#1-Martin Truex Jr., #11-Denny Hamlin, #18-J.J. Yeley, #40-David Stremme, #41-Reed Sorenson, #07-Clint Bowyer, #49-Brent Sherman, and #92-Chad Chaffin plan to compete for Raybestos Rookie of the Year in 2006. The 2006 season is the first in the history of the Raybestos Rookie program where two organizations have fielded multiple entries with first-year drivers. Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates will have David Stremme and Reed Sorenson behind the wheel while Joe Gibbs Racing will have Denny Hamlin and J.J. Yeley. The 2006 Raybestos Rookie class is the largest since eight drivers competed for the award in 2000. The most drivers to compete for Raybestos Rookie of the Year is 10 in 1994 (Jeff Burton, Jeremy Mayfield, Joe Nemechek, John Andretti, Steve Grissom, Mike Wallace, Ward Burton, Loy Allen, Billy Standridge and Curtis Markham). Since 1975, Scott Wimmer and Jeff Gordon are the only Raybestos Rookies to score a top-five finish in the Daytona 500. Wimmer placed third in 2004 while Gordon finished fifth in 1993. Since 1975, only three Raybestos Rookies have won the pole position for the Daytona 500: Loy Allen (1994), Mike Skinner (1997) and Jimmie Johnson (2002). Gordon is the only Raybestos Rookie to win a Gatorade Duel qualifying race at Daytona in the sport’s modern era [1972 to present]. Gordon won his qualifying race in 1993. Denny Hamlin joins Ryan Newman as the only Raybestos Rookies to compete in the Budweiser Shootout. Hamlin earned his way into the special event by winning the pole for the 2005 Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. In 2002, Newman started eighth and finished 15th, completing all 70 laps of the race.
The way to the NASCAR NEXTEL championship is to win Raybestos Rookie of the Year. Since 1979, SIX Raybestos Rookie of the Year drivers have gone on to win a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup title: Dale Earnhardt (1979), Rusty Wallace (1984), Alan Kulwicki (1986), Jeff Gordon (1993), Tony Stewart (1999, 2005) and Matt Kenseth (2000). At least one Raybestos Rookie has won a Bud Pole in each of the last 10 years (1996-2005). There has been a first-time Bud Pole winner in each of the last 19 years (1987-2005).(Raybestos PR)(2-8-2006)
