Top 12 - and beyond

Week 26: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 1, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond ...

Week 26: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 1, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. (Note: Drivers listed below who are outside the top 12 are chosen based on past performances at the upcoming track and/or are within striking distance of the top 12.)

1-- Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 112.0

2008 Rundown
*Eight wins, 15 top fives, 17 top 10s
*Average finish of 9.7
*Led 18 races for 1,580 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 110.6
*Six top fives
*Average finish of 5.6
*Finished second in May's Richmond race
*Led four of seven races for 292 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high Average Running Position of 9.0

2 -- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 106.4

2008 Rundown
*Six wins, 11 top fives, 19 top 10s
*Average finish of 10.0
*Led 14 races for 636 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 79.7
*Three top 10s
*Average finish of 18.9
*Finished seventh in May
*Led one of eight races for 15 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high 702 Fastest Laps Run

3 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.3

2008 Rundown
*Three wins, eight top fives, 13 top 10s
*Average finish of 12.8
*Led 19 races for 966 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 81.0
*Two wins, three top fives; two poles
*Average finish of 18.8
*Finished 12th in May
*Led six of 13 races for 337 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Average Running Position of 10.8, third-best

4 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.2

2008 Rundown
*One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 12.6
*Led 17 races for 706 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 92.4
*Three wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s
*Average finish of 11.5
*Finished 15th in May
*Led nine of 18 races for 337 laps

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

5 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.0

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives, 11 top 10s
*Average finish of 12.8
*Led 10 races for 74 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 80.2
*One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 15.4
*Finished 11th in May
*Led nine of 28 races for 899 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*1,063 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fifth-most

6 -- Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.8

2008 Rundown
*Eight top fives, 11 top 10s
*Average finish of 14.3
*Led 12 races for 341 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 92.0
*Two top fives, five top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 15.8
*Finished 14th in May
*Led four of 12 races for 71 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*313 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

7 -- Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.5

2008 Rundown
*Six top fives, 11 top 10s
*Average finish of 13.9
*Led four races for 88 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 118.9
*One win, four top fives, nine top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 11.8
*Finished eighth in May
*Led eight of 15 races for 646 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Seventh-fastest average Green Flag Speed rank

8 -- Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.7

2008 Rundown
*Eight top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 15.0
*Led 10 races for 532 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 102.3
*Three wins, seven top fives, 13 top 10s
*Average finish of 10.9
*Finished fourth in May
*Led 10 of 19 races for 792 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*263 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

9 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.6

2008 Rundown
*Six top fives, 15 top 10s
*Average finish of 15.1
*Led 12 races for 202 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 85.2
*One win, three top fives, nine top 10s
*Average finish of 15.6
*Finished 38th in May
*Led seven of 17 races for 190 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*186 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

10 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.9

2008 Rundown
*Nine top fives, 11 top 10s
*Average finish of 15.4
*Led 13 races for 273 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 88.2
*Two wins, 12 top fives, 19 top 10s; five poles
*Average finish of 15.3
*Finished ninth in May
*Led 19 of 31 races for 1,059 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Average Running Position of 12.1, fifth-best

11 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.8

2008 Rundown
*One win, eight top fives, 13 top 10s
*Average finish of 15.8
*Led 11 races for 696 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 114.8
*Two top fives, three top 10s; two poles
*Average finish of 10.0
*Finished 24th in May
*Led all five of his races for 448 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*1,141 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-most

12 -- Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 78.5

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 15.8
*Led four races for 150 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 93.2
*One win, three top 10s
*Average finish of 8.8
*Won the Richmond race in May
*Led two of five races for 17 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*184 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most

13 -- David Ragan (No. 6 AAA Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 80.2

2008 Rundown
*Five top fives, nine top 10s
*Average finish of 15.8
*Led six races for 15 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 75.0
*One top five
*Average finish of 13.3 in three races; Finished 17th in May

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high 1,147 Quality Passes

14 -- Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.4

2008 Rundown
*Two wins, three top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 17.0
*Led eight races for 185 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 98.2
*One win, two top five, five top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 17.3; Finished 10th in May
*Led three of nine races for 249 laps