#40-Dario Franchitti was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the March 2 UAW-Dodge 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Franchitti scored a 33rd-place finish and took top rookie honors for the first time this season. Franchitti also grabbed the lead in the Raybestos Rookie standings. He holds a one-point edge over #01-Regan Smith (31-30) entering the March 9 Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Franchitti is also the only Raybestos Rookie to lead a lap in three Sprint Cup races this season. He led the Auto Club 500 (race No. 2) once for one lap. Kevin Harvick scored a memorable win as a Raybestos Rookie in the 2001 Kobalt Tools 500. He beat Jeff Gordon by just .006 seconds to capture his first Sprint Cup Series victory in just his third career start. Robby Gordon is the most recent Raybestos Rookie to win the pole for the spring 1997 race at Atlanta. The late Kenny Irwin holds the record for most laps led by a Raybestos Rookie in the spring race at Atlanta. In 1998, Irwin led five times for 112 laps. Since 1975, TWO or more Raybestos Rookies have finished in the top 10 in the spring race at Atlanta Motor Speedway three times. Ryan Newman holds the all-time Raybestos Rookie record for most poles (6), most top-fives (14) and most top-10s (22).(Camp & Assoc/Raybestos PR), see the full report, history, standings and more on my 2008 Rookies Page.(3-7-2008)
