five finishes: second at Las Vegas and Dover, and fourth at Richmond and Pocono.

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.

Busch has led more miles (184.50) than any other Raybestos® Rookie this season (seven times in four races for 155 laps). Kvapil has led four times in two races for 32 laps (48.00 miles).

The Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway was the first race this season where TWO or more Raybestos® Rookies led a lap in the same race. Busch held the top spot twice for 55 laps while Kvapil led twice for 23.

Raybestos® Rookies at Infineon Raceway:

Brian Vickers was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the 2004 Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. Vickers collected a 22nd-place finish completing all 110 laps of the event.

The best finish by a Raybestos® Rookie at Infineon Raceway is ninth, which is shared by Kenny Irwin (1998) and Ryan Newman (2002).

DID YOU KNOW? Only one Raybestos® Rookie has led a lap in 16 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Infineon Raceway. Scott Pruett led twice for 10 laps in the 2000 race.

The best start by a Raybestos® Rookie at Infineon Raceway is second, shared by Jerry Nadeau (1998) and Tony Stewart (1999).

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), Stewart (1999) and 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 208
Travis Kvapil 165
Stanton Barrett 51
Eric McClure 19

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

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