Week 15: The top 12 - and beyond

Week 15: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 8, 2009) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12, along with other notable drivers, going into the LifeLock 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 14. (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 -- Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.2

2009 Rundown
• One win, seven top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 9.0
• Led seven races for 99 laps

Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• One win, nine top fives, 13 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.5
• Finished 12th in August
• Led six of 20 races for 168 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.4, second-best

2 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.6

2009 Rundown
• One win, seven top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 10.8
• Led nine races for 505 laps

Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, 15 top fives, 20 top 10s; five poles
• Average finish of 11.8
• Finished 42nd in August
• Led 21 of 32 races for 899 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 312 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

3 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 106.2

2009 Rundown
• Two wins, six top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 12.3
• Led 12 races for 648 laps

Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Two top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 14.4
• Finished 17th in August
• Led eight of 14 races for 231 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-best Average Running Position of 9.1

4 -- Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.3

2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 12.9
• Led eight races for 138 laps

Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, four top fives; one pole
• Average finish of 18.6
• Finished 21st in August
• Led eight of 15 races for 94 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has run 81.4% of the laps on the lead lap, 11th-best

5 -- Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.7

2009 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 13.5
• Led eight races for 324 laps

Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, six top 10s
• Average finish of 20.1
• Finished 36th in August
• Led 10 of 16 races for 290 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.6, third-best

6 -- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.9

2009 Rundown
• Three top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 14.4
• Led seven races for 157 laps

Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 6.6
• Won August's Michigan race
• Led six of nine races for 242 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 12.0, sixth-best

7 -- Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.7

2009 Rundown
• Four top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 14.7
• Led seven races for 312 laps

Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, five top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 13.2
• Finished fourth in August
• Led eight of 12 races for 191 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 314 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

8 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.5

2009 Rundown
• Two wins, four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 15.4
• Led seven races for 184 laps

Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, nine top fives, 13 top 10s
• Average finish of 9.1
• Finished fifth in August
• Led eight of 19 races for 222 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,212 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most

9 -- Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.7

2009 Rundown
• Three wins, four top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 16.7
• Led eight races for 789 laps

Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• One top five, three top 10s
• Average finish of 17.4
• Finished second in August
• Led five of eight races for 79 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 237 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

10 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 82.9

2009 Rundown
• Two top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 14.2
• Led two races for 67 laps

Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Four top fives, eight top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 15.8
• Finished 11th in August
• Led eight of 30 races for 75 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 67%, ninth-best

11 -- David Reutimann (No. 00 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 83.4

2009 Rundown
• One win, three top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 15.6
• Led five races for 72 laps

Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Average finish of 21.8 in his four Michigan races
• Finished 14th in August

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 15.0, 10th-best

12 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.0

2009 Rundown
• Two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 15.9
• Led four races for 479 laps

Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 15.5
• Finished 39th in August
• Led two of six races for two laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 13.0, seventh-most

13 -- Mark Martin (No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.8

2009 Rundown
• Two wins, three top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 17.3
• Led seven races for 217 laps

Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Four wins, 16 top fives, 28 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.1
• Finished sixth in August
• Led 24 of 46 races for 882 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has been passed 547 times, fewest in the series

-credit: nascar