NASCAR NNCS (DAYTONA) - The NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Top 12
 |
Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 along with some other notable drivers, going into the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge on May 19.
1 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) The File: • 35-years-old from Vallejo, Calif., 78 career wins • Three wins, nine top fives, 10 top 10s • Five poles • Average finish of 3.8 this season • Led in 10 of 11 races for 674 laps Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook: • Four wins, 13 top fives, 15 top 10s; seven poles • 16.5 average finish • Finished 13th and 41st, respectively, last season • Led in 19 of 28 races for 460 laps Loop Data Highlight: • Series-best 7.262 Average Running Position
2 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) The File: • 31-years-old from El Cajon, Calif., 27 career wins • Four wins, eight top fives • Average finish of 9.9 • Led in seven of 11 races for 529 laps Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook: • Five wins, eight top fives, 10 top 10s; two poles • 5.8 average finish • Finished second twice last season • Led in 10 of 11 races for a total of 956 laps Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 335 Fastest Laps Run
3 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford) The File: • 35-years-old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins • One win, five top fives, eight top 10s • Average finish of 8.5 • Led in nine of 11 races for 203 laps Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win, five top fives, seven top 10s • 14.8 average finish • Finished fifth and 14th, respectively, last season • Led in 10 of 15 races for a total of 169 laps Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 3,586 laps run on the lead lap
4 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet) The File: • 26-years-old from Chesterfield, Va., two career wins • Five top fives, six top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 10.5 • Led in six of 11 races for 611 laps Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook: • Two top 10s • 15.0 average finish • Finished ninth and 28th, respectively, last season • Led in two of three races for a total of 26 laps Loop Data Highlight: • Average Running Position of 10.862, third-best
5 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet) The File: • 39-years-old from S. Boston, Va., 19 career wins • One win, five top fives, seven top 10s • Average finish of 12.3 this season • Led in five of 11 races for 27 laps Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook: • Two wins, six top fives, 12 top 10s • 15.3 average finish • Finished sixth and third, respectively, last season • Led in seven of 26 races for 369 laps Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 821 Quality Passes – passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions
6 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet) The File: • 35-years-old from Columbus, Ind., 29 career wins • Two top fives, seven top 10s • Average finish of 15.5 • Led eight of 11 races for 592 laps Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win, six top fives, nine top 10s • 13.7 average finish • Finished 42nd and 13th, respectively, last season • Led eight of 16 races for 475 laps Loop Data Highlight: • 271 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
7 – Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) The File: • 28-years-old from Las Vegas, Nev., 15 career victories • Two top fives, three top 10s • Average finish of 15.9 this season • Led in six of 11 races for 195 laps Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook: • Two top fives • 21.3 average finish • Finished 39th and 32nd, respectively, last season • Led in five of 13 races for a total of 54 laps Loop Data Highlight: • 765 Quality Passes, second-most
8 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet) The File: • 31-years-old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories • One win, two top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 16.7 this season • Led in six of 11 races for 176 laps Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook: • One top five, three top 10s • 20.2 average finish • Finished 34th and 18th, respectively, last season • Led in two of 12 races for a total of two laps Loop Data Highlight: • 1,286 Green Flag Passes, second-most
9 – Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet) The File: • 27-years-old from Emporia, Kan., zero career wins • Five top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 16.0 • Led in five of 11 races for 21 laps Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook: • 21.0 average finish in two races • Finished 19th and 23 rd, respectively, last season • Led in one of two races for three laps Loop Data Highlight: • Average Running Position of 15.387, 11th-best
10 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) The File: • 27-years-old from Columbia, Mo., four career wins • One top five, three top 10s • Average finish of 16.0 • Led in two of 11 races for 36 laps Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook: • Two top fives, four top 10s • 6.0 average finish • Finished third and eighth, respectively, last season • Led in three of four races for 33 laps Loop Data Highlight: • 10th-fastest Green Flag Speed
11 – Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet) The File: • 22-years-old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins • One win, three top fives, six top 10s • Average finish of 18.1 • Led in six of 11 races for 83 laps Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook: • One top 10 • 29.0 average finish • Finished 38th and sixth, respectively, last season • Led in three of six races for 63 laps Loop Data Highlight: • Fourth-fastest Green Flag Speed
12 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet) The File: • 32-years-old from Kannapolis, N.C., 17 career wins • One top five, four top 10s • Average finish of 17.5 • Led four of 11 races for 236 laps Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook: • Four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole • 17.4 average finish • Finished 11th and fourth, respectively, last season • Has led in seven of 15 races for 235 laps Loop Data Highlight: • 225 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
13 – Jamie McMurray (No. 26 Crown Royal/IRWIN Industrial Tools Ford) The File: • 30-years-old from Joplin, Mo., one career win • Two top fives, five top 10s; 18.3 average finish • Led one of 11 races for two laps Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win, two top fives, five top 10s • 15.4 average finish • Finished eighth and 34th, respectively, last season • Led three of nine races for 112 laps Loop Data Highlight: • Eighth-fastest Speed in Traffic – speed when there is another car within one car length
30 – Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge) The File: • 27-years-old from Enumclaw, Wash., seven career victories • One top 10; one pole; Average finish of 26.0 • Led in three of 11 races for 38 laps Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook: • Two wins; 15.8 average finish • Won both Lowe’s races last season • Led in all six races for a total of 550 laps Loop Data Highlight: • 50 Fastest Laps Run, 15th-most
Chase Contenders The Top 12 … And Beyond
Following Race 11 of 36
Weeks Rank Season In Last Driver Driver Pts Wins Top 12 Week Rating
1. Jeff Gordon 1,881 3 11 1 118.0 2. Jimmie Johnson 1,650 4 9 2 114.4 3. Matt Kenseth 1,582 1 10 3 96.6 4. Denny Hamlin 1,539 0 9 4 102.0 5. Jeff Burton 1,486 1 11 5 95.4 6. Tony Stewart 1,375 0 8 7 102.7 7. Kurt Busch 1,325 0 3 9 95.7 8. Kevin Harvick 1,315 1 10 8 87.6 9. Clint Bowyer 1,302 0 9 10 84.7 10. Carl Edwards 1,291 0 8 11 86.5 11. Kyle Busch 1,281 1 9 6 91.7 12. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,260 0 3 12 92.5 _________________________________________________________
ADDITIONAL DRIVERS
13. Jamie McMurray 1,214 34. Ricky Rudd 848 14. Ryan Newman 1,163 35. Casey Mears 830 15. Mark Martin 1,159 36. Dave Blaney 730 16. Greg Biffle 1,155 37. Scott Riggs 729 17. Elliott Sadler 1,127 38. Paul Menard 665 18. Martin Truex Jr. 1,117 39. Dale Jarrett 591 19. Bobby Labonte 1,107 40. Ken Schrader 544 20. J.J. Yeley 1,086 41. Kenny Wallace 498 21. J.P Montoya 1,080 42. David Reutimann 488 22. David Stremme 1,070 43. Brian Vickers 459 23. Jeff Green 1,031 44. Mike Bliss 325 24. Tony Raines 997 45. Ward Burton 311 25. Sterling Marlin 986 46. Regan Smith 269 26. David Ragan 977 47. AJ Allmendinger 214 27. David Gilliland 928 48. Boris Said 208 28. Joe Nemechek 923 49. Jeremy Mayfield 203 29. Reed Sorenson 911 50. Mike Wallace 160 30. Kasey Kahne 904 51. Jon Wood 76 31. Kyle Petty 900 52. Johnny Benson 70 32. Robby Gordon 895 53. John Andretti 61 33. Johnny Sauter 855 54. Aric Almirola 40
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.