NASCAR Sprint Cup: Rookie and Lap Notes from 2008

Looking back at the 2008 season of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, I'm glad to see that Regan Smith took the Rookie award for the year. Following this little segment of numbers is a quickie observation on lap leaders.

Rookie Performance
• Regan Smith won the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year Award.

• Five different drivers were the highest-finishing rookie in 2008:

• Regan Smith (12)
• Sam Hornish Jr. (11)
• Patrick Carpentier (seven)
• Michael McDowell (five)
• Dario Franchitti (one)

As far as laps led in the 2008 season:

Laps Led
• Jimmie Johnson led 1,959 laps this season, more than any other driver.

• 50 drivers led at least one lap this season. No one has led in every race.

• 11 drivers led the most laps in a race this season:

• Jimmie Johnson (10)
• Kyle Busch (seven)
• Carl Edwards (five)
• Tony Stewart (four)
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. (three)
• Matt Kenseth (two)
• Denny Hamlin (one)
• Greg Biffle (one)
• Kasey Kahne (one)
• Mark Martin (one)
• David Reutimann (one)

source: nascar press release