Willie Allen was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the August 22 O'Reilly 200 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Allen claimed a 19th-place finish and took top rookie honors for the first time this season.

Tim Sauter leads Allen by five points (126-121) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the September 1 Missouri/Illinois Dodge Dealers 200 at Gateway (Madison, Ill.) International Raceway.

Aric Almirola was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2006 Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200 at Gateway, posting a 10th-place finish.

Did You Know? The best finish by a Raybestos Rookie in nine races at Gateway is fourth by Carl Edwards in 2003.

Did You Know? The most Raybestos Rookies to finish inside the top-10 is FOUR in 2001: Travis Kvapil, Ricky Hendrick (sixth), Matt Crafton (seventh), and Billy Bigley (tenth).

Did You Know? Greg Biffle (1998) is the only Raybestos Rookie to win a pole in nine previous races at Gateway.

Top-five finishes by Raybestos Rookies at Gateway:
1998: Tom Hubert, fifth
2001: Travis Kvapil, fifth
2003: Carl Edwards, fourth

Top-10 finishes by Raybestos Rookies at Gateway:
1998: Tom Hubert, fifth
1998: Scot Walters, ninth
1999: Mike Stefanik, sixth
2001: Travis Kvapil, fifth
2001: Ricky Hendrick, sixth
2001: Matt Crafton, seventh
2001: Billy Bigley, 10th
2003: Carl Edwards, fourth
2004: David Reutimann, ninth
2006: Aric Almirola, 10th

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
Tim Sauter - 126
Willie Allen - 121
Blake Bjorklund - 110
Joey Clanton - 101
Jason White - 85
Kelly Bires - 49
Peter Shepherd - 32
Kevin Hamlin - 26
Casey Kingsland - 5
Brian Sockwell - 2

Highest-Finishing Raybestos Rookie By Race
Event - Highest-Finishing Rookie
Chevy Silverado 250 - Clanton, sixth
San Bernardino 200 - Fike, 18th
American Commercial Lines 200 - Clanton, ninth
Kroger 250 - Fike, seventh
O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 - Fike, eighth
Quaker Steak & Lube 200 - Fike, 14th
Ohio 250 - Hamlin, 10th
AAA Insurance 200 - Fike, 10th
Sam's Town 400 - Fike, 11th
Michigan 200 - Fike, 17th
Toyota Tundra Milwaukee 200 - Sauter, 16th
O'Reilly 200 - Fike, fifth
Built Ford Tough 225 - Clanton, seventh
Power Stroke Diesel 200 - Sauter, 18th
Toyota Tundra 200 - Clanton, 10th
O'Reilly 200 - Allen, 19th