Week 25: Top 12 - and beyond

Week 25: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 25, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway. (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: 112.9

2008 Rundown
*Eight wins, 15 top fives, 16 top 10s
*Average finish of 9.8
*Led 18 races for 1,580 laps

Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 109.9
*One win, three top fives, six top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 10.3
*Finished fourth in February's Auto Club Speedway race
*Led six of eight races for 229 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high Average Running Position of 8.9

2 -- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 106.5

2008 Rundown
*Six wins, 11 top fives, 18 top 10s
*Average finish of 10.1
*Led 14 races for 636 laps

Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 105.6
*One win, six top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 6.8
*Won February's Auto Club Speedway race
*Led four of eight races for 120 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high 695 Fastest Laps Run

3 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.7

2008 Rundown
*One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 12.7
*Led 17 races for 706 laps

Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 73.7
*Three top fives, four top 10s
*Average finish of 21.4
*Finished 40th in February
*Led five of 13 races for 25 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*416 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

4 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.3

2008 Rundown
*Two wins, seven top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 13.3
*Led 18 races for 738 laps

Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 114.7
*Two wins, seven top fives
*Average finish of 6.4
*Finished second in February
*Led seven of 11 races for 295 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Average Running Position of 11.2, third-best

5 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.4

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives, 11 top 10s
*Average finish of 12.7
*Led nine races for 73 laps

Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 92.8
*Five top fives, six top 10s
*Average finish of 15.8
*Finished 12th in February
*Led five of 16 races for 80 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*1,016 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fourth-most

6 -- Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.5

2008 Rundown
*Eight top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 14.7
*Led 10 races for 532 laps

Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 101.0
*Three top fives, seven top 10s
*Average finish of 16.0
*Finished seventh in February
*Led six of 14 races for 225 laps

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

7 -- Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.5

2008 Rundown
*Seven top fives, 10 top 10s
*Average finish of 14.8
*Led 11 races for 329 laps

Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 94.6
*One win, two top fives
*Average finish of 19.6
*Finished 15th in February
*Led six of 11 races for 269 laps

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

8 -- Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.5

2008 Rundown
*Five top fives, 10 top 10s
*Average finish of 14.3
*Led four races for 88 laps

Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 85.9
*Three top 10s
*Average finish of 19.1
*Finished eighth in February
*Led five of 12 races for 32 laps

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

9 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.4

2008 Rundown
*Nine top fives, 11 top 10s
*Average finish of 15.4
*Led 12 races for 271 laps

Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 95.4
*Three wins, eight top fives; two poles
*Average finish of 11.3
*Finished third in February
*Led nine of 16 races for 525 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Average Running Position of 12.1, fifth-best

10 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.2

2008 Rundown
*Five top fives, 14 top 10s
*Average finish of 15.5
*Led 11 races for 201 laps

Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 112.7
*Two wins, five top fives, nine top 10s
*Average finish of 9.9
*Finished fifth in February
*Led nine of 13 races for 383 laps

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

11 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.8

2008 Rundown
*One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 16.3
*Led 11 races for 696 laps

Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 82.5
*One top 10
*Average finish of 17.8;
*Finished 41st in February
*Led one of five races for 29 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high 1,112 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)

12 -- Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 78.1

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives, 11 top 10s
*Average finish of 16.0
*Led four races for 150 laps

Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 84.1
*One top five, two top 10s
*Average finish of 12.4
*Finished 19th in February
*Led one of five races for two laps

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

13 -- David Ragan (No. 6 AAA Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 80.3

2008 Rundown
*Five top fives, nine top 10s
*Average finish of 15.9
*Led five races for 14 laps

Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 77.4
*Average finish of 14.0 in three races
*Finished 14th in February

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*1,091 Quality Passes, second-most

14 -- Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.7

2008 Rundown
*Two wins, three top fives, 11 top 10s
*Average finish of 17.4
*Led eight races for 185 laps

Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 98.4
*One win, three top five, six top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 13.7; Finished ninth in February
*Led six of nine races for 268 laps

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

-credit: nascar