Week 20: Top 12 - and beyond

Week 20: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 14, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Allstate 400 at The Brickyard. (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: 111.2

2008 Rundown
*Seven wins, 12 top fives, 13 top 10s
*Average finish of 9.5
*Led 14 races for 1,065 laps

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 98.3
*One top five, three top 10s
*Average finish of 7.0
*Finished fourth in last season's Indianapolis race
*Led two of three races for 25 laps

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

2 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.3

2008 Rundown
*One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 11.5
*Led 13 races for 621 laps

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 67.4
*Two top 10s
*Average finish of 21.1
*Finished 34th last season
*Led three of eight races for 46 laps

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

3 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.6

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives, 10 top 10s
*Average finish of 10.7
*Led seven races for 62 laps

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 98.6
*One top five, three top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 18.4
*Finished eighth last season
*Led five of 14 races for 114 laps

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

4 -- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.4

2008 Rundown
*Three wins, seven top fives, 13 top 10s
*Average finish of 12.1
*Led 10 races for 411 laps

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 81.5
*One top 10
*Average finish of 13.0 in three career races
*Finished 18th last season

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high 531 Fastest Laps Run

5 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.5

2008 Rundown
*One win, five top fives, nine top 10s
*Average finish of 13.6
*Led 14 races for 619 laps

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 83.1
*One win, two top 10s
*Average finish of 23.5
*Finished 39th last season
*Led one of six races for 33 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Average Running Position of 10.4, second-most

6 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.2

2008 Rundown
*Seven top fives, eight top 10s
*Average finish of 14.6
*Led 10 races for 263 laps

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 89.9
*Four wins, eight top fives, 11 top 10s; three poles
*Average finish of 8.9
*Finished third last season
*Led nine of 14 races for 402 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Average Running Position of 11.8, fifth-best

7 -- Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.7

2008 Rundown
*Six top fives, eight top 10s
*Average finish of 15.7
*Led nine races for 326 laps

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 84.4
*One top 10
*Average finish of 19.2
*Finished 15th last season
*Led one of five races for 11 laps

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

8 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.3

2008 Rundown
*Four top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 15.7
*Led 10 races for 198 laps

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 106.1
*Four top fives, five top 10s
*Average finish of 13.3; Finished 10th last season
*Led three of eight races for 28 laps

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

9 -- Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.1

2008 Rundown
*Three top fives, six top 10s
*Average finish of 14.9
*Led four races for 88 laps

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 108.7
*One win, three top fives, five top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 7.7
*Finished seventh last season
*Led four of seven races for 87 laps

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

10 -- Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.9

2008 Rundown
*Six top fives, nine top 10s
*Average finish of 16.1
*Led nine races for 531 laps

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 121.4
*Two wins, four top fives, six top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 7.6
*Won last season's Indianapolis race
*Led five of nine races for 215 laps

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

11 -- Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.6

2008 Rundown
*Two wins, three top fives, nine top 10s
*Average finish of 16.3
*Led seven races for 144 laps

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 91.2
*Two top fives
*Average finish of 20.5
*Finished 40th last season
*Led two of four races for 40 laps

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

12 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.1

2008 Rundown
*One win, five top fives, nine top 10s
*Average finish of 16.6
*Led 10 races for 670 laps

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 92.1
*One top 10
*Average finish of 16.0 in two races
*Finished 22nd last season

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

13 -- Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 79.7

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives, nine top 10s
*Average finish of 16.3
*Led four races for 150 laps

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 90.3
*One top five
*Average finish of 8.5 in two races
*Finished 13th last season

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

-credit: nascar