Willie Allen was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the September 1 Missouri/Illinois Dodge Dealers 200 at Gateway (Madison, Ill.) International Raceway. Allen posted a 12th-place finish and took top rookie honors for the second time this season.

Tim Sauter leads Allen by two points (129-127) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the September 15 New Hampshire 200 at New Hampshire International Speedway.

Sauter is 16th in the Craftsman Truck Series championship standings, best of any Raybestos Rookie. He is just two points ahead of 17th-place Allen.

Erik Darnell was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2006 New Hampshire 200, scoring a ninth-place finish.

The most recent Raybestos Rookie to lead a lap at New Hampshire is the late Ricky Hendrick, who led once for 14 laps in 2001.

Kurt Busch is the only Raybestos Rookie to win a race since the Craftsman Truck Series began competing at New Hampshire in 1996 (11 races). In 2000, Busch started fifth and led just once, covering the final 35 laps. The New Hampshire race was one of four wins Busch scored that season.

A Raybestos Rookie has logged a top-five in eight of the previous 11 races at the 1.058-mile speedway.

TWO or more Raybestos Rookies have finished in the top-five at New Hampshire THREE TIMES (1997, 1998 and 2001). THREE or more Raybestos Rookies have finished in the top-10 TWICE (1997 and 2001).

Raybestos Rookies who have scored top-fives at New Hampshire:
1997: Boris Said, fourth
1997: Kenny Irwin, fifth
1998: Greg Biffle, second
1998: Ron Barfield, fourth
2000: Kurt Busch, first
2001: Travis Kvapil, second
2001: Ricky Hendrick, fourth
2002: Brendan Gaughan, fifth
2003: Carl Edwards, second
2004: David Reutimann, fifth

Top-10 finishes by Raybestos Rookies at New Hampshire:
1996: Bryan Reffner, sixth
1997: Boris Said, fourth
1997: Kenny Irwin, fifth
1997: Chuck Bown, 10th
1998: Greg Biffle, second
1998: Ron Barfield, fourth
2000: Kurt Busch, first
2000: Scott Riggs, sixth
2001: Travis Kvapil, second
2001: Ricky Hendrick, fourth
2001: Matt Crafton, 10th
2002: Brendan Gaughan, fifth
2003: Carl Edwards, second
2004: David Reutimann, fifth
2006: Erik Darnell, ninth

The best start by a Raybestos Rookie at New Hampshire is third by Bobby East (2006).

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 - 129
Willie Allen - 127
Blake Bjorklund - 110
Joey Clanton - 109
Jason White - 95

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
Missouri/Illinois Dodge Dealers 200 - Allen, 12th