Week 24: The top 12 - and beyond

Week 24: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 17, 2009) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12, along with other notable drivers, going into the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on ...

Week 24: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 17, 2009) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12, along with other notable drivers, going into the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 22. (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: 105.6

2009 Rundown
• Three wins, 13 top fives, 18 top 10s
• Average finish of 7.7
• Led 14 races for 275 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One win, five top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 16.4
• Finished 17th in March's Bristol race
• Led nine of 21 races for 1,352 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-best Pass Differential of 272 (passes minus times passed)

2 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.2

2009 Rundown
• One win, 11 top fives, 16 top 10s
• Average finish of 10.9
• Led 12 races for 571 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Five wins, 14 fives, 20 top 10s; five poles
• Average finish of 11.3
• Finished fourth in March
• Led 25 of 33 races for 2,438 laps

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

3 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 111.0

2009 Rundown
• Three wins, nine top fives, 14 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.0
• Led 19 races for 1,128 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Three top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 16.4
• Finished third in March
• Led five of 15 races for 131 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-best Average Running Position of 8.2

4 -- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.0

2009 Rundown
• Seven top fives, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.8
• Led nine races for 159 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, three top fives, four top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 13.9
• Finished 15th in March
• Led three of 10 races for 282 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 12.4, sixth-best

5 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.0

2009 Rundown
• One win, seven top fives, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.4
• Led 10 races for 670 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 12.6
• Finished second in March
• Led three of seven races for 282 laps

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

6 -- Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.4

2009 Rundown
• One win, six top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.7
• Led 13 races for 391 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Five wins, nine top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 14.2
• Finished 11th in March
• Led nine of 17 races for 562 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 11.1, third-best

7 -- Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Target Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.1

2009 Rundown
• One top five, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.6
• Led five races for 133 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One top 10
• Average finish of 18.4 in five races
• Finished ninth in March

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 2,062 Green Flag Passes, second-most

8 -- Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.7

2009 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 14.0
• Led five races for 120 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Two top fives, four top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 19.3
• Finished fifth in March
• Led one of 11 races for 305 laps

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

9 -- Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 80.7

2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 14.8
• Led 10 races for 156 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One top five, eight top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 19.2
• Finished seventh in March
• Led four of 15 races for 82 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has run 83.2% of the laps on the lead lap, 11th-best

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

2009 Rundown
• Seven top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 15.2
• Led nine races for 355 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Four top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 12.1
• Finished 39th in March
• Led four of 13 races for 202 laps

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

11 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.8

2009 Rundown
• Two wins, four top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 15.4
• Led 10 races for 194 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, seven top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 13.3
• Finished 33rd in March
• Led seven of 19 races for 742 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,903 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most

12 -- Mark Martin (No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.6

2009 Rundown
• Four wins, six top fives, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 17.1
• Led 13 races for 464 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, 15 top fives, 22 top 10s; eight poles
• Average finish of 12.7
• Finished sixth in March
• Led 19 of 41 races for 958 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has been passed 975 times, fewest in the series

13 -- Brian Vickers (No. 83 Red Bull Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.6

2009 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 15.7
• Led nine races for 99 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Average finish of 26.0
• Finished 29th in March
• Led one of 10 races for one lap

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 967 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), seventh-most

15 -- Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.4

2009 Rundown
• Three wins, five top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 17.6
• Led 12 races for 824 laps

Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 11.2
• Won March's Bristol race
• Led seven of nine races for 867 laps