Week 21: Top 12 - and beyond

Week 21: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 28, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500. (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-- Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 110.7

2008 Rundown
*Seven wins, 12 top fives, 13 top 10s
*Average finish of 9.8
*Led 15 races for 1,079 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 78.4
*One top five, two top 10s
*Average finish of 20.0
*Finished 43rd in June's Pocono race
*Led one of seven races for two 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: 102.6

2008 Rundown
*One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 11.5
*Led 14 races for 629 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 79.6
*Five top fives, six top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 16.5
*Finished fourth in June
*Led five of 17 races for 97 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*367Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

3 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.4

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives, 11 top 10s
*Average finish of 10.6
*Led eight races for 72 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 91.1
*Seven top fives, 14 top 10s
*Average finish of 16.4
*Finished fifth in June
*Led 14 of 29 races for 103 laps

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

4 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.9

2008 Rundown
*Two wins, six top fives, 10 top 10s
*Average finish of 13.0
*Led 15 races for 690 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 97.3
*Two wins, four top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 10.3
*Finished sixth in June
*Led five of 13 races for 334 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Average Running Position of 10.0, second-most

5 -- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.4

2008 Rundown
*Three wins, eight top fives, 14 top 10s
*Average finish of 11.6
*Led 11 races for 415 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 90.5
*One win, two top fives, three top 10s
*Average finish of 16.1
*Finished ninth in June
*Led four of seven races for 53 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high 545 Fastest Laps Run

6 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.4

2008 Rundown
*Eight top fives, nine top 10s
*Average finish of 14.2
*Led 11 races for 270 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 94.9
*Four wins, 15 top fives, 21 top 10s; two poles
*Average finish of 10.3
*Finished 14th in June
*Led 20 of 31 races for 871 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Average Running Position of 11.5, fifth-best

7 -- Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.9

2008 Rundown
*Six top fives, nine top 10s
*Average finish of 15.3
*Led nine races for 326 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 79.5
*One top five, two top 10s
*Average finish of 18.8
*Finished 15th in June
*Led four of 11 races for 57 laps

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

8 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.4

2008 Rundown
*One win, six top fives, 10 top 10s
*Average finish of 16.0
*Led 11 races for 696 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 130.4
*Two wins, four top fives, five top 10s; two poles
*Average finish of 2.8
*Finished third in June
*Led four of five races for 300 laps

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

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

2008 Rundown
*Two wins, three top fives, 10 top 10s
*Average finish of 15.8
*Led seven races for 144 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 84.3
*One win, two top fives, three top 10s; two poles
*Average finish of 17.7
*Won June's Pocono race
*Led three of nine races for 74 laps

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

10 -- Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.2

2008 Rundown
*Six top fives, nine top 10s
*Average finish of 16.4
*Led nine races for 531 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 102.2
*One win, five top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 13.6
*Finished 35th in June
*Led nine of 19 races for 115 laps

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

11 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.4

2008 Rundown
*Four top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 16.8
*Led 10 races for 198 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 87.0
*Three top fives, eight top 10s
*Average finish of 14.4; Finished seventh in June
*Led eight of 17 races for 29 laps

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

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

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives, nine top 10s
*Average finish of 16.4
*Led four races for 150 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 66.1
*Two top 10s
*Average finish of 23.8
*Finished 39th in June
*Led two of five races for nine laps

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

13 -- Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.7

2008 Rundown
*Three top fives, six top 10s
*Average finish of 16.0
*Led four races for 88 laps

Pocono Raceway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 91.6
*One top five, four top 10s
*Average finish of 16.1 in 15 races
*Finished 13th in June

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

-credit: nascar