Top 10 drivers - and beyond 2007-03-19

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 19, 2007) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 10 along with some other notable drivers, going into the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 25.

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

The File:
* 48-years-old from Batesville, Ark., 35 career wins
* Four consecutive top 10s; three top fives
* Average finish of 5.5 this season
* Led in three of four races for 42 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Two wins, 15 top fives and 21 top 10s; seven poles
* 12.825 average finish
* Finished sixth and 28th, respectively, last season at Bristol
* Led in 18 of his 40 Bristol races for a total of 957 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Average Running Position of 9.517; second best

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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 6.5 this season
* Led in three of four races for 143 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Five wins, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s; four poles
* 11.786 average finish
* Finished 21st and fifth, respectively, last season at Bristol
* Led in 22 of his 28 Bristol races for a total of 2,429 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 542 passes, most of any driver; 76 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

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

The File:
* 39-years-old from South Boston, Va., 18 career wins
* Three top fives, four top 15s this season
* Average finish of 6.5 this season
* Led in three of four races for 24 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Six top fives, 10 top 10s
* 19.192 average finish
* Finished 34th and ninth, respectively, last season at Bristol
* Led in five of his 26 Bristol races for a total of 318 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Average Running Position of 8.079, best of any driver; 403 Quality Passes, most of any driver

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

The File:
* 31-years-old from El Cajon, Calif., 25 career wins
* Two wins, three top fives this season
* Eight top fives in last 10 races
* Average finish of 11.0
* Led in three of four races for 255 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Two top fives, six top 10s
* 15.5 average finish
* Finished 30th and 10th, respectively, last season at Bristol
* Led in three of his 10 Bristol races for a total of 29 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-leading Driver Rating of 113.6

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

The File:
* 35-years-old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins
* One win, three top fives; Average finish of 8.75
* Led in all four races for 151 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Two wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s; one pole
* 10.714 average finish
* Finished third and first, respectively, last season at Bristol
* Led in seven of his 14 Bristol races for a total of 742 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Third-best Driver Rating of 107.8

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

The File:
* 35-years-old from Columbus, Ind., 29 career wins
* One top five, two top 10s
* Average finish of 15.0
* Led three of four races for 184 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, four top fives, five top 10s
* 16.625 average finish
* Finish 12th and 22nd, respectively, last season at Bristol
* Led seven of his 16 Bristol races for 828 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Pass Differential of 132, best of any driver (number of cars passed compared to the number of times passed under green flag conditions)

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

The File:
* 31-years-old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories
* One win
* Average finish of 17.5 this season
* Led in three of four races for eight laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, six top fives, eight top 10s
* 10.583 average finish
* Finished second and 11th, respectively, last season at Bristol
* Led in seven of his 12 Bristol events for a total of 349 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 31 Fastest Laps Run, eighth most

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

The File
* 26-years-old from Chesterfield, Va., two career wins
* One top five; two top 20s
* Average finish of 15.25

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One top 10 in two starts
* 10.0 average finish
* Finished 14th and sixth, respectively, last season at Bristol

Loop Data Highlight:
* 16 positions improved in last 10% of laps run, making him the fifth best Closer

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9 -- Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet)

The File:
* 27-years-old from Emporia, Kan., zero career wins
* Two top 10s; Average finish of 16.5; Led in three of four races for five laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Two starts; 33.5 average finish
* Finished 29th and 38th, respectively, last season at Bristol

Loop Data Highlight:
* Average Running Position of 13.671, eighth best

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

The File:
* 27-years-old from Columbia, Mo., four career wins
* Two consecutive top 10s
* Average finish of 16.25
* Led in one race for three laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One top five, two top 10s
* 18.8 average finish
* Finished fourth and seventh, respectively, last season at Bristol
* Led in one of his five Bristol races for 16 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 339 Quality Passes, second most

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

The File:
* 21-years-old from Las Vegas, Nev., three career wins
* Two top 10s
* Average finish of 18.5
* Led in three of four races for 17 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One top five, two top 10s
* 17.75 average finish
* Finished eighth and second, respectively, last season at Bristol
* Led in two of his four Bristol races for 35 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 302 Quality Passes, fourth best

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20 -- Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Ford)

The File:
* 28-years-old from Las Vegas, Nev., 15 career wins
* One top 10, two top 15s
* Average finish of 21.25
* Led two of four races for 109 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Five wins, eight top 10s
* 14.0 average finish
* Finish first and 37th, respectively, last season at Bristol
* Led in seven of his 12 Bristol races for 550 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Driver Rating of 91.7, seventh best

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

The File:
* 32-years-old from Kannapolis, N.C., 17 career wins
* Two top 15s
* Average finish of 24.25
* Led in one of four races for one lap

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, five top fives, seven top 10s
* 12.5 average finish
* Finish 11th and third, respectively, last season at Bristol
* Has led in five of his 14 Bristol races for 742 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Fastest on the Straightaways; 279 Quality Passes, fifth most

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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
* 29.75 average finish
* Led in two of four races for 33 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One top 10
* 23.167 average finish
* Finish 10th and 12th, respectively, last season at Bristol

-credit: nascar