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 So I will have the Rookie of the Year page up for historical reference on who won since it started and some misc stats and records.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)