Erik Darnell was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the March 17 John Deere 200 at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway. Darnell finished eighth, his second top-10 finish in three career Craftsman Truck Series starts. He has claimed top rookie honors in all three races this season and is the only Raybestos Rookie to score a top-10 finish.

Darnell enjoys a 16-point lead (41-25) over Kyle Krisiloff in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the April 1 Kroger 250 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

Todd Kluever was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2005 Kroger 250 at Martinsville, claiming a 16th-place finish.

At least one Raybestos Rookie has finished in the top-10 in five of the past six spring races at Martinsville:

2000: Scott Riggs, ninth
2001: Travis Kvapil, second
2001: Matt Crafton, sixth
2001: Ricky Hendrick, ninth
2001: Nathan Haseleu, 10th
2002: Brendan Gaughan, ninth
2003: Carl Edwards, fourth
2004: David Reutimann, eighth

Two Raybestos Rookies have won a pole at Martinsville in the Craftsman Truck Series: Greg Biffle (1998) and Carl Edwards (2003).

Did You Know? The best finish by a Raybestos Rookie at Martinsville Speedway is second, shared by Travis Kvapil (2001 spring race), Carl Edwards (2003 fall race) and Kluever (2005 fall race).

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
Erik Darnell - 41
Kyle Krisiloff - 25
Aric Almirola - 21
Erin Crocker - 19
Kerry Earnhardt - 16
Robert Richardson - 16
Joey Miller - 15
Chad McCumbee - 13
Boston Reid - 11
Kraig Kinser - 10
Sean Murphy - 10
Bobby East - 8
Scott Lagasse Jr. - 6
J.R. Patton - 1

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