Top 12 - and beyond 2007-07-30

Week 21: The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 - And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 30, 2007) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 along with some other notable drivers, going into the Pennsylvania 500 at the Pocono Raceway on August 5.

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

The File:
* 35 years old, Vallejo, Calif., 79 career wins
* Four wins, 13 top fives, 18 top 10s
* Five poles
* Average finish of 6.4 this season
* Led 14 of 20 races for 764 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
* Four wins, 14 top fives, 20 top 10s
* Two poles
* Average finish of 10.4
* Won this season's Pocono 500
* Led 19 of 29 races for 870 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-best Closer -- 80 positions improved over the last 10% of races

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

The File:
* 26 years old, Chesterfield, Va., three career wins
* One win, seven top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 12.1
* Led 12 of 20 races for 721 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
* Two wins, three top 10s
* Average finish of 2.7
* Finished sixth at this season's Pocono 500
* Led all three of his races for 283 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 328 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

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

The File:
* 35 years old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins
* One win, seven top fives, 14 top 10s
* Average finish of 11.2
* Led 12 of 20 races for 256 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
* Three top fives, seven top 10s
* Average finish of 14.9
* Finished ninth at this season's Pocono 500
* Led six of 15 races for 26 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-high 5,504 laps run on the lead lap

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

The File:
* 40 years old from South Boston, Va., 19 career wins
* One win, six top fives, 11 top 10s
* Average finish of 12.4
* Led five of 20 races for 27 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
* Six top fives, 13 top 10s
* Average finish of 17.0
* Finished 13th at this season's Pocono 500
* Led 15 of 27 races for 104 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 1,128 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions), third-most

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

The File:
* 36 years old from Columbus, Ind., 31 career wins
* Two wins, six top fives, 13 top 10s
* Average finish of 14.2
* Led 14 of 20 races for 831 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
* One win, five top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 12.8
* Finished fifth at this season's Pocono 500
* Led seven of 17 races for 100 laps

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

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

The File:
* 27 years old from Columbia, Mo., five career wins
* One win, five top fives, seven top 10s
* Average finish of 13.2
* Led eight of 20 races for 136 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
* One win, two top fives
* Average finish of 16.6
* Finished 14th at this season's Pocono 500
* Led three of five races for 51 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 4,325 Laps in the Top 15, fifth-most

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

The File:
* 31 years old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories
* One win, four top fives, 10 top 10s
* Average finish of 14.9 this season
* Led nine of 20 races for 251 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
* One top five, four top 10s
* Average finish of 16.3 in 13 races
* Finished 11th at this season's Pocono 500

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 1,755 Green Flag Passes, eighth-best

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

The File:
* 22 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins
* One win, five top fives, 11 top 10s
* Average finish of 14.9
* Led 10 of 20 races for 172 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
* One top five, two top 10s
* Average finish of 17.0 in five races
* Finished eighth in this season's Pocono 500

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

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

The File:
* 31 years old from El Cajon, Calif., 27 career wins
* Four wins, nine top fives, 11 top 10s
* Average finish of 15.2
* Led 12 of 20 races for 763 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
* Two wins, three top fives, six top 10s
* Average finish of 11.2
* Finish 42nd in this season's Pocono 500
* Led four of 11 races for 275 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Average Running Position of 9.7, second-best

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

The File:
* 28 years old from Emporia, Kan.
* One top five, 10 top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 15.5
* Led seven of 20 races for 79 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
* One top 10
* Average finish of 24.0
* Finished 10th at this season's Pocono 500
* Led one of three races for eight laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Fifth-best Closer -- 31 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., 1 career win
* One win, four top fives, seven top 10s
* Average finish of 17.3
* Led eight of 20 races for 345 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
* One top five, two top 10s
* Average finish of 12.3
* Finished third in this season's Pocono 500
* Led on of three races for one lap

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 265 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-best

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

The File:
* 32 years old from Kannapolis, N.C., 17 career wins
* Three top five, seven top 10s
* Average finish of 17.2
* Led nine of 20 races for 337 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
* Three top fives, four top 10s
* Average finish of 18.3
* Finished 12th at this season's Pocono 500
* Led four of 15 races for 89 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 4,386 Laps in the Top 15, third-most

13 -- Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)

The File:
* 28 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., 15 career wins
* Three top fives, five top 10s
* Average finish of 17.6
* Led 11 of 20 races for 361 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
* One win, six top fives
* Average finish of 15.7
* Finished 16th at this season's Pocono 500
* Led six of 13 races for 172 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-high 1,166 Quality Passes

-credit: nascar