Harvick joins 2001 Raybestos Rookie class.

Kevin Harvick has officially joined the race for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year championship in NASCAR Winston Cup racing - with Richard Childress Racing.

The 24 year old native of Bakersfield, California, will run the remaining Winston Cup schedule in the No. 29 GM Goodwrench sponsored Chevrolet prepared by Richard Childress Racing.

His signing follows the vacancy left by the tragic death of Dale Earnhardt - who had driven the teams No. 3 car.

Harvick joins Winston Cup freshman Ron Hornaday, Kurt Busch, Andy Houston, Jason Leffler and Casey Atwood as those drivers competing for Raybestos Rookie of the Year honours.

Harvick says he has a strong desire to win the rookie title and that this season already has a lot in common with his season last year in the Busch Series, mainly because of who his competition is going to be.

"Running for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year title is a pretty cool deal," said Harvick. "I want that rookie title. It feels a lot like last season - running for it against Ron Hornaday. He'll be tough to take again, but we want a set of matching titles.

"It's something you get to have and look back on and get to say, 'Hey, I might have been the best new guy. They gave me the title, I guess I was."

Winning the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Championship in Busch last year was one of our main goals, along with winning the Busch championship. We only got one of the two but will get the championship in Busch this year. It'll be tough with the circumstances, but I believe in my team. In Cup, we're running to win races, get that Raybestos Rookie title, and win the championship."

Harvick's first race as a member of the 2001 Raybestos Rookie class in Winston Cup came Monday in the Dura Lube 400 at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham. Harvick started 36th and came home 13th, the highest finishing rookie in the race.

"We're very proud to have Kevin join the 2001 Raybestos Rookie Contender class," said Roger Hogeboom, Director of Motorsports for Raybestos. "He did a great job this past weekend at Rockingham under some very difficult circumstances. Kevin did an outstanding job last year in the Busch Series for Richard Childress by winning the Raybestos Rookie of the Year title. He will be a great addition to what we felt was already a strong group of rookies."

Last season, Harvick won the Raybestos Rookie of the Year championship in the Busch Series.

He won three races, scored eight top-five and 16 top-10s, and placed third in Busch Series points. Harvick also won two pole positions and set the record for most laps led by a rookie with 665 and set the record for most points accumulated with 4,113.