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YEAR-BY-YEAR NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES RECAP
2004 Finished eighth in series points. … Finished with two wins. Won back-to-back races early in the year at North
Carolina Speedway on Feb. 22 and at Las Vegas on March 7. … His win at North Carolina Speedway was a photo finish
with Raybestos Rookie of the Year Kasey Kahne – and a series season highlight. … Followed his 2003 series
championship season with a strong performance, earning a berth in the inaugural “Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL
Cup”. … Began the 10-race Chase in fifth place and finished eighth. … One of only four drivers to be ranked in the
Top 10 all season. … Won the 2004 International Race of Champions (IROC) competition by winning the final two races
in the four-race schedule.
2003 Won the series championship. … Posted one of the most consistent performances in series history. … Finished
with one win, 11 top fives and a series-high 25 top 10s. … Experienced only two DNFs, the first at Kansas in the season’s
30th event, and the second at Homestead in the season finale, after clinching the series crown. …Completed
10,350 laps, fifth-best behind series leader Kevin Harvick. … Spent 35 of 36 weeks in the NASCAR Top 10, his only
week outside it coming after a 20th-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500. … Assumed the points lead after
a fourth-place finish at Atlanta, the season’s fourth race, and held it for 33 consecutive weeks, a modern record.
…Clinched the title following a fourth-place finish at Rockingham in the season’s penultimate week.
2002 Finished eighth in series points, a career best. … Won five races (Texas, Phoenix, Michigan, North Carolina and
Richmond), the most of any driver on the circuit and a career best. … Finished with 11 top fives and 19 top 10s.…
Polesitter at Dover spring race.
2001 Finished 13th in series points in his sophomore year.… Finished fourth at Michigan, Talladega, New Hampshire
and Phoenix for his only top-fives. … Had nine top-10 finishes … Had only six qualifying attempts of 20th or better
and none better than 13th. … Team won the 2001 Pit Crew Competition championship in Rockingham in October.
2000 Finished 14th in series points. … Won NASCAR Winston Cup Raybestos Rookie of the Year title over Dale
Earnhardt Jr. and a group of other talented first-year drivers. ... Won the circuit’s longest race, the Coca-Cola 600, at
Lowe’s Motor Speedway for his first career NASCAR Winston Cup win. … Followed that performance with a secondplace
finish the following weekend at Dover. … Posted 11 top-10 finishes, including the Daytona 500. … Managed
only two top-10 starting positions, a fourth at Atlanta and a sixth at Rockingham’s early-season race.
1999 Finished 49th in series points. … Drove five races for Roush Racing in preparation for his rookie season. …
Scored his first career top-five finish at Dover, where he finished fourth. … Also ran at Michigan, Darlington, Charlotte
and Rockingham in second half of season.
1998 Finished 57th in series points, driving in only one race. … Drove the No. 94 Ford in place of Bill Elliott at Dover
so Elliott could attend his father’s funeral. … Finished sixth in the race.
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