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NASCAR NNCS (DAYTONA) - CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP


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Chase For The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Week 3: Kansas Speedway

Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12, going into the LifeLock 400 at Kansas Speedway on Sept. 30.

1 – 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 8.1 this season • Led 18 of 28 races for 1,033 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Two wins, three top fives, four top 10s • Average finish of 11.5 • Finished 39th last season • Led two of six races for 169 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-best Average Running Position of 8.7

2 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet) The File: • 36 years old from Columbus, Ind., 32 career wins • Three wins, 10 top fives, 20 top 10s • Average finish of 11.8 • Led 18 of 28 races for 929 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • One win, three top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 6.5 • Won Kansas race last season • Led two of six races for six laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 568 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

3 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) The File: • 28 years old from Columbia, Mo., seven career wins • Three wins, eight top fives, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 12.8 • Led 11 of 28 races for 428 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • One top fives, two top 10s • Average finish of 10.3 • Finished sixth last season • Led two of three races for eight laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 6,111 Laps in the Top 15, fifth-most

4 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) The File: • 32 years old from El Cajon, Calif., 29 career wins • Six wins, 14 top fives, 17 top 10s; two poles • Average finish of 12.8 • Led 16 of 28 races for 967 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Three top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 13.8 • Finished 14th at Kansas last season • Led three of five races for 126 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 731 Fastest Laps Run

5 – Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet) The File: • 22 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins • One win, eight top fives, 16 top 10s • Average finish of 13.2 • Led 14 of 28 races for 295 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • One top 10 • Average finish of 21.7 • Finished seventh last season • Led one of three races for 64 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Fifth-fastest average Green Flag Speed

6 – 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 poles • Average finish of 14.2 • Led 10 of 28 races for 306 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • One top 10 • Finished ninth last season, his only Kansas start • Led 43 laps in his one Kansas race Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Sixth-best Closer – 34 positions improved over the last 10 percent of races

7 – 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 15.2 • Led 11 of 28 races for 351 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Finish 11th last season, his only Kansas start Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 2,454 Green Flag Passes

8 – 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, 13 top 10s • Average finish of 13.3 • Led six of 28 races for 28 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • One top five • Average finish of 16.8 • Finished fifth last season • Led three of six races for five laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 1,383 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions), fifth-most

9 – 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 15.7 this season • Led nine of 28 races for 251 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • One top 10 • Average finish of 17.8 • Finished 15th last season • Led two of six races for 49 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-best Closer – 52 positions improved over the last 10 percent of races

10 – 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 12.8 • Led 15 of 28 races for 480 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • One top five, two top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 20.0 • Finished 23rd last season • Led two of six races for 85 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 7,722 laps run on the lead lap

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, 10 top 10s • Average finish of 15.9 • Led 16 of 28 races for 671 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Two top 10s • Average finish of 20.8 • Finished 25th last season • Led two of six races for three laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 1,480 Quality Passes

12 – 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 13.3 • Led 14 of 28 races for 799 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Average finish of 25.0 in two Kansas races • Finish 18th last season Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 417 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

The Chase Is On

The Top 12 Following 2 Chase Races (28 of 36 races overall)

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

1. Jeff Gordon 5,340 4 28 2 109.1 2. Tony Stewart 5,338 3 25 3 103.9 3. Carl Edwards 5,337 3 25 8 95.7 4. Jimmie Johnson 5,336 6 26 1 108.8 5. Kyle Busch 5,330 1 26 5 97.4 6. Clint Bowyer 5,322 1 26 4 86.5 7. Martin Truex Jr. 5,294 1 16 6 88.7 8. Jeff Burton 5,265 1 28 11 89.1 9. Kevin Harvick 5,225 1 27 10 87.3 10. Matt Kenseth 5,224 1 27 7 94.9 11. Kurt Busch 5,189 2 12 12 98.9 12. Denny Hamlin 5,182 1 26 9 97.5 ___________________________________________________

Additional Drivers

13. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3,239 34. Paul Menard 1,862 14. Ryan Newman 3,112 35. Joe Nemechek 1,800 15. Greg Biffle 2,019 36. Brian Vickers 1,649 16. Casey Mears 2,995 37. Scott Riggs 1,641 17. Bobby Labonte 2,835 38. Kyle Petty 1,606 18. Jamie McMurray 2,807 39. Sterling Marlin 1,600 19. J.P. Montoya 2,707 40. David Reutimann 1,396 20. J.J. Yeley 2,704 41. Bill Elliott 1,156 21. David Ragan 2,625 42. Dale Jarrett 1,119 22. Kasey Kahne 2,590 43. Kenny Wallace 1,023 23. Reed Sorenson 2,491 44. Ward Burton 856 24. Mark Martin 2,485 45. AJ Allmendinger 823 25. Elliott Sadler 2,440 46. Ken Schrader 795 26. David Stremme 2,425 47. Jeremy Mayfield 712 27. Robby Gordon 2,387 48. John Andretti 624 28. David Gilliland 2,343 49. Michael Waltrip 610 29. Jeff Green 2,321 50. Regan Smith 516 30. Johnny Sauter 2,172 51. Boris Said 510 31. Tony Raines 2,152 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.