Race 2 Win: Daytona 500 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

Nextel Cup Series

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Daytona 500 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

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

Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, J.J. Yeley, David Stremme, Reed Sorenson, Clint Bowyer, Brent Sherman, and Chad Chaffin plan to compete for Raybestos® Rookie of the Year in 2006.

The 2006 season is the first in the history of the Raybestos® Rookie program where two organizations have fielded multiple entries with first-year drivers. Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates will have David Stremme and Reed Sorenson behind the wheel while Joe Gibbs Racing will have Denny Hamlin and J.J. Yeley.

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates was the first organization to field multiple entries with Raybestos® Rookie drivers. In 2003, the team had Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears.

The 2006 Raybestos® Rookie class is the largest since eight drivers competed for the award in 2000.

DID YOU KNOW? The most drivers to compete for Raybestos® Rookie of the Year is 10 in 1994 (Jeff Burton, Jeremy Mayfield, Joe Nemechek, John Andretti, Steve Grissom, Mike Wallace, Ward Burton, Loy Allen, Billy Standridge and Curtis Markham).

Travis Kvapil was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the 2005 Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Kvapil scored a 19th-place finish.

DID YOU KNOW? Since 1975, Scott Wimmer and Jeff Gordon are the only Raybestos® Rookies to score a top-five finish in the Daytona 500. Wimmer placed third in 2004 while Gordon finished fifth in 1993.

DID YOU KNOW? Since 1975, only three Raybestos® Rookies have won the pole position for the Daytona 500: Loy Allen (1994), Mike Skinner (1997) and Jimmie Johnson (2002).

Top-10 finishes by Raybestos® Rookies in the Daytona 500 (since 1975):
1979: Dale Earnhardt, eighth
1980: Jody Ridley, 10th
1989: Rick Mast, sixth
1991: Bobby Hamilton, ninth
1993: Jeff Gordon, fifth
2000: Matt Kenseth, 10th
2002: Ryan Newman, seventh
2004: Scott Wimmer, third

Gordon is the only Raybestos® Rookie to win a Gatorade Duel qualifying race at Daytona in the sport’s modern era. Gordon won his qualifying race in 1993.

Denny Hamlin joins Ryan Newman as the only Raybestos® Rookies to compete in the Budweiser Shootout. Hamlin earned his way into the special event by winning the pole for the 2005 Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. In 2002, Newman started eighth and finished 15th, completing all 70 laps of the race.

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, 2005) 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).

News and Results | Point Standings | 2006 Schedule | 2006 Teams | 2005 Schedule and Results