#01-Regan Smith was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the March 16 Food City 500 at Bristol. Smith scored a 25th-place finish and claimed Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors for the second time this season. #40-Dario Franchitti leads the Raybestos Rookie standings by one point (50-49) over Smith and Sam Hornish Jr. entering the March 30 Goody’s Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville. #00-Michael McDowell and #77-Sam Hornish Jr. are the only members of the Raybestos Rookie class with a guaranteed starting spot at Martinsville. Three Raybestos Rookies entered in this weekend’s race at Martinsville do not have a guaranteed starting position: Franchitti, Smith, and #10-Patrick Carpentier. Morgan Shepherd is the only Raybestos Rookie to win the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 (since 1975), winning the 1981 event. The most recent Raybestos Rookie to score a top-five finish in the spring race at Martinsville is Dick Trickle, a 3rd in 1989. The most recent Raybestos Rookie to score a top-10 finish in the spring race at Martinsville is Jeff Gordon, who placed eighth in 1993. Tony Stewart is the only Raybestos Rookie to win the pole for the 1999 spring race (since 1975).(Camp and Assoc/Rabestos PR), see standings, history and more notes on my 2008 Rookies page.(3-27-2008)
