NASCAR Cup

Top 12 drivers - and beyond 2007-04-30

Week 10: The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 30, 2007) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 along with some other notable drivers, going into the Crown Royal Presents the Jim Stewart ...

Edited: May 2, 2007, 12:08 AM

Copy link

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Week 10: The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 30, 2007) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 along with some other notable drivers, going into the Crown Royal Presents the Jim Stewart 400 at Richmond International Raceway on May 5.

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

The file:
* 35-years-old from Vallejo, Calif., 76 career wins
* Two wins, seven top fives, eight top 10s
* Four poles
* Won two consecutive races for the first time since 2004
* Average finish of 4.1 this season
* Led in eight of nine races for 538 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
* Two wins, 10 top fives, 16 top 10s; four poles
* 16.357 average finish
* 40th and 31st, respectively, last season
* Led in 17 of 28 races for 754 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-best Average Running Position of 7.844

***

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

The file:
* 39-years-old from S. Boston, Va., 19 career wins
* One win, five top fives, six top 10s
* Average finish of 9.1 this season
* Led in five of nine races for 27 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
* One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole
* 14.320 average finish
* 40th and ninth, respectively, last season
* Led in nine of 25 races: 899 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 798 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green) best of any driver

***

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

The file:
* 35-years-old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins
* One win, five top fives, six top 10s
* Average finish of 8.6
* Led in seven of nine races for 171 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
* One win, three top fives, eight top 10s
* 14.571 average finish
* Finished third and eighth, respectively, last season
* Led in six of 14 races for a total of 187 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 2,828 laps run on the lead lap, most of any driver

***

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

The file:
* 31-years-old from El Cajon, Calif., 26 career wins
* Three wins, six top fives
* Average finish of 11.7
* Led in five of nine races for 380 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
* One top five
* 21.2 average finish
* Finished 12th and 23rd, respectively, last season
* Led in four of 10 races for a total of 128 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 2,475 Laps in the Top 15, more than any driver

***

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

The file:
* 26-years-old from Chesterfield, Va., two career wins
* Three top fives, four top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 12.3
* Led in four of nine races for 420 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
* One top five; one pole
* 8.5 average finish
* Finished second and 15th, respectively, last season
* Led in both of his Richmond races for a total of 38 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 162 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

***

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

The file:
* 35-years-old from Columbus, Ind., 29 career wins
* Two top fives, five top 10s
* Average finish of 17.4
* Led seven of nine races for 591 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
* Three wins; five top fives, 10 top 10s
* 12.063 average finish
* Finished sixth and 18th, respectively, last season
* Led eight of 16 races for 764 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 230 Fastest Laps Run, tied for second-most

***

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

The file:
* 30-years-old from Joplin, Mo., one career win
* Two top fives, five top 10s
* 16.0 average finish
* Led one of nine races for two laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
* Two top 10s
* 22.75 average finish in eight races
* Finished 19th and 25th, respectively, last season

Loop Data Highlight:
* Sixth-fastest Speed in Traffic

***

8 -- 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, five top 10s
* Average finish of 17.8
* Led in five of nine races for 56 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
* Four top fives
* 3.75 average finish
* Finished fifth and second, respectively, last season
* Led in three of four races for a total of 265 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Fourth-fastest Green Flag Speed

***

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

The file:
* 31-years-old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories
* One win, two top fives, four top 10s
* Average finish of 17.8 this season
* Led in five of nine races for 71 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
* One win, four top fives, six top 10s; one pole
* 12.917 average finish
* Finished third and first, respectively, at Richmond last season
* Led in seven of 12 races for a total of 541 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 1,188 Green Flag Passes, more than any driver

***

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

The file:
* 28-years-old from Las Vegas, Nev., 15 career victories
* One top five, two top 10s
* Average finish of 17.6 this season
* Led in five of nine races for 168 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
* One win, two top 10s
* 20.0 average finish
* Finished 29th and 27th, respectively, at Richmond last season
* Led in five of 12 races for a total of 313 laps

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

***

11 -- 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 17.6
* Led in three of nine races for five laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
* One top 10
* 11.0 average finish in two races
* Finished 10th and 12th, respectively, last season

Loop Data Highlight:
* Driver Rating of 82.9, 11th-best

***

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

The file:
* 27-years-old from Columbia, Mo., four career wins
* Two top 10s
* Average finish of 17.7
* Led in one of nine races for three laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
* Two top 10s
* 18.0 average finish in five races
* Finished seventh and 35th, respectively, last season

Loop Data Highlight:
* 1,953 Laps in the Top 15, ninth-most

***

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

The file:
* 32-years-old from Kannapolis, N.C., 17 career wins
* One top five, three top 10s
* Average finish of 19.0
* Led in four of nine races for 236 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
* Three wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s
* 9.933 average finish
* Finished first and 17th, respectively, last season
* Has led in eight of 15 races for 322 laps

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

***

16 -- Greg Biffle (No. 16 Ameriquest Ford)

The file:
* 35-years-old from Vancouver, Wash., 11 career victories
* One top five, two top 10s
* Average finish of 20.7 this season
* Led in two of nine races for three laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
* Two top fives, five top 10s; one pole
* 13.1 average finish
* Finished fourth and sixth, respectively, at Richmond last season
* Led in four of nine races for a total of 71 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 543 Quality Passes, 10th-most

-credit: nascar

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Viber

Previous article LMS All-Star - Earnhardt Jr spotlight

Next article Talladega: Race results

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

Latest news

Jesse Love barely holds off Sam Mayer for NASCAR O'Reilly win at Phoenix

NASCAR O'Reilly

NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly

Phoenix II

2 h

Jesse Love barely holds off Sam Mayer for NASCAR O'Reilly win at Phoenix

Lando Norris faces anxious wait as F2 prepares to decide future of his racing team

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Singapore GP

5 h

Lando Norris faces anxious wait as F2 prepares to decide future of his racing team

NASCAR Cup Phoenix starting lineup: Blaney earns pole as Larson struggles

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Phoenix II

6 h

NASCAR Cup Phoenix starting lineup: Blaney earns pole as Larson struggles

Ryan Blaney kind of faces a must-win scenario this weekend at Phoenix

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Phoenix II

6 h

Ryan Blaney kind of faces a must-win scenario this weekend at Phoenix

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Become a subscriber.
Disable your adblocker.

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts