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closeSmith, Hornish door-to-door for rookie honors
MIKE HARRIS
The Associated Press
Thursday, Sep. 04, 2008
While most of the attention was on the battle for the final spots in the Chase, at least three drivers went into the weekend far more interested in another close competition.
Heading into Saturday night's race, Regan Smith held a one-point, 182-181, lead over Sam Hornish Jr. in the race for Cup rookie of the year, with Patrick Carpentier third with 174 points.
"Winning (the rookie title) was one of my goals at the beginning of the season," said Smith, who drives for Dale Earnhardt Inc. "If you look at some of the names of the guys who have won it in the past it is a pretty impressive list. It is made up of a group of guys that any driver would want to be associated with. Hopefully, I can add my name to that list."
Smith said his team has had a "pretty typical" rookie year, with a lot of ups and down.
"I'm just really proud of the way the guys on this team have kept fighting this year," he said. "Everyone's hung tough. ... My guys are just incredibly resilient and good to work with, and each week it feels like we gain a little more ground."
Heading into Richmond, Smith was the only one of the three rookie contenders in the top-35 in car owner points - a big edge, since he was guaranteed a starting spot. Hornish, the three-time IndyCar champion, and Carpentier, another former open-wheel star, were 36th and 38th in the points.