October 2, 2001
NEW HAMPSHIRE 300
SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
1. LOUDON, N.H. -
October 2, 2001) -- The schedule has been announced for the
NASCAR Winston Cup Series New Hampshire 300 at New Hampshire
International
Speedway. The event, originally set to run on September 16, has
been
rescheduled for Friday, November 23.On track activities will begin on
Friday, November 23 at 8:30 a.m., as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series teams
will have a 45-minute practice session. Pre-race activities will
commence at
11:00 a.m. with the NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver introductions
starting
at 11:30 a.m. At Noon, Jeff Gordon and Ricky Rudd will lead a field of
43
starters to the green flag for the start of the New Hampshire 300, the
final
event of the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. The starting line-up
for
the New Hampshire 300 was determined by the NASCAR Winston Cup Series
Owner
Point Standings prior to September 16 in accordance with the 2001 NASCAR
Winston Cup Series Rule Book. Speedway gates will be open at 6:00 a.m.
on
Friday, November 23. All reserved grandstand tickets originally
issued for
the September 16 event date will be honored.
2. NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE RAYBESTOS ROOKIE CONTENDERS
· Raybestos Rookie Contender Kurt Busch collected Raybestos
Rookie of the
Race honors at the Protection One 400 at Kansas Speedway. Busch
finished
ninth, scoring his sixth top-10 finish of the 2001 season. Busch
has now
been the highest finishing rookie in six races this season.
· Jason Leffler captured the Bud Pole at Kansas Speedway,
his first career
pole position in 23 NASCAR Winston Cup starts. Leffler became the
fifth
first-time pole winner in 2001, joining fellow Raybestos Rookies Kurt
Busch,
Stacy Compton, Ryan Newman, and Jeff Green. Leffler became the
12th driver
in the modern era to score his first career pole within his first 25
races
and was the 10th different pole winner in the 11 inaugural events since
1972.
· Leffler joins Kurt Busch as the second Raybestos Rookie
to win a pole
position this season. The 2001 season marks the first time since
1994 that
two different Raybestos Rookies have won at least one pole in the same
season (Ward Burton and Loy Allen accomplished the feat that season).
Three
different rookies to won at least one pole in 1979, establishing the
modern
era record (Dale Earnhardt, Harry Gant, and Joe Milliken).
· Leffler was also the only Raybestos Rookie to lead at
least one lap at
Kansas. He held the top spot for the first eight laps of the race.
· Busch used his strong run to close the gap between
himself and Kevin
Harvick in the Raybestos Rookie Contender Standings. Harvick leads
Busch by
65 points (288-223) entering Sunday's UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor
Speedway.
· Four Raybestos Rookie Contenders qualified for the race
at Kansas on
their time: Leffler (first), Casey Atwood (fifth), Harvick (15th),
and Andy
Houston (16th). Atwood's run marked the seventh time this season
he has
started in the top-10. Kurt Busch used a provisional to make the
field.
RAYBESTOS ROOKIE CONTENDER POINT STANDINGS
DRIVER
POINTS
Kevin Harvick
288
Kurt Busch
223
Casey Atwood
197
Ron Hornaday
180
Jason Leffler
178
Andy Houston
151
HIGHEST FINISHING RAYBESTOS ROOKIES BY RACE
EVENT
HIGHEST FINISHING ROOKIE
Daytona
500
Ron Hornaday, 17th
Dura Lube
400
Kevin Harvick, 14th
UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400
Kevin Harvick, eighth
Cracker Barrel 500
Kevin Harvick, first
Carolina Dodge Dealers 400
Kevin Harvick, 14th
Food City 500
Casey Atwood, 20th
Harrah's 500
Kurt Busch, fourth
Virginia 500
Andy Houston, 17th
Talladega 500
Kurt Busch, third
NAPA Auto Parts 500
Kurt Busch, 13th
Pontiac Excitement 400
Casey Atwood, 12th
Coca-Cola 600
Kevin Harvick, second
MBNA Platinum 400
Kevin Harvick, eighth
Kmart 400
Kevin Harvick, 10th
Pocono 500
Kurt Busch, 13th
Dodge/Save Mart 350
Kevin Harvick, 14th
Pepsi 400
Jason Leffler, 25th
Tropicana 400
Kevin Harvick, first
New England 300
Kevin Harvick, eighth
Pennsylvania 500
Casey Atwood, 15th
Brickyard 400
Kurt Busch, fifth
Global Crossing @ The Glen Kevin Harvick,
seventh
Pepsi 400
Casey Atwood, 10th
Sharpie 500
Kevin Harvick, second
Mountain Dew Southern 500 Kevin Harvick, eighth
Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400
Kevin Harvick, second
MBNA-Cal Ripken Jr. 400
Kevin Harvick, sixth
Protection One 400
Kurt Busch, ninth
