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NASCAR (DAYTONA) - NEXTEL Cup Series Final Top 12


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Below is a look at the top 12 in the final NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series standings.

1 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) The File: • 32 years old from El Cajon, Calif., 33 career wins • 10 wins, 20 top fives, 24 top 10s this year • Four poles • Average finish of 10.8 • Led 24 of 36 races for 1,289 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 962 Fastest Laps Run

2 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) The File: • 36 years old, Vallejo, Calif., 81 career wins • Six wins, 21 top fives, 30 top 10s; seven poles • Average finish of 7.3 • Led 23 of 36 races for 1,300 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-best Average Running Position of 9.1

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 13.8 • Led 13 of 36 races for 387 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Second-best Closer – 57 positions improved over the last 10% of races

4 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford) The File: • 35 years old from Cambridge, Wis., 16 career wins • Two wins, 13 top fives, 22 top 10s • Average finish of 13.0 • Led 20 of 36 races for 912 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 9,900 laps run on the lead lap, second-most

5 – Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet) The File: • 22 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins • One win, 11 top fives, 20 top 10s • Average finish of 14.1 • Led 19 of 36 races for 637 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Fifth-fastest average Green Flag Speed

6 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet) The File: • 36 years old from Columbus, Ind., 32 career wins • Three wins, 11 top fives, 23 top 10s • Average finish of 13.1 • Led 20 of 36 races for 980 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 634 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

7 – Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) The File: • 29 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., 17 career wins • Three wins, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s • Average finish of 13.9 • Led 20 of 36 races for 515 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 1,854 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions)

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, 18 top 10s • Average finish of 13.8; Led seven of 36 races for 79 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 2,876 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

9 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) The File: • 28 years old from Columbia, Mo., seven career wins • Three wins, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 13.9 • Led 12 of 36 races for 515 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 429 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-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, 15 top 10s • Average finish of 15.4 this season • Led 12 of 36 races for 271 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Fourth-best Closer – 51 positions improved over the last 10% of races

11 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) The File: • 27 years old from Mayetta, N.J., one career win • One win, seven top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 16.4 • Led 17 of 36 races for 581 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 3,079 Green Flag Passes, second-most

12 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet) The File: • 26 years old, Chesterfield, Va., three career wins • One win, 12 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 14.0 • Led 18 of 36 races for 906 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 486 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

The Chase The Top 12

Weeks Rank Season In Last Driver Driver Points Wins Top 12 Week Rating 1. Jimmie Johnson 6,723 10 34 1 110.3 2. Jeff Gordon 6,646 6 36 2 108.6 3. Clint Bowyer 6,377 1 34 3 87.4 4. Matt Kenseth 6,298 2 35 6 95.9 5. Kyle Busch 6,293 1 34 4 97.8 6. Tony Stewart 6,242 3 33 5 100.9 7. Kurt Busch 6,231 2 20 10 99.7 8. Jeff Burton 6,231 1 36 8 87.9 9. Carl Edwards 6,222 3 33 9 92.9 10. Kevin Harvick 6,199 1 34 7 86.4 11. Martin Truex Jr. 6,164 1 24 11 90.3 12. Denny Hamlin 5,143 1 34 12 97.0 ___________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

13. Ryan Newman 4,046 34. Paul Menard 2,496 14. Greg Biffle 3,991 35. Kyle Petty 2,312 15. Casey Mears 3,949 36. Scott Riggs 2,135 16. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3,929 37. Joe Nemechek 2,117 17. Jamie McMurray 3,556 38. Brian Vickers 2,065 18. Bobby Labonte 3,517 39. David Reutimann 1,878 19. Kasey Kahne 3,489 40. Sterling Marlin 1,752 20. J.P. Montoya 3,487 41. Dale Jarrett 1,584 21. J.J. Yeley 3,456 42. Bill Elliott 1,579 22. Reed Sorenson 3,275 43. AJ Allmendinger 1,165 23. David Ragan 3,251 44. Michael Waltrip 1,149 24. David Stremme 3,163 45. Jeremy Mayfield 1,126 25. Elliott Sadler 3,140 46. Kenny Wallace 1,066 26. Robby Gordon 3,014 47. Ward Burton 939 27. Mark Martin 2,960 48. John Andretti 932 28. David Gilliland 2,924 49. Ken Schrader 932 29. Tony Raines 2,920 50. Regan Smith 516 30. Johnny Sauter 2,875 51. Boris Said 510 31. Dave Blaney 2,781 52. Aric Almirola 357 32. Jeff Green 2,704 53. Mike Bliss 325 33. Ricky Rudd 2,622 54. Ron Fellows 283

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.