Week 11: Top 12 - and beyond

Week 11: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 5, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington Raceway on May 10.

1-- Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 109.4

2008 Rundown
*Two wins, six top fives, seven top 10s
*Average finish of 9.1
*Led seven races for 398 laps

Darlington Raceway Outlook:
*One top 10
*Average finish of 22.3
*Finished 37th last season
*Led one of three races for one lap

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

2 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.7

2008 Rundown
*One win, three top fives, six top 10s
*Average finish of 7.9
*Led six races for 61 laps

Darlington Raceway Outlook:
*Two wins, eight top fives, 14 top 10s
*Average finish of 11.5
*Finished 10th in last season's Darlington race
*Led 11 of 25 races for 762 laps

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

3-- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 108.7

2008 Rundown
*Three top fives, seven top 10s
*Average finish of 10.9
*Led eight races for 416 laps Darlington Raceway Outlook:
*Two top fives, six top 10s
*Average finish of 15.0
*Finished eighth last season
*Led four of 13 races for 135 laps

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

4-- Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.4

2008 Rundown
*One win, three top fives, seven top 10s
*Average finish of 11.2
*Led four races for 150 laps

Darlington Raceway Outlook:
*One top 10; one pole
*Average finish of 16.0
*Finished ninth last season
*Led one of two races for 16 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*114 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

5 -- Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.2

2008 Rundown
*Two top fives, five top 10s
*Average finish of 10.9
*Led three races for 34 laps Darlington Raceway Outlook:
*Two top fives, four top 10s
*Average finish of 19.2
*Finished 17th last season
*Led one of 11 races for 14 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Average Running Position of 11.9, sixth-best

6 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 104.2

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives, six top 10s

*Average finish of 12.4
*Led five races for 630 laps Darlington Raceway Outlook:
*One top five, two top 10s
*Average finish of 6.0
*Finished second last season
*Led one of two races for 179 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*568 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-most

7 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.0

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives
*Average finish of 13.9
*Led seven races for 412 laps Darlington Raceway Outlook:
*Two wins, five top fives, eight top 10s
*Average finish of 6.8
*Finished third last season
*Led seven of nine races for 407 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*211 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

8 -- Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.0

2008 Rundown
*Four top fives, six top 10s
*Average finish of 13.7
*Led four races for 350 laps Darlington Raceway Outlook:
*Two top fives, eight top 10s
*Average finish of 11.9
*Finished sixth last season
*Led two of 15 races for eight laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high 2,862 Laps in the Top 15 (86.8%)

9 -- Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.8

2008 Rundown
*Three top fives, five top 10s
*Average finish of 13.6
*Led three races for 17 laps Darlington Raceway Outlook:
*Two wins, three top 10s
*Average finish of 10.7
*Finished 15th last season
*Led five of seven races for 427 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*108 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

10 -- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 104.0

2008 Rundown
*Three wins, four top fives, six top 10s
*Average finish of 14.0
*Led four races for 306 laps

Darlington Raceway Outlook:
*One top five, three top 10s
*Average finish of 15.0
*Finished fifth last season
*Led two of four races for 37 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high 361 Fastest Laps Run

11 -- Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.4

2008 Rundown
*One win, two top fives, five top 10s
*Average finish of 15.2
*Led four races for 53 laps Darlington Raceway Outlook:
*Five top fives, six top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 10.7
*Finished fourth last season
*Led seven of nine races for 249 laps

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

12 -- Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.2

2008 Rundown
*Five top 10s
*Average finish of 16.8
*Led four races for four laps

Darlington Raceway Outlook:
*Two top fives
*Average finish of 12.4
*Finished 20th last season
*Led three of five races for 125 laps

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

13 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.6

2008 Rundown
*Three top fives, four top 10s
*Average finish of 17.9
*Led six races for 184 laps Darlington Raceway Outlook:
*Seven wins, 15 top fives, 18 top 10s; three poles
*Average finish of 11.8
*Won last season's Darlington race
*Led 22 of 27 races for 1,496 laps

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

-credit: nascar