Top 12 drivers - and beyond 2007-04-16

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 16, 2007) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 along with some other notable drivers, going into the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on April 21.

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

The File:
* 35-years-old from Vallejo, Calif., 75 career wins
* Five top fives, six top 10s; two poles
* Average finish of 5.0 this season
* Led in six of seven races for 414 laps

Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
* Seven top fives, 13 top 10s; two poles
* 8.625 average finish
* 10th and fourth, respectively, last season
* Led in five of his 16 Phoenix races for a total of 194 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Top Driver Rating of 112.7; 647 Green Flag Passes, most of any driver

***

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

The File:
* 39-years-old from South Boston, Va., 19 career wins
* One win, five top fives, six top 10s
* Average finish of 5.0 this season
* Led in four of seven races for 25 laps

Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
* Two wins, five top fives, eight top 10s
* 11.467 average finish
* Ninth and 10th, respectively, last season
* Led in four of his 15 Phoenix races for a total of 215 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Top Average Running Position of 8.770; 474 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the Top 15 under green flag conditions), most of any driver

***

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

The File:
* 35-years-old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins
* One win, four top fives, five top 10s
* Average finish of 8.3
* Led in six of seven races for 168 laps

Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
* One win, three top fives, four top 10s
* 19.889 average finish
* Finished third and 13th, respectively, last season
* Led in four of his nine Phoenix races for a total of 61 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 385 Quality Passes, third-most

***

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

The File:
* 31-years-old from El Cajon, Calif., 26 career wins
* Three wins, four top fives
* Average finish of 14.1
* Led in four of seven races for 368 laps

Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
* Two top fives, five top 10s
* 7.714 average finish
* Finished seventh and second, respectively, last season
* Led in three of his seven Phoenix races for a total of 113 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 192 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

***

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

The File:
* 26-years-old from Chesterfield, Va., two career wins
* Two top fives, three top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 12.4
* Led in two of seven races for 302 laps

Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
* One top five; one pole
* 16.667 average finish
* Finished 34th and third, respectively, last season
* Led in one of his three Phoenix races for a total of 23 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Driver Rating of 93.2, seventh-best

***

6 -- 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 14.4
* Led in three of seven races for five laps

Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
* One top five
* 20.0 average finish
* Finished fifth and 33rd, respectively, last season
* Led in one of his three Phoenix races for a total of 21 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Third-best "Closer" -- 17 positions improved over the last 10% of the races

***

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

The File:
* 21-years-old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins
* One win, two top fives, four top 10s
* Average finish of 16.6
* Led in five of seven races for 56 laps Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
* One win, two top 10s; one pole
* 20.750 average finish
* Finished 36th and 38th, respectively, last season
* Led in three of his four Phoenix races for a total of 78 laps Loop Data Highlight:
* Average Running Position of 12.642, sixth-best

***

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

The File:
* 27-years-old from Columbia, Mo., four career wins
* Two top 10s
* Average finish of 15.1
* Led in one race for three laps

Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
* Two top fives, four top 10s
* 11.8 average finish in five Phoenix NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races at Phoenix
* Finished fourth and fifth, respectively, last season

Loop Data Highlight:
* 1,753 Laps in the Top 15, seventh-most

***

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

The File:
* 35-years-old from Columbus, Ind., 29 career wins
* One top five, four top 10s
* Average finish of 18.1
* Led five of seven races for 452 laps

Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
* One win, four top fives, six top 10s
* 10.7 average finish
* Finished second and 14th, respectively, last season
* Led three of his 10 Phoenix races for 161 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Driver Rating of 105.3, fourth-best

***

10 -- Jamie McMurray (No. 26 Crown Royal/IRWIN Industrial Tools Ford)

The File:
* 30-years-old from Joplin, Mo., one career wins
* One top five, four top 10s
* 16.6 average finish

Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
* One top five, three top 10s
* 24.714 average finish in his seven NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races at Phoenix
* Finished 14th and 40th, respectively, last season

Loop Data Highlight:
* Ninth-Fastest Green Flag Speed

***

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

The File:
* 48-years-old from Batesville, Ark., 35 career victories
* Four top fives, five top 10s
* Average finish of 5.0 this season
* Led in three of his five races for 42 laps

Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
* One win, eight top fives, 14 top 10s
* 9.238 average finish
* Finished 11th and sixth, respectively last season
* Led in two of his eight Phoenix races for a total of 262 laps Loop Data Highlight:
* Fourth-Fastest Green Flag Speed

***

12 -- David Stremme (No. 40 Coors Light Dodge)

The File:
* 29-years-old from South Bend, Ind., zero career victories
* One top 10
* Average finish of 17.3 this season

Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
* 23.5 average finish in two Phoenix races
* Finished 29th and 18th, respectively, last season

Loop Data Highlight:
* 604 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most

***

14 -- 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 20.6 this season
* Led in four of seven races for 17 laps

Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
* Two wins, three top 10s
* 14.5 average finish
* Finished first in both Phoenix races last season
* Led in two of his eight Phoenix races for a total of 262 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 553 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

***

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

The File:
* 32-years-old from Kannapolis, N.C., 17 career wins
* One top five, two top 10s
* Average finish of 20.7
* Led in three of seven races for 234 laps

Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
* Two win, four top fives, five top 10s
* 16.333 average finish
* Finished 23rd and ninth, respectively, last season
* Has led in three of his nine Phoenix races for 310 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 183 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

-credit: nascar