Week 17: Top 12 - and beyond

Week 17: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 23, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday (Note: Drivers listed below who are outside the top 12 are chosen based on past performances at the upcoming track and/or those within striking distance of the top 12).

1-- Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 111.1

2008 Rundown
* Five wins, 10 top fives, 11 top 10s
* Average finish of 9.6
* Led 12 races for 869 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Driver Rating of 96.2
* One win, three top fives
* Average finish of 14.2
* Finished fourth in September
* Led three of six races for 176 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* Series-high Average Running Position of 9.6

2 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.8

2008 Rundown
* One win, four top fives, 10 top 10s
* Average finish of 8.5
* Led seven races for 62 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Driver Rating of 94.6
* Four wins, seven top fives, 12 top 10s
* Average finish of 13.2
* Finished 18th in September
* Led 10 of 26 races for 694 laps

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

3-- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.7

2008 Rundown
* One win, seven top fives, 11 top 10s
* Average finish of 10.6
* Led 11 races for 541 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Driver Rating of 99.5
* Four top fives, seven top 10s
* Average finish of 17.5
* Finished 16th in September
* Led seven of 17 races for 243 laps

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

4 -- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 105.3

2008 Rundown
* Three wins, six top fives, 12 top 10s
* Average finish of 11.1
* Led eight races for 395 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Driver Rating of 86.0
* One top five
* Average finish of 13.7
* Finished 12th in September
* Led one of seven races for two laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* Series-high 496 Fastest Laps Run

5 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.9

2008 Rundown
* One win, four top fives, seven top 10s
* Average finish of 14.1
* Led 12 races for 600 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Driver Rating of 96.7
* Two wins, three top fives, seven top 10s
* Average finish of 10.7
* Finished sixth in September
* Led four of 12 races for 85 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* Average Running Position of 10.8, third-most

6 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.4

2008 Rundown
* Seven top fives, eight top 10s
* Average finish of 14.1
* Led eight races for 211 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Driver Rating of 108.7
* Three wins, 12 top fives, 15 top 10s; three poles
* Average finish of 11.6
* Finished second in September
* Led 17 of 26 races for 1,141 laps

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

7 -- Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.6

2008 Rundown
* Five top fives, seven top 10s
* Average finish of 14.4
* Led eight races for 283 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Driver Rating of 88.7
* Three top fives, four top 10s
* Average finish of 19.4
* Finished 13th in September
* Led two of 11 races for 26 laps

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

8 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.3

2008 Rundown
* One win, five top fives, eight top 10s
* Average finish of 15.1
* Led nine races for 664 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Driver Rating of 102.4
* One win, two top fives, three top 10s
* Average finish of 6.5
* Finished 15th in September
* Led three of four races for 51 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* Series-high 776 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)

9 -- Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.5

2008 Rundown
* Two wins, three top fives, eight top 10s
* Average finish of 16.1
* Led seven races for 144 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Driver Rating of 76.9
* One top five, four top 10s
* Average finish of 15.6
* Finished 20th in September
* Led two of eight races for 49 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* 180 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

10 -- Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 79.3

2008 Rundown
* One win, four top fives, eight top 10s
* Average finish of 16.1
* Led four races for 150 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Driver Rating of 88.0
* One win; one pole
* Average finish of 22.3; Won in September
* Led two of four races for 245 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* 144 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most

11 -- Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.1

2008 Rundown
* Five top fives, eight top 10s
* Average finish of 16.7
* Led seven races for 388 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Driver Rating of 117.9
* Two wins, 10 top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 12.8
* Finished third in September
* Led nine of 18 races for 803 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* 3,563 Laps in the Top 15 (71.6%), eighth-most

12 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.1

2008 Rundown
* Three top fives, 10 top 10s
* Average finish of 16.9; Led nine races for 191 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Driver Rating of 102.7
* Five top fives, 11 top 10s
* Average finish of 10.5; Finished seventh in September
* Led five of 16 races for 88 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* 163 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

13 -- Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.6

2008 Rundown
* Two top fives, five top 10s
* Average finish of 15.9
* Led three races for 34 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Driver Rating of 102.0
* One win, three top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 12.6
* Finished 17th in September
* Led seven of 14 races for 264 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* Eighth-fastest average Green Flag Speed rank

16 -- Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 80.4

2008 Rundown
* One win, two top fives, five top 10s
* Average finish of 18.2
* Led six races for 60 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Driver Rating of 102.7
* Two wins, five top fives, nine top 10s; four poles
* Average finish of 11.1; Finished ninth in September
* Led 11 of 12 races for 520 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* 25 "Closer" positions improved (positions improved in the last 10% of races), fifth-most

-credit: nascar