#07-Clint Bowyer was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the September 3 Sony HD 500 at California Speedway. Bowyer placed third, his best finish in 26 career Nextel Cup Series starts and took Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors for the fifth time this season. He racked up his third top-five and seventh top-10 finish of the season. #11-Denny Hamlin finished sixth, his seventh consecutive top-10 finish and 13th of the 2006 season. In 31 career Nextel Cup Series starts, Hamlin has logged 16 top-10 finishes. Hamlin leads Bowyer by 47 points (250-203) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the September 9 Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond. Hamlin is seventh in the Nextel Cup Series championship standings. He trails sixth-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. by one point and is 31 ahead of eighth-place Tony Stewart. Hamlin will clinch a spot in the 2006 Chase for the Nextel Cup by finishing 16th or better at Richmond, regardless of where 11th-place Kasey Kahne finishes (lap leader points are not included). The only Raybestos Rookie to win the September race at Richmond is Tony Stewart, who captured the 1999 Chevy Rock and Roll 400. Stewart scored his first Nextel Cup Series win by 1.115 seconds over Bobby Labonte.(Raybestos PR), see standings, history and more on the 2006 Rookies page.(9-7-2006)
