Race 2 Win: Pennsylvania 500 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

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Pennsylvania 500 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

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

Kyle Busch was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the July 17 New England 300 New Hampshire International Speedway. Busch finished fourth, his fifth top-five and seventh top-10 finish. Busch took top rookie honors for the 13th time in 19 races this season.

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

Busch maintains a 49-point lead over Travis Kvapil (248-199) in the Raybestos® Rookie standings entering the July 24 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway.

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

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 on June 5.

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 in 2005 (seven times in four races for 155 laps). Kvapil has led four times in two races for 32 laps (48 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 Pennsylvania 500:

DID YOU KNOW? A Raybestos® Rookie has scored top five finishes in each of the last two NEXTEL Cup races at Pocono: Kasey Kahne was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the 2004 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono, coming away with a third-place finish. Kyle Busch, who finished fourth, was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the Pocono 500 in June.

The best finish by a Raybestos® Rookie in the Pennsylvania 500 is second by Ward Burton in 1994.

The 1994 Pennsylvania 500 had THREE Raybestos® Rookies place inside the top-five, the best performance by a rookie class in 55 previous NEXTEL Cup races at Pocono. Three rookies finished in the top-five: Burton, Joe Nemechek (third) and Jeff Burton (fourth).

Top-Five finishes by Raybestos Rookies at Pennsylvania 500:
1987: Davey Allison, fifth
1994: Ward Burton, second
1994: Joe Nemechek, third
1994: Jeff Burton, fourth
1996: Johnny Benson, fifth
1999: Tony Stewart, fourth
2000: Matt Kenseth, fifth
2002: Ryan Newman, fifth

Top-10 finishes by Raybestos® Rookies at Pennsylvania 500:
1982: Mark Martin, 10th
1984: Rusty Wallace, sixth
1987: Davey Allison, fifth
1994: Ward Burton, second
1994: Joe Nemechek, third
1994: Jeff Burton, fourth
1996: Johnny Benson, fifth
1997: Mike Skinner, sixth
1999: Tony Stewart, fourth
2000: Matt Kenseth, fifth
2002: Ryan Newman, fifth

Raybestos® Rookies who have led a lap in the July race at Pocono:
1982: Mark Martin (once for one lap)
1984: Rusty Wallace (once for one lap)
1986: Michael Waltrip (once for one lap)
1989: Dick Trickle (once for seven laps)
1993: Bobby Labonte (once for one lap)
1994: Ward Burton (twice for six laps)
1994: Jeff Burton (once for 16 laps)
1994 John Andretti (once for one lap).
1995: Ricky Craven (once for two laps)
1996: Johnny Benson (twice for five laps)
2002: Jimmie Johnson (once for two laps)
2003: Casey Mears (once for eight 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: 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 248
Travis Kvapil 199
Stanton Barrett 52
Eric McClure 19
Mike Garvey 12

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

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