Erik Darnell was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the February 24 racetickets.com 200 at California Speedway. Darnell finished 11th and took top rookie honors for the second consecutive race. Darnell holds a 12-point lead (27-15) over Kyle Krisiloff in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the March 17 John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Sean Murphy was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2005 John Deere 200, claiming a 13th-place finish on the lead lap. Murphy was the only first-year driver to lead a lap in the event.

Raybestos Rookies David Reutimann and Robert Huffman made history in 2004 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Reutimann won the pole and Huffman grabbed the second starting spot, securing the first all-Raybestos Rookie front row in the history of the Craftsman Truck Series.

More Raybestos Rookie Atlanta Motor Speedway Notes:

The best finish by a Raybestos Rookie in the spring race at Atlanta is third by Reutimann in 2004. He also led that race twice for eight laps.

A Raybestos Rookie has led a lap in each of the two previous spring races at Atlanta, Reutimann and Murphy, who led the March 2005 race at Atlanta once for one lap.

Raybestos Rookies that have led a lap at Atlanta (all three races):
2004: Reutimann (twice for eight laps).
2005: Murphy (once for one lap)

Top-five finishes by Raybestos Rookies at Atlanta (all three races):
2004: Reutimann, fourth

Top-10 finishes by Raybestos Rookies at Atlanta (all three races):
2004: Reutimann, fourth
2005: Todd Kluever, sixth

Raybestos Rookie History

• The most Raybestos Rookies to win a race in a single season is THREE in 1997: Kenny Irwin, Tony Raines and Randy Tolsma.
• The most poles by a Raybestos Rookie is four (Greg Biffle in 1998 and Kurt Busch in 2000).
  Busch holds the record for best championship finish (2nd), most wins (four) and most money won ($745,632).
• The record for most top fives by a Raybestos Rookie is 13 (shared by Busch and Carl Edwards).
• The record for most top-10 finishes by a Raybestos Rookie is 19, by Ricky Hendrick in 2001.

Irwin was the first Raybestos Rookie to win a race in the Craftsman Truck Series. He captured the Florida Dodge Dealers 400K at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 16, 1997. Irwin took the checkered flag by .289 seconds over Mike Bliss.

Irwin also holds the record for quickest win by a Raybestos Rookie in the Craftsman Truck Series, scoring his first career victory at Homestead in just his third career start.

Raybestos Rookie Contender Point Standings

Driver - Points
Darnell - 27
Krisiloff - 15
Kerry Earnhardt - 14
Joey Miller - 13
Robert Richardson - 13
Erin Crocker - 13
Aric Almirola - 12
Sean Murphy - 8
Chad McCumbee - 8
Kraig Kinser - 6
Boston Reid - 4
Scott Lagasse Jr. - 4
J.R. Patton - 1

Highest - Finishing Raybestos Rookie by Race

Event - Highest Finishing Rookie
GM FlexFuel 250 - Darnell, sixth
racetickets.com 200 - Darnell, 11th