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NASCAR NNCS (DAYTONA) - TOP 12 AND BEYOND


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Week 26: 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 Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway on September 8.

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 • Six poles • Average finish of 8.4 this season • Led 17 of 25 races for 842 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Two wins, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s; five poles • Average finish of 15.9 • Finished fourth at Richmond in May • Led 18 of 29 races for 868 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-best Average Running Position of 8.9

2 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet) The File: • 36 years old from Columbus, Ind., 32 career wins • Three wins, eight top fives, 17 top 10s • Average finish of 12.7 • Led 16 of 25 races for 863 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Three wins, five top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 11.8 • Finished eighth in May • Led nine of 17 races for 765 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 502 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

3 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet) The File: • 26 years old, Chesterfield, Va., three career wins • One win, 10 top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 12.6 • Led 12 of 25 races for 721 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Two top fives • Average finish of 6.7 • Finished third in May • Led all three of his Richmond races for 50 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 377 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

4 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) The File: • 27 years old from Columbia, Mo., six career wins • Two wins, seven top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 12.2 • Led nine of 25 races for 318 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Two top 10s • Average finish of 17.0 in six races • Finished 12th in May Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 5,327 Laps in the Top 15, fifth-most

5 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford) The File: • 35 years old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins • One win, eight top fives, 16 top 10s • Average finish of 12.0 • Led 14 of 25 races for 288 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • One win, three top fives, nine top 10s • Average finish of 14.3 • Finished 10th in May • Led seven of 15 races for 190 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 6,684 laps run on the lead lap

6 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) The File: • 31 years old from El Cajon, Calif., 28 career wins • Five wins, 13 top fives, 15 top 10s • Average finish of 13.4 • Led 14 of 25 races for 862 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • One win, two top fives; one pole • Average finish of 19.4 • Won the Richmond race in May • Led five of 11 races for 233 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 625 Fastest Laps Run

7 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 RCR Chevrolet) The File: • 40 years old from South Boston, Va., 19 career wins • One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 13.2 • Led six of 25 races for 28 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 15.4 • Finished 43rd in May • Led nine of 26 races for 899 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 1,335 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions), fourth-most

8 – Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet) The File: • 22 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins • One win, six top fives, 14 top 10s • Average finish of 13.7 • Led 13 of 25 races for 274 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Five top fives • Average finish of 3.4 • Finished second in May • Led four of five races for 292 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Fourth-fastest average Green Flag Speed

9 – Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet) The File: • 28 years old from Emporia, Kan. • Two top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 15.0 • Led eight of 25 races for 80 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Two top 10s • Average finish of 10.3 in three races • Finished ninth in May Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Eighth-best Closer – 29 positions improved over the last 10% of races

10 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) The File: • 27 years old from Mayetta, N.J., one career win • One win, five top fives, 10 top 10s • Average finish of 15.7 • Led 10 of 25 races for 350 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Average finish of 36.3 in three races • Finished 28th in May Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 2,255 Green Flag Passes

11– Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) The File: • 29 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., 17 career wins • Two wins, five top fives, nine top 10s • Average finish of 15.2 • Led 15 of 25 races for 651 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • One win, two top fives, three top 10s • Average finish of 18.8 • Finished fifth in May • Led six of 13 races for 340 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 1,364 Quality Passes, second-most

12 – 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 15.8 this season • Led nine of 25 races for 251 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • One win, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 12.5 • Finished seventh in May • Led eight of 13 for 646 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Fourth-best Closer – 38 positions improved over the last 10% of races

13 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet) The File: • 32 years old from Kannapolis, N.C., 17 career wins • Six top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 16.4 • Led 13 of 25 races for 362 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Three wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s • Average finish of 10.1 • Finished 13th in May • Led eight of 16 races for 322 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 5,506 Laps in the Top 15, third-most

Chase Contenders The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 25 of 36

Weeks Rank Season In Last Driver Driver Points Wins Top 12 Week Rating 1. x – Jeff Gordon 3,679 4 25 1 108.6 2. x – Tony Stewart 3,362 3 22 2 103.8 3. x – Denny Hamlin 3,335 1 23 3 97.8 5. x – Carl Edwards 3,330 2 22 5 94.7 4. x – Matt Kenseth 3,309 1 24 4 94.2 6. x – Jimmie Johnson 3,249 5 23 6 107.8 7. x - Jeff Burton 3,219 1 25 7 91.4 8. x - Kyle Busch 3,199 1 23 8 97.8 9. Clint Bowyer 3,047 0 23 9 84.0 10. Martin Truex Jr. 3,042 1 13 11 88.4 11. Kurt Busch 3,022 1 9 12 99.3 12. Kevin Harvick 3,009 2 24 10 86.6 x – Clinched a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. ___________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS13. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2,881 14. Ryan Newman 2,755 15. Greg Biffle 2,674 16. Casey Mears 2,581 17. Bobby Labonte 2,541 18. Jamie McMurray 2,486 19. J.P. Montoya 2,439 20. J.J. Yeley 2,372 21. Kasey Kahne 2,278 22. David Ragan 2,266 23. David Stremme 2,443 24. Reed Sorenson 2,220 25. Mark Martin 2,220 26. Elliott Sadler 2,197 27. Robby Gordon 2,156 28. David Gilliland 2,109 29. Jeff Green 2,105 30. Ricky Rudd 2,017 31. Tony Raines 1,939 32. Johnny Sauter 1,901 33. Dave Blaney 1,808 34. Sterling Marlin 1,600 35. Joe Nemechek 1,593 36. Paul Menard 1,581 37. Scott Riggs 1,470 38. Kyle Petty 1,418 39. Brian Vickers 1,409 40. Bill Elliott 1,080 41. David Reutimann 1,078 42. Dale Jarrett 1,009 43. Ward Burton 816 44. Kenny Wallace 789 45. Jeremy Mayfield 737 46. Ken Schrader 632 47. AJ Allmendinger 631 48. John Andretti 520 49. Michael Waltrip 487 50. Boris Said 467 51. Regan Smith 461 52. Mike Bliss 325 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.