Race 2 Win: Dodge Charger 500 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

Nextel Cup Series

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Dodge Charger 500 - Raybestos® Rookie Notes

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

Denny Hamlin was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the May 6 Crown Royal 400 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. Hamlin finished second, his best effort in 17 career NEXTEL Cup Series races. He took top rookie honors for the fourth time this season, more than any other driver.

Hamlin has racked up two top-five finishes this season, more than any other freshman driver.

For the second time this season, Hamlin grabbed the lead in the Raybestos® Rookie standings. He holds a five-point edge over Clint Bowyer (107-102) entering the May 13 Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

Two Raybestos® Rookies rank among the top-20 in the NEXTEL Cup Series championship standings: Bowyer (15th) and Hamlin (16th).

DID YOU KNOW? Since 2001, TWO Raybestos® Rookies have won pole positions at Darlington Raceway: Kurt Busch (2001) and Kasey Kahne (2004).

DID YOU KNOW? A Raybestos® Rookie has scored a top-10 finish in six of the past seven seasons at Darlington:
1999: Tony Stewart, sixth
2000: Matt Kenseth, sixth
2001: Kevin Harvick, eighth
2002: Ryan Newman, fifth (spring race)
2002: Jimmie Johnson, sixth (spring race)
2002: Ryan Newman, second (fall race)
2002: Jimmie Johnson, ninth (fall race)
2003: Jamie McMurray, fourth (fall race)
2003: Greg Biffle, 10th (fall race)
2004: Kasey Kahne, fifth (fall race)

Top-five finishes by Raybestos® Rookies at Darlington (since 1975):
1975: Bruce Hill, fifth (fall race)
1979: Terry Labonte, third (fall race)
1984: Rusty Wallace, fourth (fall race)
2002: Ryan Newman, second (fall race)
2002: Ryan Newman, fifth (spring race)
2003: Jamie McMurray, fourth (fall race)
2004: Kasey Kahne, fifth (fall race)

Top-10 finishes by Raybestos® Rookies at Darlington (since 1975):
1975: Bruce Hill, fifth (fall race)
1975: Bruce Jacobi, ninth (spring race)
1977: Ricky Rudd, seventh (fall race)
1978: Ronnie Thomas, ninth (fall race)
1979: Terry Labonte, third (fall race)
1979: Joe Millikan, 10th (spring race)
1980: Lake Speed, eighth (spring race)
1980: Jody Ridley, 10th (spring race)
1981: Tim Richmond, eighth (fall race)
1982: Geoffrey Bodine, seventh (fall race)
1982: Mark Martin, seventh (spring race)
1984: Rusty Wallace, fourth (fall race)
1984: Phil Parsons, seventh (fall race)
1984: Phil Parsons, eighth (spring race)
1991: Bobby Hamilton, 10th (fall race)
1993: Kenny Wallace, 10th (fall race)
1994: Jeff Burton, eighth (fall race)
1999: Tony Stewart, sixth (spring race)
2000: Matt Kenseth, sixth (spring race)
2001: Kevin Harvick, eighth (fall race)
2002: Ryan Newman, second (fall race)
2002: Ryan Newman, fifth (spring race)
2002: Jimmie Johnson, sixth (spring race)
2002: Jimmie Johnson, ninth (fall race)
2003: Jamie McMurray, fourth (fall race)
2003: Greg Biffle, 10th (fall race)
2004: Kasey Kahne, fifth (fall race)

Raybestos® Rookies that have led a lap at Darlington (since 1975):
1975: Bruce Hill, once for one lap (fall race)
1979: Dale Earnhardt, once for four laps (spring race)
1984: Rusty Wallace, once for one lap (spring race)
1987: Davey Allison, three times for 86 laps (fall race)
1991: Bobby Hamilton, two for five laps (fall race)
1991: Ted Musgrave, once for one lap (fall race)
1992: Bob Schacht, once for two laps (spring race)
1993: Jeff Gordon, once for three laps (fall race)
1993: Jeff Gordon, once for one lap (spring race)
1997: Mike Skinner, once for eight laps (spring race)
2000: Dale Earnhardt Jr., once for 16 laps (fall race)
2000: Matt Kenseth, once for three laps (spring race)
2001: Kurt Busch, twice for 73 laps (fall race)
2002: Ryan Newman, once for one lap (fall race)
2002: Jimmie Johnson, once for one lap (fall race)
2003: Jamie McMurray, once for 21 laps (fall race)
2003: Greg Biffle, three times for 70 laps (fall race)
2004: Kasey Kahne, three times for 24 laps (spring 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 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).

Ryan Newman holds the all-time Raybestos® Rookie record for most poles (6), most top-fives (14) and most top-10s (22).

Kasey Kahne holds the record for most earnings by a Raybestos® Rookie ($5.4 million in 2004).

The record for most wins by a Raybestos® Rookie is three, shared by Stewart (1999) and Jimmie Johnson (2002).

Johnson also holds the best ever points finish by a Raybestos® Rookie, placing fifth in the championship standings in 2002.

A Raybestos® Rookie has posted multiple victories SIX times in NASCAR Winston Cup history: Davey Allison (two wins in 1987), Stewart (three wins in 1999), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (two wins in 2000), Kevin Harvick (two wins in 2001), Johnson (three wins in 2002), and Kyle Busch (two wins in 2005).

More than one Raybestos® Rookie has posted victories in their rookie season only three times: Morgan Shepherd and Ron Bouchard (one each in 1981), Earnhardt Jr. (two) and Kenseth (2000), Johnson (three) and Newman (2002).

RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE CONTENDER POINT STANDINGS
DRIVER POINTS
Denny Hamlin 107
Clint Bowyer 102
J.J. Yeley 90
Martin Truex Jr. 87
Reed Sorenson 83 
David Stremme 70
Brent Sherman 39 

HIGHEST-FINISHING RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE BY RACE
EVENT HIGHEST-FINISHING ROOKIE
Daytona 500 Bowyer, sixth
Auto Club 500 Yeley, eighth
UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 Hamlin, 10th 
Golden Corral 500 Sorenson, 10th 
Food City 500 Hamlin, 14th 
DIRECTV 500 Sorenson, 12th 
Samsung/RadioShack 500 Hamlin, fourth
Subway Fresh 500 Bowyer, fifth
Aaron’s 499 Yeley, 11th 
Crown Royal 400 Hamlin, second

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