Raybestos Rookie Juan Pablo Montoya won the June 24 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. Montoya’s first Nextel Cup win came in his 17th career start. His best previous finish was fifth at Atlanta earlier this year and he took Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors for the eighth time in 16 races this season. Montoya leads #6-David Ragan by 15 points (180-165) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the July 1 LENOX Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Montoya led once for seven laps, the first time he has led a Nextel Cup race this season [and career]. He became the second Raybestos Rookie to lead in 19 races at Infineon Raceway (Scott Pruett led twice for 10 laps in 2000). Montoya became the first Raybestos Rookie to win at Infineon Raceway in 19 Nextel Cup Series races. The best previous finish was ninth, shared by Ryan Newman (2002) and Kenny Irwin (1998). A Raybestos Rookie has won at least one race in each of the past three consecutive seasons. Only two Raybestos Rookies have scored top-five finishes in 14 previous July races at New Hampshire: Ryan Newman (fifth in 2002) and Kyle Busch (fourth in 2005). The best start by a Raybestos Rookie at New Hampshire is third by Jeff Gordon in 1993.(Raybestos PR), see standings, more notes nad rookie history on my 2007 Rookies Page.(6-28-2007)
