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


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Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 along with some other notable drivers, going into the Centurion Boats at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 12.

1 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) The File: • 36 years old, Vallejo, Calif., 79 career wins • Four wins, 14 top fives, 19 top 10s this year • Five poles • Average finish of 6.3 this season • Led 14 of 21 races for 764 laps Watkins Glen International Outlook: • Four wins, six top fives, seven top 10s • Two poles • Average finish of 12.6 • Finished 13th last season • Led eight of 14 races for 176 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-best Closer – 80 positions improved over the last 10% of races

2 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet) The File: • 26 years old, Chesterfield, Va., three career wins • One win, eight top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 11.7 • Led 12 of 21 races for 721 laps Watkins Glen International Outlook: • One top 10 • Finished 10th last season, his only Watkins Glen start Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 336 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

3 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford) The File: • 35 years old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins • One win, seven top fives, 14 top 10s • Average finish of 11.4 • Led 13 of 21 races for 257 laps Watkins Glen International Outlook: • Three top 10s • Average finish of 17.4 • Finished 21st last season • Led one of seven races for one lap Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 5,704 laps run on the lead lap

4 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) The File: • 40 years old from South Boston, Va., 19 career wins • One win, six top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 12.4 • Led five of 21 races for 27 laps Watkins Glen International Outlook: • Two top fives, three top 10s • Average finish of 19.8 • Finished 11th last season • Led three of 13 races for 54 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 1,181 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions), third-most

5 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet) The File: • 36 years old from Columbus, Ind., 31 career wins • Two wins, six top fives, 14 top 10s • Average finish of 13.8 • Led 14 of 21 races for 831 laps Watkins Glen International Outlook: • Three wins, four top fives, six top 10s • Average finish of 6.8 • Finished second last season • Led four of eight for 170 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 457 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

6 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) The File: • 27 years old from Columbia, Mo., five career wins • One win, five top fives, seven top 10s • Average finish of 13.6 • Led eight of 21 races for 136 laps Watkins Glen International Outlook: • One top five • Average finish of 12.0 in two races • Finished fifth last season Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 4,325 Laps in the Top 15, seventh-most

7 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) The File: • 31 years old from El Cajon, Calif., 27 career wins • Four wins, 10 top fives, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 14.7 • Led 12 of 21 races for 763 laps Watkins Glen International Outlook: • Two top fives • Average finish of 16.4 • Finish 17th last season • Led three of five races for four laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Average Running Position of 9.5, second-best

8 – Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet) The File: • 22 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins • One win, five top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 14.8 • Led 11 of 21 races for 174 laps Watkins Glen International Outlook: • One top 10 • Average finish of 21.0 in two races • Finished ninth last season Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Fifth-fastest average Green Flag Speed

9 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet) The File: • 31 years old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories • One win, four top fives, 10 top 10s • Average finish of 15.0 this season • Led nine of 21 races for 251 laps Watkins Glen International Outlook: • One win, two top fives, four top 10s • Average finish of 8.0 • Won last season • Led two of six races for 29 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 1,843 Green Flag Passes, tied for seventh-most

10 – Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet) The File: • 28 years old from Emporia, Kan. • One top five, 11 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 15.1 • Led eight of 21 races for 80 laps Watkins Glen International Outlook: • Finished 14th last season, his only Watkins Glen start Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Fifth-best Closer – 31 positions improved over the last 10% of races

11 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) The File: • 27 years old from Mayetta, N.J., 1 career win • One win, four top fives, seven top 10s • Average finish of 17.5 • Led nine of 21 races for 346 laps Watkins Glen International Outlook: • Finished 28th last season, his only Watkins Glen start Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 272 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-best

12– Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) The File: • 29 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., 15 career wins • One win, four top fives, six top 10s • Average finish of 16.9 • Led 12 of 21 races for 536 laps Watkins Glen International Outlook: • One top 10; one poles • Average finish of 25.0 • Finished 19th last season • Led two of six races for 39 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 1,200 Quality Passes

13 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet) The File: • 32 years old from Kannapolis, N.C., 17 career wins • Four top five, eight top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 16.5 • Led 10 of 21 races for 345 laps Watkins Glen International Outlook: • Two top fives, three top 10s • Average finish of 17.6 • Finished 18th last season • Led three of seven races for 13 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 4,569 Laps in the Top 15, third-most

Chase Contenders The Top 12 … And Beyond

Following Race 21 of 36

Weeks Rank Season In Last Driver Driver Points Wins Top 12 Week Rating

1. Jeff Gordon 3,236 4 21 1 109.7 2. Denny Hamlin 2,870 1 19 2 98.6 3. Matt Kenseth 2,825 1 20 3 94.5 4. Jeff Burton 2,763 1 21 4 92.2 5. Tony Stewart 2,749 2 18 5 103.9 6. Carl Edwards 2,682 1 18 6 91.3 7. Jimmie Johnson 2,624 4 19 9 107.3 8. Kyle Busch 2,611 1 19 8 96.4 9. Kevin Harvick 2,600 1 20 7 88.1 10. Clint Bowyer 2,552 0 19 10 83.9 11. Martin Truex Jr. 2,437 1 9 11 86.5 12. Kurt Busch 2,399 1 5 13 96.5 ________________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

13. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2,392 14. Ryan Newman 2,309 15. Greg Biffle 2,183 16. Mark Martin 2,183 17. Jamie McMurray 2,147 18. J.P. Montoya 2,132 19. Casey Mears 2,113 20. Bobby Labonte 2,030 21. J.J. Yeley 1,975 22. David Ragan 1,923 23. Elliott Sadler 1,884 24. Reed Sorenson 1,874 25. David Stremme 1,854 26. Ricky Rudd 1,812 27. Kasey Kahne 1,809 28. David Gilliland 1,805 29. Robby Gordon 1,757 30. Jeff Green 1,729 31. Tony Raines 1,717 32. Johnny Sauter 1,616 33. Sterling Marlin 1,600 34. Joe Nemechek 1,525 35. Dave Blaney 1,481 36. Scott Riggs 1,306 37. Kyle Petty 1,300 38. Paul Menard 1,247 39. Brian Vickers 1,075 40. David Reutimann 912 41. Dale Jarrett 872 42. Bill Elliott 844 43. Kenny Wallace 652 44. Ward Burton 644 45. Ken Schrader 632 46. Jeremy Mayfield 543 47. AJ Allmendinger 464 48. Regan Smith 409 49. John Andretti 368 50. Boris Said 346 51. Mike Bliss 325 52. Michael Waltrip 313 53. P.J. Jones 179 54. Mike Wallace 131

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.