Top 12 - and beyond 2007-06-18

Week 16: The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 - And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 18, 2007) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 along with some other notable drivers, going into the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway on June 24.

Chase Contenders
The Top 12 ... And Beyond
Following Race 15 of 36

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

The File:
* 35-years-old, Vallejo, Calif., 79 career wins
* Four wins, 10 top fives, 13 top 10s
* Five poles
* Average finish of 6.8 this season
* Led 12 of 15 races for 718 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
* Five wins, nine top fives, 10 top 10s; five poles
* 9.9 average finish
* Finished first last season
* Led nine of 14 races for 437 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 343 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

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

The File:
* 26-years-old, Chesterfield, Va., two career wins
* Six top fives, nine top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 9.9
* Led nine of 15 races for 662 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
* Finished 12th last season in his only start at Infineon Raceway

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Average Running Position of 10.421, third-best

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

The File:
* 31-years-old from El Cajon, Calif., 27 career wins
* Four wins, eight top fives, nine top 10s
* Average finish of 13.0
* Led nine of 15 races for 668 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
* One top five, two top 10s
* 20.6 average finish
* Finished 10th last season
* Led one of five races for a total of two laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-best 8.217 Average Running Position

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

The File:
* 35-years-old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins
* One win, six top fives, 10 top 10s
* Average finish of 10.8
* Led 10 of 15 races for 253 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
* 22.0 average finish in seven races
* Finished 17th last season

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 4,522 laps run on the lead lap, second-most

5 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)

The File:
* 39-years-old from South Boston, Va., 19 career wins
* One win, five top fives, seven top 10s
* Average finish of 13.9 this season
* Led in five of 15 races for 27 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
* Four top 10s
* 20.6 average finish
* Finished seventh last season
* Led one of 13 races for three laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 911 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions), second-most

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

The File:
* 27-years-old from Columbia, Mo., five career wins
* One win, three top fives, five top 10s
* Average finish of 13.9
* Led six of 15 races for 122 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
* One top 10
* 22.0 average finish in two races
* Finished sixth last season

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 3,606 Laps in the Top 15, sixth-best

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

The File:
* 36-years-old from Columbus, Ind., 29 career wins
* Four top fives, 10 top 10s
* Average finish of 15.0
* Led 11 of 15 races for 652 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
* Two wins, three top fives, four top 10s; one pole
* 10.5 average finish
* Finished 28th last season
* Led six of eight races for 60 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 322 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

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

The File:
* 31-years-old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories
* One win, two top fives, six top 10s
* Average finish of 16.2 this season
* Led in six of 15 races for 176 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
* One top five
* 17.3 average finish
* Finished 24th last season
* Led one of six races for five laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-high 1,529 Green Flag Passes

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

The File:
* 28-years-old from Emporia, Kan., zero career wins
* Seven top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 15.9
* Led five of 15 races for 23 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
* Finished 16th last season, his only start at Infineon Raceway

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 2,669 Laps in the Top 15, 12th-best

10 -- Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet)

The File:
* 26-years-old from Mayetta, N.J., 1 career win
* One win, three top fives, six top 10s
* Average finish of 17.0
* Led six of 15 races for 287 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
* Finished 15th last season, his only start at Infineon Raceway

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 1,425 Green Flag Passes, third-most

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

The File:
* 22-years-old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins
* One win, three top fives, eight top 10s
* Average finish of 17.3
* Led in seven of 15 races for 87 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
* 25.5 average finish in two races
* Finished 11th last season

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Fourth-fastest Green Flag Speed

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

The File:
* 32-years-old from Kannapolis, N.C., 17 career wins
* Two top five, six top 10s
* Average finish of 15.9
* Led six of 15 races for 238 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
* 23.3 average finish
* Finished 26th last season
* Led one of seven races for nine laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 3,643 Laps in the Top 15, third-most

15 -- Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge)

The File:
* 29-years-old from South Bend, Ind., 12 career wins
* Three top fives, six top 10s; four poles
* Average finish of 20.2
* Led seven of 15 races for 207 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
* Two top fives, four top 10s
* 7.8 average finish
* Finished second last season
* Led one of five races for 11 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 799 Quality Passes, seventh-most

-credit: nascar