#07-Clint Bowyer was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the November 5 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Bowyer finished fifth, his fourth top-five and 10th top-10 of the 2006 season. He scored his first top-five finish since he placed third at California (race No. 25). Bowyer collected Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors for the eighth time this season. #11-Denny Hamlin finished 10th at Texas, his 18th top-10 finish of the 2006 season. Hamlin is fourth in the Nextel Cup Series championship standings, 80 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and two behind third-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hamlin leads fifth-place Kevin Harvick by 25 points. Hamlin leads Clint Bowyer by 51 points (284-233) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the Nov. 12 Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. A Raybestos Rookie has finished in the top 15 in all 34 races this season. Bowyer was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in Aprils race at Phoenix, scoring a fifth-place finish. Only four Raybestos Rookies have scored top-five finishes in 20 races at Phoenix: 1999: Tony Stewart, FIRST 2004: Kasey Kahne, fifth 2005: Kyle Busch, FIRST 2006: Clint Bowyer, fifth. Stewart is the only Raybestos Rookie to lead the most laps at Phoenix, leading three times for 150 laps. Three Rookies have won pole positions at Phoenix: Stewart, Casey Atwood (2001) and Ryan Newman (2002).(Raybestos PR). See the full report, standings, history and more on my 2006 Rookie Page.(11-9-2006)
