#82-Scott Speed was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the April 26 Aarons 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. Speed scored a fifth-place finish, his best in 13 Sprint Cup Series starts. He claimed Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors for the third time this season. #20-Joey Logano grabbed a ninth-place finish at Talladega, his best effort in 12 Sprint Cup Series starts and his first top-10. Max Papis (18th) also scored his best finish in five Sprint Cup Series races. Logano leads Speed by eight points (98-90) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the May 2 Crown Royal 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Brian Vickers (2004) and Morgan Shepherd (1981) are the only Raybestos Rookies to win a pole for the spring race at Richmond (since 1975). Since 1975, only one Raybestos Rookie has won the spring race at Richmond: Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2000. Earnhardt Jr. led once covering the final 31 laps and scored his second Sprint Cup Series win by .159 second over Terry Labonte. Only once since 1975 have TWO or more Raybestos Rookies finished in the top-10 in the spring race at Richmond. In 1979, Joe Millikan finished sixth followed by Terry Labonte, who claimed an eighth place finish.(Camp & Assoc./Raybestos PR), see Rookie history, standings and more on my 2009 Rookies page.(5-1-2009)
