#10-Patrick Carpentier was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the August 31 Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway. Carpentier took top rookie honors for the fifth time this season. #01-Regan Smith leads #77-Sam Hornish Jr. by one point (182-81) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the September 6 Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Smith has led the Raybestos Rookie standings since the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona, a span of eight consecutive races. Smith has captured Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors in all four Sprint Cup Series short track races this season. The only Raybestos Rookie to win the September race at Richmond is Tony Stewart, who captured the 1999 Chevy Rock and Roll 400. Stewart scored his first Sprint Cup Series win by 1.115 seconds over Bobby Labonte. Denny Hamlin won the pole for the 2006 September race, one of three poles he won during his initial Sprint Cup Series season. He became the fourth Raybestos Rookie since 1975 to win the pole for the fall race at Richmond. The others: Dale Earnhardt (1979), Bobby Labonte (1993) and Jimmie Johnson (2002) are the others [all past series champs].(Camp & Assoc/Raybestos) and see rookie history, standings and more on my 2008 Rookies Page.(9-4-2008)
