Week 21: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 - And Beyond (from NASCAR)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 28, 2008) - Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500. (Note: Drivers listed below who are outside the top 12 are chosen based on past performances at the upcoming track and/or are within striking distance of the top 12.)

1- Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 110.7
2008 Rundown
• Seven wins, 12 top fives, 13 top 10s
• Average finish of 9.8
• Led 15 races for 1,079 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 78.4
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 20.0
• Finished 43rd in June’s Pocono race
• Led one of seven races for two laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high Average Running Position of 9.6

2 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.6
2008 Rundown
• One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 11.5
• Led 14 races for 629 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 79.6
• Five top fives, six top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 16.5
• Finished fourth in June
• Led five of 17 races for 97 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 367Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

3 - Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.4
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 10.6
• Led eight races for 72 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 91.1
• Seven top fives, 14 top 10s
• Average finish of 16.4
• Finished fifth in June
• Led 14 of 29 races for 103 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 906 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fourth-most

4 - Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.9
2008 Rundown
• Two wins, six top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.0
• Led 15 races for 690 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 97.3
• Two wins, four top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 10.3
• Finished sixth in June
• Led five of 13 races for 334 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.0, second-most

5 - Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.4
2008 Rundown
• Three wins, eight top fives, 14 top 10s
• Average finish of 11.6
• Led 11 races for 415 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 90.5
• One win, two top fives, three top 10s
• Average finish of 16.1
• Finished ninth in June
• Led four of seven races for 53 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 545 Fastest Laps Run

6 - Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.4
2008 Rundown
• Eight top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 14.2
• Led 11 races for 270 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 94.9
• Four wins, 15 top fives, 21 top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 10.3
• Finished 14th in June
• Led 20 of 31 races for 871 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 11.5, fifth-best

7 - Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.9
2008 Rundown
• Six top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 15.3
• Led nine races for 326 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 79.5
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 18.8
• Finished 15th in June
• Led four of 11 races for 57 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 269 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

8 - Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.4
2008 Rundown
• One win, six top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 16.0
• Led 11 races for 696 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 130.4
• Two wins, four top fives, five top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 2.8
• Finished third in June
• Led four of five races for 300 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 939 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-most

9 - Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.5
2008 Rundown
• Two wins, three top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 15.8
• Led seven races for 144 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 84.3
• One win, two top fives, three top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 17.7
• Won June’s Pocono race
• Led three of nine races for 74 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 214 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

10 - Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.2
2008 Rundown
• Six top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 16.4
• Led nine races for 531 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 102.2
• One win, five top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 13.6
• Finished 35th in June
• Led nine of 19 races for 115 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 238 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

11 - Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.4
2008 Rundown
• Four top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 16.8
• Led 10 races for 198 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 87.0
• Three top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 14.4; Finished seventh in June
• Led eight of 17 races for 29 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 177 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

12 - Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 79.3
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 16.4
• Led four races for 150 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 66.1
• Two top 10s
• Average finish of 23.8
• Finished 39th in June
• Led two of five races for nine laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 160 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most

13 - Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.7
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 16.0
• Led four races for 88 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 91.6
• One top five, four top 10s
• Average finish of 16.1 in 15 races
• Finished 13th in June
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Eighth-fastest average Green Flag Speed rank

Chase Contenders
The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 20 of 36

Weeks Rank Season
In Last Driver
Driver Points Wins Top 12 Week Rating
1. Kyle Busch 3,004 7 20 1 110.7
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2,751 1 19 2 102.6
3. Jeff Burton 2,733 1 20 3 90.4
4. Jimmie Johnson 2,689 2 16 5 102.9
5. Carl Edwards 2,684 3 16 4 102.4
6. Jeff Gordon 2,544 0 11 6 96.4
7. Greg Biffle 2,460 0 20 7 89.9
8. Denny Hamlin 2,453 0 15 12 94.4
9. Kasey Kahne 2,441 0 18 11 86.5
10. Tony Stewart 2,399 0 20 10 94.2
11. Matt Kenseth 2,366 2 6 8 86.4
12. Clint Bowyer 2,362 1 15 13 79.3
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Additional Drivers
13. Kevin Harvick 2,360
14. David Ragan 2,306
15. Brian Vickers 2,230
16. Ryan Newman 2,218
17. Martin Truex Jr. 2,146
18. Kurt Busch 2,081
19. Bobby Labonte 2,020
20. Jamie McMurray 1,973
21. Elliott Sadler 1,959
22. JP Montoya 1,909
23. Travis Kvapil 1,901
24. David Gilliland 1,875
25. Casey Mears 1,867
26. Mark Martin 1,813
27. David Reutimann 1,790
28. Paul Menard 1,767
29. Robby Gordon 1,636
30. David Blaney 1,626
31. Reed Sorenson 1,608
32. Michael Waltrip 1,597
33. Sam Hornish Jr. 1,522
34. Regan Smith 1,496
35. Scott Riggs 1,407
36. Patrick Carpentier 1,230
37. J.J. Yeley 1,217
38. Joe Nemechek 1,183
39. Michael McDowell 1,021
40. AJ Allmendinger 990
41. Dario Franchitti 606
42. Bill Elliott 597
43. Jeremy Mayfield 578
44. Terry Labonte 565
45. Kyle Petty 540
46. Mike Skinner 423
47. Aric Almirola 416
48. Dale Jarrett 367
49. Ken Schrader 298
50. Sterling Marlin 268
51. Jason Leffler 192
52. Johnny Sauteri 155
53. John Andretti 149
54. Marcos Ambrose 134
55. Jon Wood 119
56. Boris Said 103

Note: The first 26 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season determine which 12 drivers qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, contested over the final 10 races of the season.