NASCAR SCS (TEXAS) - Chase For The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Week 8

Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 going into the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 4.

1– Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) The File: • 36 years old, Vallejo, Calif., 81 career wins • Six wins, 20 top fives, 27 top 10s this year • Seven poles • Average finish of 7.4 • Led 22 of 33 races for 1,280 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • Five top fives, six top 10s • Average finish of 15.8 • Finished fourth at Texas in April • Led five of 13 races for 306 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-best Average Running Position of 9.2

2– Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) The File: • 32 years old from El Cajon, Calif., 31 career wins • Eight wins, 18 top fives, 21 top 10s; three poles • Average finish of 11.5 • Led 21 of 33 races for 1,224 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • Three top fives, six top 10s • Average finish of 10.3 • Finished 38th in April • Led two of eight races for three laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 902 Fastest Laps Run

3 – Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet) The File: • 28 years old from Emporia, Kan., one career win • One win, five top fives, 17 top 10s; two poles • Average finish of 13.0 • Led 12 of 33 races for 386 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One top five • Average finish of 13.3 • Finished 16th in April • Led one of three races for three laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Second-best Closer – 58 positions improved over the last 10% of races

4– Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) The File: • 28 years old from Columbia, Mo., seven career wins • Three wins, 10 top fives, 14 top 10s • Average finish of 13.0 • Led 11 of 33 races for 428 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win • Average finish of 16.6 • Finished 12th in April • Led two of five races for 132 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 7,034 Laps in the Top 15, sixth-most

5 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet) The File: • 36 years old from Columbus, Ind., 32 career wins • Three wins, 10 top fives, 22 top 10s • Average finish of 13.0 • Led 20 of 33 races for 980 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win, three top fives, seven top 10s • Average finish of 13.7 • Finished 25th in April • Led five of 11 races for 453 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 609 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

6– Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet) The File: • 22 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins • One win, 10 top fives, 18 top 10s • Average finish of 14.4 • Led 18 of 33 races for 483 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One top five • Average finish of 23.4 • Finished 37th in April • Led one of five races for two laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Fourth-fastest average Green Flag Speed

7 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet) The File: • 31 years old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories • One win, four top fives, 13 top 10s • Average finish of 15.9 this season • Led 12 of 33 races for 271 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • Two top fives, three top 10s • Average finish of 14.0 • Finished 29th in April • Led three of nine races for four laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Fourth-best Closer – 51 positions improved over the last 10% of races

8 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) The File: • 40 years old from South Boston, Va., 19 career wins • One win, nine top fives, 15 top 10s • Average finish of 14.3 • Led seven of 33 races for 79 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • Two wins, three top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 17.8 • Won the Texas race in April • Led four of 13 races for 146 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 2,657 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

9– Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) The File: • 29 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., 17 career wins • Two wins, five top fives, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 16.0 • Led 19 of 33 races for 858 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One top five, six top 10s • Average finish of 12.4 • Finished 11th in April • Led five of nine races for 83 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 1,695 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions)

10 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet) The File: • 26 years old, Chesterfield, Va., three career wins • One win, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 13.8 • Led 16 of 33 races for 842 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One top five, four top 10s • Average finish of 7.5 • Finished ninth in April • Led one of four races for 41 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 440 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

11 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford) The File: • 35 years old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins • One win, 10 top fives, 19 top 10s • Average finish of 14.0 • Led 17 of 33 races for 561 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win, four top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 11.1 • Finished second in April • Led seven of 10 races for 330 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 9,001 laps run on the lead lap, second-most

12 – 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 17.4 • Led 14 of 33 races for 490 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • Two top 10s • Average finish of 11.0 • Finished seventh in April • Led one of four races for two laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 2,899 Green Flag Passes