#6-David Ragan was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race on September 2 at California Speedway. Ragan scored a 12th-place finish and took top rookie honors for the 10th time this season. #42-Juan Pablo Montoya leads Ragan by 23 points (217-194) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the September 8 Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. #84-AJ Allmendinger scored an 18th-place finish at California Speedway, his best in 10 career Nextel Cup Series races. Allmendinger’s best previous finish was 31st in the May 27 Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. #00-David Reutimann led the Sharp AQUOS 500 once for one lap, the first time he has led a lap in 18 career Nextel Cup Series races. Reutimann was the only Raybestos Rookie to lead a lap in the race. Montoya is 19th in the Nextel Cup Series championship standings, best of any Raybestos Rookie. The first time in Nextel Cup’s modern-era that two Raybestos Rookies claimed front row starting positions occurred at the 2002 Chevy Rock & Roll 400. Jimmie Johnson won the pole while Ryan Newman claimed the second-place starting position. An all-rookie front row has occurred just one other time: the 2004 Pocono 500 (Kasey Kahne first and Brian Vickers second). Since 1975, two or more Raybestos Rookies have not finished in the top five in the September race at Richmond. The only Raybestos Rookie to win the September race at Richmond is Tony Stewart, who captured the 1999 Chevy Rock & Roll 400. The record for most wins by a Raybestos Rookie is three, shared by Tony Stewart (1999) and Jimmie Johnson (2002). At least one Raybestos Rookie has won a Bud Pole in each of the last 11 years (1996-2006).(Camp and Assoc/Rabestos PR), see the full report, standings and history on my 2007 Rookies page.(9-6-2007)
