Reed Sorenson was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the April 2 DIRECTV 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Sorenson finished 12th and took top Raybestos Rookie honors for the second time this season and twice in the last three races. J.J. Yeley led the Martinsville race once for one lap. He is first Raybestos Rookie to lead a lap in the spring race at Martinsville since Kasey Kahne in 2004. Yeley is the only first-year driver to lead a lap in two short-track races this season. Clint Bowyer holds a five-point advantage over Yeley (60-55) in the Raybestos Rookie standings. Only once in 10 races at Texas has a Raybestos Rookie won the race. Dale Earnhardt Jr. scored his first career NEXTEL Cup Series win by 5.920 seconds over Jeff Burton in 2000. Earnhardt Jr. led six times for 106 laps, more than any other driver. Two or more Raybestos Rookies have led the same Texas race just once: (Earnhardt Jr. and Scott Pruett in 2000). The best start by a Raybestos Rookie at Texas is third by Kahne in 2004.(Raybestos PR), see more and standings on my Rookies Page.(4-7-2006)
