Top 10 drivers - and beyond 2007-03-12

The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 10 -- And Beyond Following the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 12, 2007) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 10 along with some other notable drivers, going into the Kobalt Tools 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 18.

1 -- Mark Martin (No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet)

The File:
* 48-years-old from Batesville, Ark., 35 career wins
* Three top-five finishes
* Average finish of 4.0 this season
* Led in every race for 42 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Two wins, 13 top fives and 21 top 10s
* 16.190 average finish
* Finished second and 36th, respectively, last season at Atlanta
* Has led in 17 of his 42 Atlanta races for a total of 924 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Season's second-best Driver Rating (109.1)

***

2 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)

The File:
* 35-years-old from Vallejo, Calif., 75 career wins
* Two top fives, three top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 4.7 this season
* Led in two of three races for 113 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Four wins, 12 top fives, 18 Top 10s
* 13.345 average finish
* Finished fourth and sixth, respectively, last season at Atlanta
* Has led in 18 of his 29 Atlanta races for a total of 1,020 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 477 passes this season, most of any driver

***

3 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet)

The File
* 39-years-old from South Boston, Va., 18 career wins
* Two top fives, three top 15s this season
* Average finish of 7.3 this season

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Five top fives, 10 top 10s
* 17.76 average finish
* Finished 25th and 13th, respectively, last season at Atlanta
* Has led in seven of his 29 Atlanta races for a total of 101 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Season's top Driver Rating of 112.5; best Average Running Position (7.429)

***

4 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)

The File:
* 31-years-old from El Cajon, Calif., 24 career wins
* One win, two top fives this season
* Seven top fives in last nine races
* Average finish of 14.3
* Led in two of three races for 120 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, six top fives, seven top 10s
* 10.909 average finish
* Finished sixth and second, respectively, last season at Atlanta
* Led in five of his 11 Atlanta races for a total of 203 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Season's Fastest Green Flag Speed

***

5 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)

The File:
* 35-years-old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins
* One win, two top fives; average finish of 10.7
* Led in all three races for 140 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Four top fives, seven top 10s
* 16.5 average finish
* Finished 13th and fourth, respectively, last season at Atlanta
* Led in three of his 14 Atlanta races for a total of 49 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Season's third-best Driver Rating (106.2)

***

6 -- Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)

The File:
* 31-years-old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories
* One win; average finish of 15.0 this season
* Led in two of three races for seven laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, two top fives
* 25.167 average finish
* Finished 39th and 31st, respectively, last season at Atlanta
* Has led in three of his 12 Atlanta events for a total of 68 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 29 Fastest Laps Run, tied for sixth-most this season

***

7 -- Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet)

The File
* 21-years-old from Las Vegas, Nev., three career wins
* Two consecutive top 10s
* Average finish of 14.0
* Led in all three races for 17 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
* 21.2 average finish
* Finished 12th and 27th, respectively, last season at Atlanta
* Has led in one of his five Atlanta races for four laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Average Running Position of 7.429 this season, second best

***

8 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet)

The File
* 26-years-old from Chesterfield, Va., two career wins
* One top five
* Average finish of 14.0

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One top 10 in three starts
* 19.3 average finish
* Finished 31st and eighth, respectively, last season at Atlanta
* Has led in one of his three Atlanta races for 16 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 229 Quality Passes this season, seventh most

***

9 -- J.J. Yeley (No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet)

The File
* 30-years-old from Phoenix, Ariz., zero career wins
* Two top 15s, three top 20s; average finish of 14.3
* Led in one of three races this season for one lap

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Three starts
* 19.333 average finish
* Finished 15th and 16th, respectively, last season at Atlanta

Loop Data Highlight:
* 10th Fastest Driver in the Turns this season

***

10 -- Elliott Sadler (No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge)

The File
* 31-years-old from Emporia, Va., three career wins
* One top five, two top 15s
* Average finish of 14.6

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Three top 10s
* 22.063 average finish
* Finished 29th and 21st, respectively, last season at Atlanta
* Has led in five of his 16 Atlanta races for 16 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 373 passes this season, tied for eight most

***

13 -- Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet)

The File:
* 35-years-old from Columbus, Ind., 29 career wins
* Two top 10s
* Average finish of 19.3
* Led two of three races for 63 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Two wins, six top fives, 10 top 10s
* 12.125 average finish
* Finish fifth and first, respectively, last season at Atlanta
* Has led 11 of his 16 Atlanta races for 669 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Pass Differential of 114, most of any driver

***

17 -- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)

The File:
* 27-years-old from Columbia, Mo., four career wins
* Two top 15s
* Average finish of 19.3
* Led one of three races for three laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Two wins, three top fives, four top 10s
* 10.4 average finish
* Finish 40th and seventh, respectively, last season at Atlanta
* Has led in four of his five Atlanta races for 140 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 10th-best Driver Rating of 87.3 this season

***

28 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet)

The File:
* 32-years-old from Kannapolis, N.C., 17 career wins
* One top 15
* Led in one of three races for one lap

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s
* 11.267 average finish
* Finish third in both races at Atlanta
* Has led in 10 of his 15 Atlanta races for 570 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 216 Quality Passes this season, tied for ninth most

***

36 -- Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge)

The File:
* 26-years-old from Enumclaw, Wash., seven career wins
* One top 10; one pole
* Led in two of three races for 33 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, four top fives (defending champion)
* 14.5 average finish
* Finish first and 38th, respectively, last season at Atlanta
* Has led two of his six Atlanta races for 89 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Driver Rating of 92.1 at Atlanta, seventh best

-credit: nascar