#11-Denny Hamlin was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the July 16 Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Hamlin finished sixth, scoring his seventh top-10 of the season and took Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors for the 10th time in 19 races. Hamlin led the New Hampshire race once for one lap, the seventh race he has led in 2006. Hamlin enjoys a 34-point lead over Clint Bowyer in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the July 23 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway. Hamlin scored his first Nextel Cup Series win in the June 11 Pocono 500. Hamlin won by 1.328 seconds over Kurt Busch. He became the first Raybestos Rookie to win in 57 races at Pocono Raceway. Hamlin has led more laps (186) and more miles (349.108) than any other Raybestos Rookie in 2006. Hamlin is 12th in the Nextel Cup Series championship standings, 18 points behind 10th-place Greg Biffle. Hamlin leads 13th-place Carl Edwards by 128 points and 14th-place Kurt Busch by 188. David Stremme posted an 11th-place finish at New Hampshire, his best in 22 career Nextel Cup Series starts. Reed Sorenson led the New Hampshire race once for 31 laps, the most laps that he’s led in a race this season. Sorenson has led at least one lap in each of the last three consecutive events. A Raybestos Rookie has finished in the top-15 in all 19 races this season. The best finish by a Raybestos Rookie in the Pennsylvania 500 is second by Ward Burton in 1994. The 1994 Pennsylvania 500 had Three Raybestos Rookies place inside the top-five, the best performance by a rookie class in 57 previous Nextel Cup races at Pocono. Three rookies finished in the top-five: Burton, Joe Nemechek (third) and Jeff Burton (fourth).(Raybestos PR), for the full standings, more Pocono stats, history of the award, see my Rookies Page.(7-20-2006)
