Race 2 Win: Subway 500 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

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Subway 500 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

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

Travis Kvapil was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the October 15 UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, collecting a 17th-place finish. Kvapil took top rookie honors for the 10th time this season. He led the race once for one lap, the THIRD consecutive event in which Kvapil has led at least one lap.

Kvapil and Kyle Busch (once for seven laps) both led the UAW-GM Quality 500. Two or more Raybestos® Rookies have led a lap in just three races this season: the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway were the others.

Busch maintains a comfortable lead in the Raybestos® Rookie standings entering the Oct. 23 Subway 500 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, leading Kvapil by 76 points (302-225).

DID YOU KNOW? Kvapil was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the Advance Auto Parts 500 (race No. six) at Martinsville in April, claiming a 27th-place finish. Kvapil was also the top Raybestos® Rookie qualifier, grabbing the 17th starting position.

DID YOU KNOW? Kvapil made his NEXTEL Cup Series debut at Martinsville in the 2004 Subway 500 at Martinsville, posting an impressive fifth-place qualifying run.

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 31 starts entering the Subway 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 Martinsville Speedway:

Kasey Kahne was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the 2004 Subway 500 at Martinsville, claiming a 13th-place finish on the lead lap. Kahne led the race once for 17 laps and was the only first-year driver to lead a lap in the race.

DID YOU KNOW? The most recent top-five finish by a Raybestos® Rookie in the Subway 500 is third by Dick Trickle in 1989.

DID YOU KNOW? Only one Raybestos® Rookie has won a pole for the Subway 500 since 1975: Ryan Newman in 2002.

DID YOU KNOW? A Raybestos® Rookie has finished on the lead lap in each of the last FOUR Subway 500 races at Martinsville:
2001: Ron Hornaday, 18th
2002: Jimmie Johnson, seventh
2003: Jamie McMurray, eighth
2004: Kahne, 13th

DID YOU KNOW? Only once since 1975 have TWO Raybestos® Rookies finished in the top 10 in the Subway 500. In 1979, Joe Millikan finished third while Terry Labonte placed ninth.

DID YOU KNOW? The most Raybestos® Rookie to lead a lap in the fall race at Martinsville is TWO in 1981. Tim Richmond led twice for 14 laps while Morgan Shepherd led once for 18 laps.

DID YOU KNOW? The most laps led by a Raybestos® Rookie in the Subway 500 (since 1975) is 53 by Geoffrey Bodine in 1982.

Top-five finishes by Raybestos® Rookies in Subway 500 at Martinsville (since 1975):
1977: Sam Sommers, fifth
1979: Millikan, third
1989: Trickle, third

Top-10 finishes by Raybestos® Rookies in Subway 500 at Martinsville (since 1975):
1977: Sommers, fifth
1979: Millikan, third
1979: Labonte, ninth
1980: Jody Ridley, ninth
1981: Ron Bouchard, sixth
1987: Dale Jarrett, 10th
1989: Trickle, third
2002: Johnson, sixth
2003: McMurray, eighth

Raybestos® Rookies that have led a lap in the fall race at Martinsville (since 1975):
1979: Millikan (once for 74 laps)
1981: Richmond (twice for 14 laps)
1981: Shepherd (once for 18 laps)
1982: Bodine (three times for 53 laps
1984: Rusty Wallace (twice for two laps)
1986: Alan Kulwicki (once for one lap)
1989: Trickle (once for one lap)
1992: Jimmy Hensley (once for six laps)
1995: Ricky Craven (once for two laps)
2001: Kurt Busch (once for 38 laps)
2001: Kevin Harvick (once for 20 laps)
2001: Casey Atwood (once for one lap)
2002: Newman (once for 33 laps)
2004: Kahne (once for 17 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 301
Travis Kvapil 225 

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

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