Race 2 Win: Chevy American Revolution 400

Nextel Cup Series

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Chevy American Revolution 400 - 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 May 7 Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. Busch finished 23rd and took top rookie honors for the sixth time this season.

Busch stretched his lead to 11 points over Travis Kvapil (118-107) in the Raybestos® Rookie standings entering the May 14 Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond (Va.) International 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 Richmond:

Brian Vickers won the pole for the 2004 Chevy American Revolution 400, his first pole in 16 career NASCAR NEXEL Cup Series races. He joined Morgan Shepherd as the only Raybestos® Rookies to win a pole for the spring race at Richmond (since 1975). Shepherd took the top starting spot for the 1981 Chevy American Revolution 400. Vickers took Raybestos® Rookie of the Race honors as well, grabbing an eighth place finish, the only first-year driver to place in the top-10. He was also the only Raybestos® Rookie to lead a lap in the event, holding the top spot once for 32 laps.

Vickers is just the sixth Raybestos® Rookie since 1980 to lead a lap in the spring race at Richmond. The others: Tommy Houston (once for 10 laps in 1980), Morgan Shepherd (once for 150 laps in 1981), Dick Trickle (once for one lap in 1989), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (once for 31 laps in 2000), and Ryan Newman (twice for 48 laps in 2002).

Since 1975, only one Raybestos® Rookie has won the spring race at Richmond: Earnhardt Jr. in 2000. He led the race just once covering the final 31 laps and officially scored his second career win by .159 second over Terry Labonte.

Only once since 1975 have TWO or more Raybestos® Rookies finished in the top-10 in the Chevy American Revolution 400. In 1979, Joe Millikan finished sixth followed by Terry Labonte, who claimed an eighth place finish.

Only three Raybestos® Rookies that have scored top-five finishes in the Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond (since 1975):
1981: Morgan Shepherd, fourth
2000: Dale Earnhardt Jr., first
2002: Ryan Newman, second

Eight Raybestos® Rookies that have scored top-10 finishes in the Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond (since 1975):
1979: Joe Millikan, sixth, and Terry Labonte, eighth
1989: Larry Pearson, sixth
1993: Jeff Gordon, sixth
1998: Kenny Irwin, ninth
2000: Dale Earnhardt Jr., first
2002: Ryan Newman, second
2004: Brian Vickers, eighth

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 118
Travis Kvapil 107
Stanton Barrett 33
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 
Dodge Charger 500 Kyle Busch, 23rd

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