Denny Hamlin was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the March 26 Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Hamlin finished 14th and took top Raybestos Rookie honors for the second time this season. He was the only Raybestos Rookie to finish on the lead lap at Bristol. Clint Bowyer holds a six-point advantage over Hamlin and J.J. Yeley (52-46) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the April 2 DIRECTV 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Morgan Shepherd is the only Raybestos Rookie to win the DirecTV 500 (since 1975). Shepherd won the 1981 event, outlasting the late Neil Bonnett to score his first NEXTEL Cup Series win. The most recent Raybestos Rookie to score a top-five finish in the spring race at Martinsville is Dick Trickle. Trickle finished third in 1989, the best finish by a first-year driver since Morgan Shepherd won the 1981 Advance Auto Parts 500. Trickle also led the race once for seven laps. The most recent Raybestos Rookie to score a top-10 finish in the Advance Auto Parts 500 is Jeff Gordon, who placed eighth in 1993.(Raybestos PR), see the full report/notes on my Rookie Page.(3-28-2006)
