Rookie Ratings With 19 of the 36 Winston Cup races in the books, here are SI's midterm grades for the top rookies.

Greg Biffle

Top 10 finishes: 3 Points rank: 20th
The Skinny: The best of an average rookie crop and winner of the
Pepsi 400, he should become the first driver to claim the rookie
title in all three of NASCAR's major series
Grade: B

Jamie McMurray

Top 10 finishes: 4 Points rank: 23rd
The Skinny: McMurray, who last year won in his second Winston Cup
start while subbing for the injured Sterling Marlin, hasn't been
victorious since, but he has been the most consistent rookie
Grade: B-

Casey Mears

Top 10 finishes: 0 Points rank: 34th
The Skinny: The nephew of Indy-car legend Rick Mears, he has
struggled in making the transition from open-wheel racing to
NASCAR
Grade: C-

Tony Raines

Top 10 finishes: 0 Points rank: 38th
The Skinny: Lacking a primary sponsor, Raines drives for a team
that is vastly underfunded--and he has the results to show for it
Grade: D