How the Rookie of the Year Supposedly Works:

Some NEWS

• Busch wins 2005 ROTY: Kyle Busch in the #5 Kelloggs Chevy clinched the 2005 Raybesto Rookie of Year at Homestead, beating out #77-Travis Kvapil, who was the only other full-time rookie driver. Busch racked up two wins, one pole, nine top-fives and 13 top 10 finishes this season. He claimed Raybestos Rookie of the Race 23 times in 36 races and was the only Raybestos Rookie to post a top-five finish this season. Busch joins Jeff Gordon (1993) as the only Hendrick Motorsports drivers to win Raybestos Rookie of the Year. He is the first Raybestos Rookie to post two or more wins since Jimmie Johnson won three races in 2002. Busch became the youngest pole winner in NASCAR's premier series (19 yrs., 9 mos. and 24 days) when he grabbed the No. 1 qualifying spot for the February 27 Auto Club 500 at California Speedway. He is also the most recent Raybestos Rookie to win a pole and is the only first-year driver to win a pole in 2005. Where the Raybestos Rookies finished at Homestead: T. Kvapil 32nd; K. Busch 41st.(Raybestos/Camp and Assoc PR), also, Busch became the youngest race winner in NASCAR's premier series when he won at California in Sept. beating out Donald Thomas who was 20 yrs, 4 months, 6 days old when he won at Lakeland in 1952, Busch was 20 yr, 4 months, 2 days old.(11-21-2005)
  
  
• Rookie Page: I do not plan on keeping with or trying to figure out the Rookie of the Year standings, even following the rules I last got two years ago the points never seem to match up to what I calculate to the number, can't get a straight answer on if the rules have changed for this year and the hits are not worthy of the time spent to keep it updated and mull over why it doesn't match up. So I will have the Rookie of the Year page up for historical reference on who won since it started and some misc stats and records. The rookie of the year standings can be found on each week race results page.(7-12-2005)
  
  
• New Rookie of the Year Candidate: Despite the NASCAR national touring season being nearly halfway complete, three drivers announced over the weekend their intention of competing for their respective series' Raybestos Rookie of the Year awards. Former American Speed Association and Hooters Pro Cup standout #66-Mike Garvey in Nextel Cup, Busch Series driver Jerry Robertson and Craftsman Truck Series driver Clay Rogers have been added to the list of eligible Rookie of the Year contenders. (NASCAR.com) Garvey, who is driving the #66 Jani-King Ford, began receiving rookie points at Michigan [in which he finished 36th, but is listed on the ROTY weekly press release of having only one point in the convoluted rookie of the year points system, he should have 9].(6-28-2005)
  
  
• Rookie Rules will NOT change: NASCAR has concluded a review of its rookie of the year programs and will not change the eligibility requirements, vice president of corporate communications Jim Hunter said Sunday. There has been speculation in recent weeks NASCAR would find a way to get #99-Carl Edwards and #32-Bobby Hamilton Jr. eligible to run for Nextel Cup rookie honors next season, even though Hamilton has, and Edwards will likely, surpass the seven-race maximum to remain eligible for the program. Without them, there are currently no other candidates for rookie of the year for the 2005 season in Cup.(ThatsRacin.com)...unless Kyle Busch moves up to Cup in 2005; Kvapil in the #77?(9-20-2004)
  
  

• 1957 Ken Rush
• 1958 Shorty Rollins (1)
• 1959 Richard Petty
• 1960 David Pearson
• 1961 Woody Wilson
• 1962 Tom Cox
• 1963 Billy Wade
• 1964 Doug Cooper
• 1965 Sam McQuagg
• 1966 James Hylton
• 1967 Donnie Allison
• 1968 Pete Hamilton
• 1969 Dick Brooks
• 1970 Bill Dennis
• 1971 Walter Ballard
• 1972 Larry Smith
• 1973 Lennie Pond - Darrell Waltrip
• 1974 Earl Ross (1)
• 1975 Bruce Hill
• 1976 Skip Manning
• 1977 Ricky Rudd
• 1978 Ronnie Thomas
• 1979 Dale Earnhardt (1) - Joe Millikan, Terry Labonte, Harry Gant
• 1980 Jody Ridley (1)
• 1981 Ron Bouchard (1), Tim Richmond
• 1982 Geoffrey Bodine
• 1983 Sterling Marlin
• 1984 Rusty Wallace - Phil Parsons
• 1985 Ken Schrader - Eddie Bierschwale, Don Hume
• 1986 Alan Kulwicki - Michael Waltrip, Chet Fillip, Pancho Carter, Kirk Bryant, Davey Allison [listed 4 races], Derrike Cope [2 races], Jerry Cramer [3 races], Rick Baldwin [2 races], Jonathan Edwards [2 races], Wayne Slark [1 race]
• 1987 Davey Allison (2) - Dale Jarrett, Steve Christman, Rodney Combs, Derrike Cope
• 1988 Ken Bouchard - Ernie Irvan, Brad Noffsinger, Jimmy Horton
• 1989 Dick Trickle - Hut Stricklin, Larry Pearson, Jimmy Spencer, Rick Mast, Ben Hess, Chad Little
• 1990 Rob Moroso - Jack Pennington, Jerry O'Neil, Jeff Purvis
• 1991 Bobby Hamilton - Ted Musgrave, Stanley Smith, Wally Dallenbach Jr.
• 1992 Jimmy Hensley - Dave Madar III, Andy Belmont
• 1993 Jeff Gordon - Bobby Labonte, Kenny Wallace, P.J. Jones
• 1994 Jeff Burton - Joe Nemechek, Steve Grissom, Loy Allen, John Andretti, Jeremy Mayfield, Mike Wallace, Ward Burton
• 1995 Ricky Craven - Robert Pressley, Randy LaJoie, Steve Kinser, Davy Jones
• 1996 Johnny Benson - Stacy Compton [listed as a candiate for 1 race], Randy MacDonald [3 races]
• 1997 Mike Skinner - David Green, Jeff Green, Robby Gordon
• 1998 Kenny Irwin - Kevin Lepage, Jerry Nadeau, Steve Park
• 1999 Tony Stewart (3) - Elliott Sadler, Buckshot Jones
• 2000 Matt Kenseth (1) - Dale Earnhardt Jr.(2), Dave Blaney, Scott Pruett, Stacy Compton, Mike Bliss
• 2001 Kevin Harvick (2) - Kurt Busch, Casey Atwood, Jason Leffler, Ron Hornaday Jr, Andy Houston
• 2002 Ryan Newman (1) - Jimmie Johnson(3), Carl Long, Shawna Robinson
  
• 2003 Jamie McMurray - Greg Biffle(1), Tony Raines, Casey Mears, Jack Sprague, Larry Foyt
  
• 2004 Kasey Kahne - Brendan Gaughan, Brian Vickers, Scott Wimmer, Scott Riggs, Johnny Sauter
  
• 2005 Kyle Busch(2) - Travis Kvapil, Stanton Barrett, Mike Garvey, Eric McClure
  
  (NOT a 2002 candidate but won - Jamie McMurray(1) and ran and won ROTY in 2003
  winner bold; wins if any in parens() - rest of rookie class listed if known
  
  

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  SOME ROTY NEWS and RECORDS

• Newman breaks pole record: On Friday, #12-Ryan Newman put himself in the record book with his sixth pole of 2002. That breaks the rookie record of the late Davey Allison in 1987.(11-10-2002)
  
  
• Rookies: #48-Jimmie Johnson tied Tony Stewart's rookie record for most wins by a Cup Rookie of the Year candidate with his win at Dover, his third win of 2002. With last weeks win at NHIS, #12-Ryan Newman broke the rookie record of top fives, with his 13th (now has 14), the old record was 12, also by Stewart in 1999. The top ten record [Modern Era 1972-present] is also held by Stewart at 21, Newman is now tied at 21, Johnson has 20. Some comparisions (all were Rookie of the Year except Earnhardt Jr):
  
  1958 Shorty Rollins
  29 (of 51) races, 1 win, 12 top 5's, 22 top 10's, 0 poles, final points postion was 4th
  
  1959 Richard Petty
  21 (of 44) races, 0 wins, 6 top 5's, 9 top 10's, 0 poles, final points postion was 15th
  
  1962 Tom Cox
  42 (of 53) races, 0 wins, 3 top 5's, 20 top 10's, 0 poles, final points postion was 19th
  
  1966 James Hylton
  41 (of 49) races, 0 wins, 20 top 5's, 32 top 10's, 1 pole, final points postion was 2nd
  
  Modern Era 1972-present:
  1979 Dale Earnhardt
  27 (of 31) races, 1 win, 11 top 5's, 17 top 10's, 4 poles, final points postion was 7th
  
  1987 Davey Allison
  22 (of 29) races, 2 wins, 9 top 5's, 16 top 10's, 5 poles, points pos 21st
  
  1999 Tony Stewart
  34 races, 3 wins, 12 top 5's, 21 top 10's, 2 poles, 4th in points
  
  2000 Matt Kenseth
  34 races, 1 win, 4 top 5's, 11 top 10's, no poles, 14th in points
  
  2000 Dale Earnhardt Jr
  34 races, 2 wins, 3 top 5's, 5 top 10's, 2 poles, 16th in points
  
  2001 Kevin Harvick
  35 (of 36) races, 2 wins, 6 top 5's, 16 top 10's, no poles, 9th in points
  
  2002 Jimmie Johnson
  36 races, 3 wins, 6 top 5's, 21 top 10's, 4 poles, 5th in points
  
  2002 Ryan Newman
  36 races, 1 win, 14 top 5's, 22 top 10's, 6 poles, 6th in points(11-17-2002)
  
  
• Some Rookie Stuff: Jamie McMurray is the 4th driver to pick up his 1st career Cup win at Lowe's Motor Speedway in the modern era (The others: 2000: Matt Kenseth; 1995: Bobby Labonte; 1994: Jeff Gordon). McMurray became the 3rd rookie to win this year, joining Jimmie Johnson & Ryan Newman. It marks the first time that 3 rookies have won a Cup race in the same season in the modern era [1972-present]. Of the 13 first-time winners since 2000, 7 of those have come on Bruton Smith (SMI Tracks). 2000: Dale Earnhardt Junior (Texas), Matt Kenseth (Charlotte), & Jerry Nadeau (Atlanta; 2001: Kevin Harvick (Atlanta), Elliott Sadler (Bristol); 2002: Kurt Busch (Bristol) & Jamie McMurray (Charlotte).(10-13-2002)
  
  
• Quickest wins by a driver: Dale Earnhardt Jr. won in only his 12th Cup start. Ron Bouchard won a Cup race in his 11th start in 1981 at Talladega, Mark Donohue won in his 5th Cup start in 1973 at Riverside, the earliest in the 'modern era' of Cup, he would only make one more Cup start. Others: Morgan Shepherd won in his 15th start (Martinsville) in 1981, but wasn't named Rookie of the Year. Several other drivers won in their first year, but weren't considered ROTY candidates: Dan Gurney at Riverside in 1963 in his third race and Mario Andretti at Daytona Beach in 1967 in his fifth start.
  BUT in 2001, #29-Kevin Harvick won his first Cup race in his third ever start, the best ever in the modern era [1972-present]. McMurray won in his 2nd start at Lowe's today which is the new Modern Era record and ties the all time record, set by John Rostek, who won in his 2nd career start in April 1960 at Arizona State Fairgrounds.
  ALSO of Note, Johnny Rutherford won a Daytona Qualifying race in his first start back in 1963, back then the Qualifier races counted as wins and the championship and points. And of course Jim Roper won in his first start, the first race ever held by NASCAR in 1949 and Jack White won in his first start in 1949, the 5th race of the season.(10-13-2002)
  
  
• First time back-to-back - Correction: #48-Jimmie Johnson's victory comes a week after #12-Ryan Newman won, marking the first time in series history rookies have won back-to-back races.(News and Record), Actually in 2000 Dale Earnhardt Jr and Matt Kenseth won back-to-back points races, with Earnhardt Jr winning at Richmond and Kenseth winning at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May of 2000, the Winston was run between the two races, also won by a rookie, Dale Earnhardt Jr.(9-23-2002)
  
  
• Earnhardt Jr the fastest Correction and UPDATE: #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr has won his first two Winston Cup races faster then anyone in Winston Cup modern era. Earnhardt Jr won his 2nd race in his 16th start. Tony Stewart did it in his 32nd race, Dale Earnhardt in his 41st, Jeff Gordon 50th, Darrell Waltrip 65th and Bobby Labonte 77th. Not sure what the all time record is but Red Byron won his 2nd race in his 5th start during the first NASCAR Grand National(Before Winston Cup) season in 1949
  Correction: Davey Allison also won his 2nd race in his 16th start(5-7-2000)
  Harvick: #29-Kevin Harvick won his 2nd Cup race in his 17th start.
  UPDATE: add #48-Jimmie Johnson ties the record as he won his 2nd race in his 16th start.(6-2-2002)
  
  

Other ROTY Links:

2004
2004 Rookies by Race
2004 Rookie Notes
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998

Other 2005 Stats

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Bud Shootout 2005
IROC 2005
Manufacturers

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All-Star Challenge
Bud Shootout 2006

All Time Stats

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Restrictor Plate
Stats Links
Stats Page
Winners Circle
Wins by Car #'s

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