Ryan and JJ after the Glen and Heading for Michigan

H

HardScrabble

Guest
" Ryan Newman was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the Sirius Satellite Radio at The Glen at Watkins Glen International. Newman finished second, equaling his career best Winston Cup finish and scoring his 10th top-five of the 2002 season (more than any other driver). His second place finish is the best ever by a Raybestos® Rookie at Watkins Glen. He scored his fifth consecutive top-five finish and his 13th top-10. Newman took highest finishing Raybestos® Rookie honors for the fourth consecutive race and 11th time this season. He has also been the highest finishing rookie in six of the past eight races.

" Newman used his strong run at Watkins Glen to take the lead in the Raybestos® Rookie point standings over Jimmie Johnson. Newman holds a three point advantage (292-289) entering the Pepsi 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

" Newman became the first Raybestos® Rookie since Robert Pressley in 1995 to lead a lap at Watkins Glen. He led twice for 11 laps, the most by any rookie since the Winston Cup cars returned to Watkins Glen in 1986. Newman is only the third rookie in the history of The Glen to lead a lap in a Winston Cup race. Ted Musgrave, in 1991, is the other Raybestos® Rookie to lead a lap at The Glen.

" Newman has now led 377.09 miles this season entering the Pepsi 400 at Michigan. He has led 19 times in 11 races for 249 laps.

" Newman also cracked the top-10 in Winston Cup points. He is ninth, 73 behind eighth place Bill Elliott and 111 behind seventh place Ricky Rudd. Newman enjoys a 19 point advantage over 10th place Matt Kenseth.

" For the fourth consecutive Winston Cup race, Newman was the highest qualifying Raybestos® Rookie. Newman started fifth, his 14th top-10 start in 2002 which ties him with Bill Elliott for most top-10 starts this season. He has now been highest qualifying rookie 12 times in 2002.

" Jimmie Johnson is third in Winston Cup points entering the race at Michigan, closing to within just 56 of leader Sterling Marlin. Johnson is just three points behind second place Mark Martin. He holds a 48 point advantage over fourth place Tony Stewart and 50 on fifth place Jeff Gordon.

" Johnson has led the most laps in two races this season: the Coca-Cola 600 and the MBNA Platinum 400. Newman has led the most laps in one race this season, the Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. Entering the Michigan race both Raybestos® Rookies have led laps in the same event five times.

" Johnson has led more miles this season than any other Winston Cup driver entering Sunday's race at Watkins Glen. He has led 19 times in eight races for 794.78 miles (556 laps).

" Both members of this year's Winston Cup rookie class competed in last year's Busch race at Michigan. Ryan Newman won last year's event, leading twice for a whopping 119 of the event's 125 laps. Jimmie Johnson enjoyed a solid run in the event, collecting a fourth place finish.
 
Newman and Johnson have been the class of the field all season, and not simply among rookies. Not being a NASCAR historian, I have no idea if two rookies have ever dominated Winston Cup the way these two have. If not, I have to feel that I'm pretty privileged to be witnessing this. :)
 
hs, how exactly do they do the scoring now for the rookie race?

thanks
 
Rookie of the Year scoring guidelines.

Based upon the best 18 races finishes (by rookie points);
(was 17 in 2001)

One point awarded for attempting to make the race;

10 points to highest finishing rookie,
9 points for the next highest, down
to one point for the tenth finishing rookie;

Any top 10 finish by a rookie is awarded specific points based on finish, 10 for first 9 for second, down to 1 for a 10th place finish. So if a rookie of the year candidate finished 6th and were the highest finishing rookie driver, the would get 1 point for the race attempt, 10 points for being the highest finishing rookie, and 5pts bonus points for finsihing 5th for a total of 16 rookie points.

Bonus points are awarded four times during a season. After the 10th(California), 20th(Pocono), 30th(Lowes) the final race(Atlanta - based on final Cup points standings) of the season as follows: 10pts to the rookie who earned the most Winston Cup points in the current 10-race segment(third segmant was 9 races), the points incrementally decrease by one point until one bonus point is awarded the tenth highest rookie who earned the most points in the segment;

The second part of this system is determined by a Raybestos Rookie of the Year panel which includes, NASCAR's President, Director of Operations, Winston Cup Series Director, Winston Cup Manager of Communications, and the defending Winston Cup Champion. During the final race weekend of the season the panel meets to discuss the Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidates and grades them on three criteria. The criteria includes: driver conduct with officials in the garage and pit areas, driver conduct and awareness on the track, and personal appearance and relationship with the media. The panel then votes on each candidate in all three areas using the 10-to-1 points system. Total points will be averaged by each panel member and added to the entry, competition and bonus points of each rookie candidate after the final race of the season. The total of these points will determine the overall Raybestos NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year.
 
Best two rookies to come along?Look at these stats from the last few years. Top 5's top 10's



J.Gordon 7 11
B.labonte 0 6

T.Stewart 12 21 3 wins

Earnhardt Jr. 3 5 2 wins
M.Kenseth 4 11 1 win

K.Harvick 6 16 2 wins
K.Busch 3 6

R.Newman 10 13 * after 22 races

J.Johnson 5 13 2 wins * after 22 races


These two are absolutely going to be two of the best rookies of all time.
 
Heck Ya. With 2 of the top teams in Winston cup behind them there is No doubt. These 2 will both find themselves in the lane more and more often as they develope their skills. They will be on my Fantasy teams each and every year.
 
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