Raybestos Rookie Preview: Atlanta

03-12-2007 | TruckSeries.com Report

Aaron Fike was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race San Bernardino County 200 February 23 at California Speedway. Fike posted an 18th-place finish on his way to collecting Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors for the first time this season. He is 15th in the Craftsman Truck Series championship standings, best of any Raybestos Rookie.

Fike used his finish at California Speedway to grab the lead in the Raybestos Rookie standings. He holds a five-point edge (21-16) over Willie Allen entering the March 16 American Commercial Lines 200 at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway.

Erik Darnell was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2006 American Commercial Lines 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Darnell finished eighth, the only first-year driver to crack the top-10.

Darnell and David Reutimann share the best finish by a Raybestos Rookie in five races at Atlanta. Darnell placed third in the EasyCare 200 last October while Reutimann finished third in the spring race in 2004.

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.

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

A Raybestos Rookie has led a lap in two of the three previous spring races at Atlanta:
2004: David Reutimann (twice for eight laps)
2005: Sean Murphy (once for one lap)

Top-five finishes by Raybestos Rookies at Atlanta (all five races):
2004: David Reutimann, third (spring race)
2006: Erik Darnell, third (fall race)

Top-10 finishes by Raybestos Rookies at Atlanta (all five races):
2004: David Reutimann, third (spring race)
2005: Todd Kluever, sixth (fall race)
2006: Erik Darnell, third (fall race)
2006: Erik Darnell, eighth (spring 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.
    Four drivers from Roush Racing have won Raybestos Rookie of the Year while competing in the Craftsman Truck Series: Carl Edwards (2003), Greg Biffle (1998), Kurt Busch (2000) and Erik Darnell (2006).
  • Kenny Irwin was the first Raybestos Rookie to win a race in the Craftsman Truck Series. Irwin captured the Florida Dodge Dealers 400K at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 16, 1997. He 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 win at Homestead in just his third career start.

Raybestos Rookie Contender Point Standings

Driver - Points
Aaron Fike - 21
Willie Allen - 16
Joey Clanton - 16
Kelly Bires - 15
Blake Bjorklund - 15
Tim Sauter - 15
Tyler Walker - 14
Casey Kingsland - 5
Jason White - 4

Highest-Finishing Raybestos Rookie by Race

Event - Highest-Finishing Rookie
Chevy Silverado 250 - Clanton, sixth
San Bernardino 200 - Fike, 18th