Week 16: The top 12 - and beyond

Week 16: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 15, 2009) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12, along with other notable drivers, going into the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway on June 21. (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: 101.6

2009 Rundown
• One win, seven top fives, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 8.9
• Led seven races for 99 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, three top fives, six top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 10.0
• Finished 10th last season
• Led seven of 10 races for 66 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.2, second-best

2 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.4

2009 Rundown
• One win, eight top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 10.2
• Led nine races for 505 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
• Five wins, 10 top fives, 12 top 10s; five poles
• Average finish of 9.3
• Finished third last season
• Led nine of 16 races for 437 laps

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

3 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 107.9

2009 Rundown
• Two wins, six top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 12.9
• Led 13 races for 794 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 19.3
• Finished 15th last season
• Led three of seven races for 30 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-best Average Running Position of 8.6

4 -- Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.1

2009 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 13.1
• Led eight races for 324 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
• Three top fives; one pole
• Average finish of 19.1
• Finished 32nd last season
• Led three of eight races for 60 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.3, third-best

5 -- Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 83.0

2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 13.6
• Led eight races for 138 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
• Two top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 9.4
• Finished seventh last season
• Led one of seven races for 11 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has run 80.3% of the laps on the lead lap, 12th-best

6 -- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.3

2009 Rundown
• Four top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 13.7
• Led eight races for 158 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
• Two top 10s
• Average finish of 17.8
• Finished ninth last season
• Led two of four races for 14 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: 95.7

2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 14.1
• Led eight races for 354 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
• Two top fives
• Average finish of 14.0
• Finished 11th last season
• Led two of six races for nine laps

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

8 -- Mark Martin (No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.9

2009 Rundown
• Three wins, four top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 16.2
• Led eight races for 218 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
• One win, seven top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 13.1
• Finished 13th in 2006, his last Infineon start
• Led five of 18 races for 161 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has been passed 581 times, fewest in the series

9 -- Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.2

2009 Rundown
• Three wins, four top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 16.5
• Led nine races for 798 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
• One win, two top 10s
• Average finish of 15.0
• Won last season's Infineon race
• Led one of four races for 78 laps

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

10 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.0

2009 Rundown
• Three top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 15.1
• Led five races for 480 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
• One top 10
• Average finish of 16.3
• Finished 27th last season
• Led one of three races for three laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 12.7, seventh-most

11 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.2

2009 Rundown
• Two wins, four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 15.7
• Led seven races for 184 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
• One top 10
• Average finish of 21.8 in nine races
• Finished eighth last season

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,277 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

12 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 81.2

2009 Rundown
• Two top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 15.0
• Led two races for 67 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
• One top five, five tops 10s
• Average finish of 18.9
• Finished 13th last season
• Led one of 15 races for three laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 64.2%, ninth-best

13 -- David Reutimann (No. 00 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 82.5

2009 Rundown
• One win, three top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 15.8
• Led five races for 72 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
• Finished 40th last season, his only Infineon start

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 15.1, 10th-best

14 -- Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Target Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 82.5

2009 Rundown
• Six top 10s
• Average finish of 15.8
• Led three races for 11 laps

Infineon Raceway Outlook:
• One win, two top 10s
• Average finish of 3.5
• Finished sixth last season
• Led one of two races for seven laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,442 Green Flag Passes, second-most

-credit: nascar