Top 10 drivers - and beyond 2007-03-26

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 26, 2007) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 10 along with some other notable drivers, going into the Goody's Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville Speedway on April 1.

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

The File:
* 35-years-old from Vallejo, Calif., 75 career wins
* Last held the points lead after winning the Daytona 500 in 2005; last points lead into a season: Sept. 26, 2004 (after Dover)
* Three top fives, four top 10s; two poles
* Average finish of 5.8 this season
* Led in four of five races for 149 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Seven wins, 16 top fives, 22 top 10s; five poles
* 7.536 average finish
* Finished second and fifth, respectively, last season
* Led in 20 of his 28 Martinsville races for a total of 2,206 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 579 Green Flag Passes, most of any driver

***

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

The File:
* 39-years-old from South Boston, Va., 18 career wins
* Four top fives
* Average finish of 5.6 this season
* Led in three of five races for 24 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* One win, nine top fives, 12 top 10s
* 15.4 average finish
* Finished 33rd and 42nd, respectively, last season
* Led in six of his 25 Martinsville races for a total of 574 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Average Running Position of 8.870, best of any driver; 429 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions), most of any driver

***

3 -- 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
* Average finish of 12.0
* Led in three of five races for 255 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Two wins, six top fives, nine top 10s
* 7.2 average finish
* Finished third and first, respectively, last season
* Led in four of his 10 Martinsville races for a total of 611 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Driver Rating of 108.3, second-best

***

4 -- 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 9.2
* Led in four of five races for 151 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* One top five, three top 10s
* 16.786 average finish
* Finished 24th and 11th, respectively, last season
* Led in five of his 14 Martinsville races for a total of 59 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Average Running Position of 10.194, fourth-best; 1,239 Laps in the Top 15, third-most

***

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

The File:
* 31-years-old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories
* One win, two top fives
* Average finish of 14.8 this season
* Led in four of five races for 17 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Four top 10s
* 18.182 average finish
* Finished seventh and ninth, respectively, last season
* Led in four of his 11 Martinsville races for a total of 147 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 53 Fastest Laps Run, tied for seventh-most

***

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

The File:
* 21-years-old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins
* One win, three top 10s
* Average finish of 15.0
* Led in four of five races for 46 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* One top five, two top 10s
* 17.75 average finish
* Finished fifth and 18th, respectively, last season

Loop Data Highlight:
* 324 Quality Passes, fourth-most

***

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

The File:
* 48-years-old from Batesville, Ark., 35 career wins
* Did not run at Bristol, ending a consecutive starts streak of 621 races
* Three top fives, four top 10s
* Average finish of 5.5 this season
* Led in three of five races for 42 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Two wins, 11 top fives and 21 top 10s; three poles
* 13.429 average finish
* Finished 13th and 24th, respectively, last season
* Led in 11 of his 42 Martinsville races for a total of 318 laps

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

***

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

The File:
* 27-years-old from Emporia, Kan., zero career wins
* Three top 10s
* Average finish of 14.8
* Led in three of four races for five laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Two starts; 22.5 average finish
* Finished 22nd and 23rd, respectively, last season

Loop Data Highlight:
* Driver Rating of 90.6, eighth-best

***

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

The File:
* 26-years-old from Chesterfield, Va., two career wins
* One top five; four top 20s
* Average finish of 15.0
* Led in one of five races for 177 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* One top five, two top 10s
* 15.667 average finish
* Finished 37th and second, respectively, last season
* Led in one of his three Martinsville races for a total of 28 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 53 Fastest Laps Run, tied for seventh-most

***

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

The File:
* 27-years-old from Columbia, Mo., four career wins
* Two top 10s
* Average finish of 15.4
* Led in one race for three laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* 23.2 average finish
* Finished 16th and 12th, respectively, last season

Loop Data Highlight:
* 351 Quality Passes, second-most of any driver

***

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

The File:
* 35-years-old from Columbus, Ind., 29 career wins
* One top five, three top 10s
* Average finish of 19.0
* Led four of five races for 441 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Two wins, six top fives, nine top 10s
* 12.563 average finish
* Finished first and fourth, respectively, last season
* Led nine of his 16 Martinsville races for 1,182 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Driver Rating of 108.5, best of any driver

***

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

The File:
* 32-years-old from Kannapolis, N.C., 17 career wins
* One top 10, three top 15s
* Average finish of 20.8
* Led in one of five races for one lap

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Six top fives
* 14.929 average finish
* Finished fourth and 22nd, respectively, last season
* Has led in four of his 14 Martinsville races for 451 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 294 Quality Passes, fifth-most

***

33 -- Ricky Rudd (No. 88 Snickers Ford)

The File:
* 50-years-old from Chesapeake, Va., 23 career wins
* 29.4 average finish

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Three wins, 13 top fives, 20 top 10s; four poles
* 14.887 average finish
* Finished seventh and 11th, respectively, in 2005
* Led in 18 of his 53 Martinsville races for 1,571 laps

***

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

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

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* One top five, two top 10s
* 15.833 average finish
* Finished 35th and seventh, respectively, last season
* Led in two of his six Martinsville races for 18 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Driver Rating of 75.7, 17th-best

-credit: nascar