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NASCAR NNCS (DOVER) - CHASE MOVES ON...


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Week 28: The Chase Heads To Dover For The Top 12

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 17, 2007) – Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12, going into the Dodge Dealers 400 at Dover International Speedway on Sept. 23.

1 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) The File: • 31 years old from El Cajon, Calif., 29 career wins • Six wins, 14 top fives, 17 top 10s • Average finish of 12.7 • Led 15 of 27 races for 966 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Three wins, four top fives, seven top 10s • Average finish of 11.7 • Finished 15th at Dover in June • Led six of 11 races for 553 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 710 Fastest Laps Run

2 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) The File: • 36 years old, Vallejo, Calif., 79 career wins • Four wins, 16 top fives, 22 top 10s this year • Six poles • Average finish of 8.0 this season • Led 18 of 27 races for 1,033 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Four wins, 13 top fives, 18 top 10s; three poles • Average finish of 12.4 • Finished ninth in June • Led 17 of 29 races for 2,198 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-best Average Running Position of 8.5

3 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet) The File: • 36 years old from Columbus, Ind., 32 career wins • Three wins, 10 top fives, 19 top 10s • Average finish of 11.9 • Led 18 of 27 races for 929 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Two wins, nine top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 10.7 • Finished 40th in June • Led 10 of 17 races for 1,066 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 563 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

4 – Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet) The File: • 28 years old from Emporia, Kan., one career win • One win, three top fives, 13 top 10s; two pole • Average finish of 14.3 • Led 10 of 27 races for 306 laps • Scored perfect Driver Rating of 150.0 in his win at New Hampshire Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Two top 10s • Average finish of 11.0 • Finished eighth in June • Led one of three races for two laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Seventh-best Closer – 33 positions improved over the last 10 percent of races

5 – Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet) The File: • 22 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins • One win, seven top fives, 15 top 10s • Average finish of 13.6 • Led 14 of 27 races for 295 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Three top fives • Average finish of 13.2 • Finished 17th June • Led two of five races for 112 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Fifth-fastest average Green Flag Speed

6 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) The File: • 27 years old from Mayetta, N.J., one career win • One win, six top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 15.3 • Led 11 of 27 races for 351 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • One win, two top 10s • Average finish of 9.7 • Won at Dover in June • Led one of three races for 216 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 2,420 Green Flag Passes

7 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford) The File: • 35 years old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins • One win, eight top fives, 17 top 10s • Average finish of 11.9 • Led 14 of 27 races for 288 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • One win, five top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 14.2 • Finished fifth in June • Led four of 17 races for 357 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 7,372 laps run on the lead lap

8 – 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 27 races for 333 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Two top fives, three top 10s • Average finish of 10.5 • Finished third in June • Led three of six races for 41 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 5,765 Laps in the Top 15, sixth-most

9 – 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 12.4 • Led 13 of 27 races for 738 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • One top five, two top 10s • Average finish of 8.0 in three races • Finish fourth in June Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 397 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

10 – 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 15.6 this season • Led nine of 26 races for 251 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Two top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 17.8 • Finished 20th in June • Led one of 13 races for 133 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Third-best Closer – 39 positions improved over the last 10 percent of races

11 – 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 13.6 • Led six of 27 races for 28 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • One win, six top fives, 10 top 10s • Average finish of 17.3 • Finished 12th in June • Led eight of 27 races for 127 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 1,361 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions), fourth-most

12 – 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 15.4 • Led 15 of 27 races for 651 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Two top fives, four top 10s • Average finish of 20.0 • Finished 42nd in June • Led three of 14 races for 205 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 1,454 Quality Passes

The Chase is On The Top 12 Following Race 27 of 36

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

1. Jimmie Johnson 5,210 6 25 1 109.0 2. Jeff Gordon 5,210 4 27 2 110.0 3. Tony Stewart 5,200 3 24 3 105.1 4. Clint Bowyer 5,195 1 25 12 86.8 5. Kyle Busch 5,175 1 25 9 97.3 6. Martin Truex Jr. 5,170 1 15 7 88.5 7. Matt Kenseth 5,156 1 26 8 94.0 8. Carl Edwards 5,147 2 24 4 94.6 9. Denny Hamlin 5,128 1 25 6 97.6 10. Kevin Harvick 5,122 1 26 11 87.2 11. Jeff Burton 5,119 1 27 10 89.9 12. Kurt Busch 5,108 2 11 5 98.8 ___________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

13. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3,074 34. Paul Menard 1,762 14. Ryan Newman 3,033 35. Joe Nemechek 1,703 15. Casey Mears 2,845 36. Sterling Marlin 1,600 16. Greg Biffle 2,844 37. Scott Riggs 1,580 17. Bobby Labonte 2,753 38. Kyle Petty 1,563 18. Jamie McMurray 2,665 39. Brian Vickers 1,534 19. J.J. Yeley 2,640 40. David Reutimann 1,287 20. J.P. Montoya 2,573 41. Bill Elliott 1,156 21. David Ragan 2,537 42. Dale Jarrett 1,079 22. Kasey Kahne 2,523 43. Kenny Wallace 929 23. Reed Sorenson 2,413 44. Ward Burton 856 24. David Stremme 2,379 45. AJ Allmendinger 789 25. Elliott Sadler 2,328 46. Jeremy Mayfield 712 26. Mark Martin 2,320 47. Ken Schrader 710 27. Robby Gordon 2,281 48. John Andretti 572 28. David Gilliland 2,252 49. Regan Smith 516 29. Jeff Green 2,251 50. Boris Said 510 30. Johnny Sauter 2,135 51. Michael Waltrip 487 31. Tony Raines 2,097 52. Mike Bliss 325 32. Ricky Rudd 2,017 53. Ron Fellows 283 33. Dave Blaney 1,927 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.