NASCAR Cup

Week 18: The top 12 - and beyond

Week 18: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 29, 2009) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12, along with other notable drivers, going into the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola at ...

Published: Oct 2, 2009, 4:43 PM

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Week 18: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 29, 2009) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12, along with other notable drivers, going into the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on July 4. (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: 104.1

2009 Rundown
• One win, nine top fives, 13 top 10s
• Average finish of 8.2
• Led nine races for 150 laps

Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, six top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 17.2
• Finished eighth in February
• Led 11 of 21 races for 546 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 9.8, second-best

2 -- Jeff Gordon No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.9

2009 Rundown
• One win, nine top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 9.6
• Led 10 races for 569 laps

Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Six wins, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s; three poles
• Average finish of 15.1
• Finished 13th in February
• Led 25 of 33 races for 571 laps

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

3 -- Jimmie Johnson No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 108.5

2009 Rundown
• Two wins, seven top fives, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.2
• Led 14 races for 887 laps

Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• One win, five top fives, eight top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 15.0
• Finished 31st in February
• Led seven of 15 races for 59 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-best Average Running Position of 8.8

4 -- Kurt Busch No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.3

2009 Rundown
• One win, five top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 12.6
• Led 10 races for 353 laps

Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Eight top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 17.9
• Finished 10th in February
• Led five of 17 races for 166 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.0, third-best

5 -- Carl Edwards No. 99 Aflac Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.1

2009 Rundown
• Four top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 13.9
• Led eight races for 158 laps

Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Two top fives
• Average finish of 21.4
• Finished 18th in February
• Led two of nine races for three laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 12.3, sixth-best

6 -- Denny Hamlin No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.5

2009 Rundown
• Four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 14.5
• Led seven races for 514 laps

Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Average finish of 26.77
• Finished 26th in February
• Led three of seven races for 48 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 12.6, seventh-best

7 -- Ryan Newman No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 82.5

2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 14.7
• Led nine races for 155 laps

Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• One win, two top fives, three top 10s
• Average finish of 21.0
• Finished 36th in February
• Led five of 15 races for 35 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has run 81.1% of the laps on the lead lap, 12th-best

8 -- Kyle Busch No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.8

2009 Rundown
• Three wins, four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 16.2
• Led 10 races for 808 laps

Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• One win, four top fives
• Average finish of 18.4
• Finished 41st in February
• Led six of nine races for 234 laps

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

9 -- Greg Biffle No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.3

2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 15.1
• Led nine races for 355 laps

Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• One win, three top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 22.5
• Finished 20th in February
• Led four of 13 races for 30 laps

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

10 -- Matt Kenseth No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.7

2009 Rundown
• Two wins, four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 16.2
• Led seven races for 184 laps

Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• One win, three top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 18.4
• Won February's Daytona 500
• Led 10 of 19 races for 66 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,409 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

11 -- Mark Martin No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.3

2009 Rundown
• Three wins, four top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 17.2
• Led nine races for 219 laps

Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Nine top fives, 17 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 17.7
• Finished 16th in February
• Led 13 of 48 races for 240 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has been passed 742 times, fewest in the series

12 -- Juan Pablo Montoya No. 42 Target Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.9

2009 Rundown
• Seven top 10s
• Average finish of 15.0
• Led four races for 17 laps

Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Average finish of 27.0 in five races
• Finished 14th in February

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,599 Green Flag Passes, second-most

13 -- Kasey Kahne No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.1

2009 Rundown
• One win, two top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 15.5
• Led three races for 83 laps

Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Four tops 10s
• Average finish of 18.1
• Finished 29th in February
• Led three of 11 races for five laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 143 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

-credit: nascar

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