Race 2 Win: Checker Auto Parts 500 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

Nextel Cup Series

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Checker Auto Parts 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 November 6 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. He grabbed a 24th-place finish and took Raybestos® Rookie of the Race honors for the 12th time in 34 races.

Kyle Busch maintains a comfortable lead in the Raybestos® Rookie standings entering the Nov. 13 Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway, leading Travis Kvapil by 76 points (305-229).

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 34 starts entering the Checker 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.

Raybestos® Rookies at Phoenix International Raceway:

Kasey Kahne was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the 2004 Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix, grabbing a fifth-place finish. Kahne is just the second Raybestos® Rookie to score a top-five finish in 17 fall races at Phoenix. The other is Tony Stewart, who won the race in 1999.

Busch was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix this past April (race No. 8). He led once for eight laps on his way to an eighth-place finish. He was the only Raybestos® Rookie to lead a lap in the race and the only first-year driver to finish inside the top 10.

Stewart is the only Raybestos® Rookie to win at Phoenix in 18 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races. Stewart won from the pole in 1999, beating Mark Martin to the checkered flag by 2.081 seconds.

Stewart is the only Raybestos® Rookie to lead the most laps at Phoenix, leading the race three times for 150 laps.

THREE Raybestos® Rookies have won pole positions at Phoenix: Stewart, Casey Atwood (2001) and Ryan Newman (2002).

TWO or more Raybestos® Rookies have finished inside the top 10 just once at Phoenix: In 1989, Dick Trickle placed seventh while Jimmy Spencer claimed a 10th-place finish. Both Trickle and Spencer finished on the lead lap.

TWO or more Raybestos® Rookies have led the same race at Phoenix just twice. In 1991, Stanley Smith led once for 12 laps while Bobby Hamilton led the race once for one lap. In 2002, Newman led three times for 14 laps while Jimmie Johnson led once for one lap.

The most recent Raybestos® Rookie to lead a lap at Phoenix is Ryan Newman in 2002.

Top-10 finishes by Raybestos® Rookies in the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix:
1989: Dick Trickle, seventh
1989: Jimmy Spencer, 10th
1993: Bobby Labonte, eighth
1999: Tony Stewart, first
2000: Dave Blaney, eighth
2004: Kasey Kahne, fifth

Raybestos® Rookies that have led a lap in the fall race at Phoenix:
1991: Stanley Smith (once for 12 laps)
1991: Bobby Hamilton (once for one lap)
1993: Jeff Gordon (led once for 48 laps)
1993: Labonte (once for two laps)
1995: Ricky Craven (once for one lap)
1999: Stewart (three times for 150 laps)
2001: Casey Atwood (twice for 71 laps)
2002: Ryan Newman (three times for 14 laps)
2002: Jimmie Johnson (once for one lap)

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), Gordon (1993), 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 305
Travis Kvapil 229 

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
Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 Busch, 12th 
Dickies 500 Kvapil, 24th

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