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NASCAR NNCS (DAYTONA) - THE CHASE BEGINS


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Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12, going into the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway on Sept. 16. This weekend marks the first race in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.

1 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) The File: • 31 years old from El Cajon, Calif., 28 career wins • Six wins, 14 top fives, 16 top 10s • Average finish of 13.0 • Led 15 of 26 races for 966 laps New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook: • Two wins, three top fives, six top 10s • Average finish of 11.1 • Finished fifth in July • Led four of 11 races for 85 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 672 Fastest Laps Run

2 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) The File: • 36 years old, Vallejo, Calif., 79 career wins • Four wins, 15 top fives, 21 top 10s this year • Six poles • Average finish of 8.2 this season • Led 18 of 26 races for 1,033 laps New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook: • Three wins, 11 top fives, 14 top 10s; three poles • Average finish of 12.0 • Finished second at NHIS in July • Led 17 of 25 races for 1,141 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-best Average Running Position of 8.6

3 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet) The File: • 36 years old from Columbus, Ind., 32 career wins • Three wins, nine top fives, 18 top 10s • Average finish of 12.3 • Led 17 of 26 races for 890 laps New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook: • Two wins, nine top fives, 10 top 10s • Average finish of 13.4 • Finished 12th in July • Led eight of 17 races for 764 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 547 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

4 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) The File: • 28 years old from Columbia, Mo., six career wins • Two wins, seven top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 13.3 • Led 10 of 26 races for 333 laps New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook: • One top five • Average finish of 14.0 • Finished 13th in July • Led one of six races for two laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 5,506 Laps in the Top 15, sixth-most

5 – Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) The File: • 29 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., 17 career wins • Two wins, five top fives, 10 top 10s • Average finish of 15.0 • Led 15 of 26 races for 651 laps New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook: • Two wins, four top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 16.6 • Finished 21st in July • Led five of 13 races for 288 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 1,414 Quality Passes, second-most

6 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet) The File: • 26 years old, Chesterfield, Va., three career wins • One win, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 12.3 • Led 13 of 26 races for 738 laps New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook: • One win, two top fives, three top 10s • Average finish of 3.7 • Won at NHIS in July • Led all three of his NHIS races for 51 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 395 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

7 – 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 26 races for 350 laps New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook: • One top five • Average finish of 14.3 • Finished third in July • Led one of three races for 46 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 2,369 Green Flag Passes

8 – 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 12.1 • Led 14 of 26 races for 288 laps New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook: • Five top fives, 10 top 10s • Average finish of 10.7 • Finished ninth in July • Led five of 15 races for 88 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 7,084 laps run on the lead lap

9 – 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 13.9 • Led 13 of 26 races for 274 laps New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook: • One win, two top fives • Average finish of 16.2 • Finished 11th July • Led two of five races for 155 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Fifth-fastest average Green Flag Speed

10 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) The File: • 40 years old from South Boston, Va., 19 career wins • One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 13.4 • Led six of 26 races for 28 laps New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook: • Four wins, seven top fives, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 13.0 • Finished seventh in July • Led 10 of 25 races for 694 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 1,340 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions), fourth-most

11 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet) The File: • 31 years old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories • One win, four top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 15.5 this season • Led nine of 26 races for 251 laps New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook: • One win, three top fives, eight top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 12.3 • Finished eighth in July • Led seven of 13 for 264 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Third-best Closer – 40 positions improved over the last 10% of races

12 – 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 14.8 • Led nine of 26 races for 84 laps New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook: • Average finish of 29.3 • Finished 37th in July • Led one of three races for 23 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Eighth-best Closer – 33 positions improved over the last 10% of races

The Chase is On The Top 12 Following Race 26 of 36

Weeks Rank Season In Last Driver Driver Points Wins Top 12 Week Rating 1. Jimmie Johnson 5,060 6 24 6 108.8 2. Jeff Gordon 5,040 4 26 1 109.6 3. Tony Stewart 5,030 3 23 2 104.4 4. Carl Edwards 5,020 2 23 4 94.6 5. Kurt Busch 5,020 2 10 11 99.4 6. Denny Hamlin 5,010 1 24 3 98.3 7. Martin Truex Jr. 5,010 1 14 10 87.7 8. Matt Kenseth 5,010 1 25 5 94.0 9. Kyle Busch 5,010 1 24 8 97.0 10. Jeff Burton 5,010 1 26 7 90.7 11. Kevin Harvick 5,010 1 25 12 87.1 12. Clint Bowyer 5,000 0 24 9 84.4 ___________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

13. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2,954 34. Paul Menard 1,671 14. Ryan Newman 2,890 35. Joe Nemechek 1,627 15. Greg Biffle 2,720 36. Sterling Marlin 1,600 16. Casey Mears 2,698 37. Scott Riggs 1,513 17. Bobby Labonte 2,656 38. Kyle Petty 1,511 18. Jamie McMurray 2,535 39. Brian Vickers 1,500 19. J.J. Yeley 2,506 40. David Reutimann 1,202 20. J.P. Montoya 2,479 41. Bill Elliott 1,156 21. David Ragan 2,431 42. Dale Jarrett 1,079 22. Kasey Kahne 2,420 43. Kenny Wallace 868 23. David Stremme 2,342 44. Ward Burton 816 24. Mark Martin 2,320 45. AJ Allmendinger 725 25. Reed Sorenson 2,287 46. Jeremy Mayfield 712 26. Elliott Sadler 2,279 47. Ken Schrader 632 27. Robby Gordon 2,211 48. John Andretti 572 28. David Gilliland 2,206 49. Michael Waltrip 487 29. Jeff Green 2,169 50. Boris Said 467 30. Johnny Sauter 2,056 51. Regan Smith 461 31. Ricky Rudd 2,017 52. Mike Bliss 325 32. Tony Raines 1,997 53. Ron Fellows 283 33. Dave Blaney 1,869 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.