NASCAR NNCS (DAYTONA) - 12 AND BEYOND...
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Week 23: 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 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 19.
1 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) The File: • 36 years old, Vallejo, Calif., 79 career wins • Four wins, 14 top fives, 20 top 10s this year • Five poles • Average finish of 6.4 this season • Led 15 of 22 races for 815 laps Michigan International Speedway Outlook: • Two wins, 15 top fives, 20 top 10s • Four poles • Average finish of 10.0 • Finished ninth at Michigan in June • Led 20 of 29 races for 874 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-best Average Running Position of 8.9
2 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet) The File: • 26 years old, Chesterfield, Va., three career wins • One win, nine top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 11.2 • Led 12 of 22 races for 721 laps Michigan International Speedway Outlook: • One top 10 • Average finish of 11.7 • Finished 14th at Michigan in June • Led one of three races for one lap Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 342 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 Michigan International Speedway Outlook: • Two wins, six top fives, 10 top 10s • Average finish of 10.1 • Finished 42nd at Michigan in June • Led six of 16 races for 150 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 5,794 laps run on the lead lap
4 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet) The File: • 36 years old from Columbus, Ind., 32 career wins • Three wins, seven top fives, 15 top 10s • Average finish of 13.2 • Led 15 of 22 races for 851 laps Michigan International Speedway Outlook: • One win, eight top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 13.1 • Finished third at Michigan in June • Led five of 17 races for 167 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 480 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
5 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) The File: • 27 years old from Columbia, Mo., five career wins • One win, five top fives, eight top 10s • Average finish of 13.4 • Led eight of 22 races for 136 laps Michigan International Speedway Outlook: • One win, four top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 7.3 • Won the Michigan race in June • Led four of six races for 137 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 4,412 Laps in the Top 15, seventh-most
6 – 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 13.6 • Led five of 22 races for 27 laps Michigan International Speedway Outlook: • Four top fives, eight top 10s; two poles • Average finish of 16.0 • Finished 24th at Michigan in June • Led seven of 27 races for 74 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 1,189 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions), third-most
7 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) The File: • 31 years old from El Cajon, Calif., 27 career wins • Four wins, 11 top fives, 13 top 10s • Average finish of 14.1 • Led 12 of 21 races for 763 laps Michigan International Speedway Outlook: • One top five, four top 10s • Average finish of 15.9 • Finished 19th at Michigan in June • Led five of 11 races for 139 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 5,157 Laps in the Top 15
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, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 14.4 • Led 11 of 21 races for 174 laps Michigan International Speedway Outlook: • Two top 10s • Average finish of 22.2 • Finished sixth at Michigan in June • Led three of five races for 40 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Fifth-fastest average Green Flag Speed
9 – 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 15.2 • Led eight of 22 races for 80 laps Michigan International Speedway Outlook: • Average finish of 29.3 • Finished 16th at Michigan in June • Led one of three races for six laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Sixth-best Closer – 32 positions improved over the last 10% of races
10 – 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 16.0 this season • Led nine of 22 races for 251 laps Michigan International Speedway Outlook: • Two top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 16.0 • Finished seventh at Michigan in June • Led two of 13 races for 88 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 1,868 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most
11 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) The File: • 27 years old from Mayetta, N.J., one career win • One win, four top fives, eight top 10s • Average finish of 17.0 • Led nine of 22 races for 346 laps Michigan International Speedway Outlook: • One top five • Average finish of 16.0 • Finished second at Michigan in June • Led one of three races for 54 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 272 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
12– Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) The File: • 29 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., 16 career wins • One win, four top fives, six top 10s • Average finish of 16.6 • Led 12 of 21 races for 536 laps Michigan International Speedway Outlook: • One win, five top 10s • Average finish of 20.3 • Finished 25th at Michigan in June • Led nine of 13 races for 198 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 1,235 Quality Passes
14 – 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 17.7 • Led 10 of 22 races for 345 laps Michigan International Speedway Outlook: • Two top fives, five top 10s; two poles • Average finish of 17.6 • Finished fifth in Michigan in June • Led nine of 16 races for 109 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 4,632 Laps in the Top 15, fourth-most
Chase Contenders The Top 12 … And Beyond
Following Race 22 of 36
Weeks Rank Season In Last Driver Driver Points Wins Top 12 Week Rating
1. Jeff Gordon 3,384 4 22 1 110.7 2. Denny Hamlin 3,040 1 20 2 99.7 3. Matt Kenseth 2,952 1 21 3 93.9 4. Tony Stewart 2,939 3 19 5 105.3 5. Carl Edwards 2,824 1 19 6 91.9 6. Jeff Burton 2,806 1 22 4 91.3 7. Jimmie Johnson 2,789 4 20 7 107.5 8. Kyle Busch 2,757 1 20 8 96.5 9. Clint Bowyer 2,667 0 20 10 83.7 10. Kevin Harvick 2,655 1 21 9 87.5 11. Martin Truex Jr. 2,587 1 10 11 87.0 12. Kurt Busch 2,529 1 6 12 96.8 _______________________________________________________
ADDITIONAL DRIVERS
13. Ryan Newman 2,433 14. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2,429 15. Greg Biffle 2,317 16. Casey Mears 2,231 17. Jamie McMurray 2,213 18. Mark Martin 2,183 19. J.P. Montoya 2,178 20. Bobby Labonte 2,126 21. J.J. Yeley 2,084 22. Elliott Sadler 1,996 23. David Ragan 1,990 24. David Stremme 1,954 25. Reed Sorenson 1,953 26. Robby Gordon 1,912 27. Kasey Kahne 1,894 28. David Gilliland 1,869 29. Ricky Rudd 1,861 30. Jeff Green 1,832 31. Tony Raines 1,717 32. Johnny Sauter 1,710 33. Sterling Marlin 1,600 34. Dave Blaney 1,539 35. Joe Nemechek 1,525 36. Paul Menard 1,353 37. Kyle Petty 1,334 38. Scott Riggs 1,306 39. Brian Vickers 1,115 40. Bill Elliott 965 41. Dale Jarrett 948 42. David Reutimann 912 43. Kenny Wallace 722 44. Ward Burton 644 45. Ken Schrader 632 46. Jeremy Mayfield 630 47. AJ Allmendinger 464 48. Regan Smith 461 49. John Andretti 368 50. Boris Said 346 51. Mike Bliss 325 52. Michael Waltrip 313 53. Ron Fellows 283 54. P.J. Jones 267
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.