NASCAR NNCS (DAYTONA) - The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 - And Beyond

Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 along with some other notable drivers, going into the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 29.

1 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) The File: • 35-years-old from Vallejo, Calif., 76 career wins • One win, six top fives, seven top 10s; three poles • Average finish of 4.5 this season • Led in seven of eight races for 467 laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook: • Four wins, 11 top fives, 14 top 10s; two poles • 15.893 average finish • 15th and 36th, respectively, last season • Led in 22 of his 28 Talladega races for a total of 729 laps Loop Data Highlight: • Series-best Average Running Position of 8.002

2 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet) The File: • 39-years-old from S. Boston, Va., 19 career wins • One win, five top fives, six top 10s • Average finish of 6.0 this season • Led in four of eight races for 25 laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook: • Two top fives, 10 top 10s • 17.923 average finish • Fourth and 27th, respectively, last season • Led in nine of his 26 Talladega races for a total of 55 laps Loop Data Highlight: • 2,266 Laps in the Top 15, second-most

3 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford) The File: • 35-years-old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins • One win, five top fives, six top 10s • Average finish of 7.9 • Led in six of eight races for 168 laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook: • Three top fives, six top 10s • 15.5 average finish • Finished sixth and fourth, respectively, last season • Led in 11 of his 14 Talladega races for a total of 128 laps Loop Data Highlight: • 400 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 while under green), third-most

4 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) The File: • 31-years-old from El Cajon, Calif., 26 career wins • Three wins, five top fives • Average finish of 12.9 • Led in four of eight races for 368 laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook: • One win, two top fives, three top 10s; one pole • 21.0 average finish • Finished first and 24th, respectively, last season • Led in nine of his 10 Talladega races for a total of 168 laps Loop Data Highlight: • Driver Rating of 110.2, second best

5 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet) The File: • 26-years-old from Chesterfield, Va., two career wins • Three top fives, four top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 11.2 • Led in three of eight races for 372 laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook: • 21.5 average finish • Finished 22nd and 21st, respectively, last season • Led in both of his Talladega races for a total of two laps Loop Data Highlight: • 161 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

6 – Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet) The File: • 21-years-old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins • One win, two top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 15.4 • Led in five of seven races for 56 laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook: • 29.25 average finish • Finished 32nd and 11th, respectively, last season • Led in one of his four Talladega races for a total of 10 laps Loop Data Highlight: • 398 Quality Passes, third-most

7 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet) The File: • 35-years-old from Columbus, Ind., 29 career wins • Two top five, five top 10s • Average finish of 16.1 • Led six of eight races for 584 laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook: • Eight top fives, 10 top 10s • 11.938 average finish • Finished second and 22nd, respectively, last season • Led 10 of his 16 Talladega races for 138 laps Loop Data Highlight: • Driver Rating of 108.5, third-best

8 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) The File: • 27-years-old from Columbia, Mo., four career wins • Two top 10s • Average finish of 14.6 • Led in one race for three laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook: • One top five, three top 10s • 19.2 average finish • Finished eighth and ninth, respectively, last season • Led in two of his five Talladega races for a total of nine laps Loop Data Highlight: • 1,952 Laps in the Top 15, eighth-most

9 – Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet) The File: • 27-years-old from Emporia, Kan., zero career wins • Three top 10s • Average finish of 15.4 • Led in three of eight races for five laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook: • 37.5 average finish • Finished 40th and 35th, respectively, last season • Led in one of his two Talladega races for a total of five laps Loop Data Highlight: • Tied for fifth-best Closer – 14 positions improved in the last 10% of races

10 – Mark Martin (No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet) The File: • 48-years-old from Batesville, Ark., 35 career victories • Four top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 6.2 this season • Led in three of his six races for 42 laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook: • Two wins, 10 top fives, 22 top 10s • 15.476 average finish • Finished 35th and eighth, respectively, last season • Led in 22 of his 42 Talladega races for a total of 315 laps Loop Data Highlight: • Average Running Position of 10.697, sixth-best

11 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet) The File: • 31-years-old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories • One win, two top fives, three top 10s • Average finish of 19.2 this season • Led in five of eight races for 71 laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook: • Three top fives, six top 10s • 13.667 average finish • Finished 23rd and sixth, respectively, at Talladega last season • Led in seven of his 12 Talladega races for a total of 54 laps Loop Data Highlight: • 90 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

12 – Jamie McMurray (No. 26 Crown Royal/IRWIN Industrial Tools Ford) The File: • 30-years-old from Joplin, Mo., one career win • One top five, four top 10s • 17.4 average finish Talladega Superspeedway Outlook: • Two top fives, three top 10s • 17.111 average finish • Finished fifth and 37th, respectively, last season • Led five of his nine Talladega races for 102 laps Loop Data Highlight: • 1,497 Laps in the Top 15, 13th-most

13 – Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) The File: • 28-years-old from Las Vegas, Nev., 15 career victories • One top 10 • Average finish of 19.4 this season • Led in four of eight races for 161 laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook: • Five top fives, nine top 10s • 10.833 average finish • Finished seventh and third, respectively, at Talladega last season • Led in 10 of his 12 Talladega races for a total of 74 laps Loop Data Highlight: • Average Running Position of 12.743, eighth-best

15 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet) The File: • 32-years-old from Kannapolis, N.C., 17 career wins • One top five, two top 10s • Average finish of 20.5 • Led in three of eight races for 234 laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook: • Five wins, seven top fives, eight top 10s • 13.0 average finish • Finished 31st and 23rd, respectively, last season • Has led in 12 of his 14 Talladega races for 537 laps Loop Data Highlight: • 185 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

13. Kurt Busch 868 34. Kyle Petty 615 14. Greg Biffle 850 35. Casey Mears 612 15. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 843 36. Dale Jarrett 548 16. J.P. Montoya 831 37. Scott Riggs 526 17. Elliott Sadler 817 38. Dave Blaney 523 18. David Stremme 813 39. Ken Schrader 499 19. Bobby Labonte 780 40. Paul Menard 446 20. Martin Truex Jr. 774 41. Brian Vickers 425 21. Tony Raines 752 42. Mike Bliss 325 22. J.J. Yeley 750 43. David Reutimann 281 23. Robby Gordon 745 44. Kenny Wallace 271 24. Joe Nemechek 731 45. Ward Burton 198 25. Jeff Green 714 46. Regan Smith 173 26. Ryan Newman 705 47. Mike Wallace 160 27. Reed Sorenson 680 48. Boris Said 121 28. David Ragan 675 49. Jeremy Mayfield 109 29. David Gilliland 658 50. AJ Allmendinger 92 30. Johnny Sauter 651 51. Jon Wood 76 31. Sterling Marlin 648 52. John Andretti 61 32. Ricky Rudd 647 53. Aric Almirola 40 33. Kasey Kahne 626

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