NASCAR Cup

Week 26: The top 12 - and beyond

Week 26: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 8, 2009) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12, along with other notable drivers, going into the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 at Richmond ...

Published: Oct 2, 2009, 4:16 PM

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Week 26: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 8, 2009) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12, along with other notable drivers, going into the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway on Sept. 12. (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: 102.6

2009 Rundown
• Three wins, 13 top fives, 18 top 10s
• Average finish of 8.8
• Led 14 races for 275 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Three wins, nine top fives, 15 top 10s
• Average finish of 10.0
• Finished second in May's Richmond race
• Led 11 of 21 races for 815 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-best Pass Differential of 290 (passes minus times passed)

2 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.3

2009 Rundown
• One win, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s
• Average finish of 11.2
• Led 13 races for 601 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, 12 fives, 21 top 10s; five poles
• Average finish of 14.9
• Finished eighth in May
• Led 21 of 33 races for 1,161 laps

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

3 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 110.5

2009 Rundown
• Three wins, nine top fives, 15 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.8
• Led 21 races for 1,252 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Three wins, four top fives; two poles
• Average finish of 18.7
• Finished 36th in May
• Led seven of 15 races for 369 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-best Average Running Position of 8.3

4 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.6

2009 Rundown
• One win, eight top fives, 13 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.8
• Led 11 races for 693 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Three top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 9.6
• Finished 14th in May
• Led all seven of his Richmond races for 600 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 12.2, sixth-best

5 -- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.8

2009 Rundown
• Seven top fives, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.9
• Led nine races for 159 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Three top 10s
• Average finish of 19.0
• Finished 26th in May
• Led one of 10 races for 15 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 13.8, eighth-best

6 -- Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.9

2009 Rundown
• Two wins, five top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 14.0
• Led six races for 180 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One win, two top fives, five top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 18.5
• Finished 29th in May
• Led three of 11 races for 249 laps

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

7 -- Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.1

2009 Rundown
• One win, six top fives, 13 top 10s
• Average finish of 14.4
• Led 13 races for 391 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One win, two top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 18.7
• Finished 12th in May
• Led seven of 17 races for 348 laps

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

8 -- Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Target Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.5

2009 Rundown
• Two top five, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.6
• Led six races for 164 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One top 10
• Average finish of 27.8 in five races
• Finished 10th in May

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 2,207 Green Flag Passes, second-most

9 -- Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 81.4

2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 14.2
• Led 11 races for 157 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One win, five top fives, nine top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 11.7
• Finished fourth in May
• Led nine of 15 races for 433 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has run 85.1% of the laps on the lead lap, 11th-best

10 -- Mark Martin (No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.9

2009 Rundown
• Four wins, eight top fives, 13 top 10s
• Average finish of 16.0
• Led 16 races for 704 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One win, 16 top fives, 26 top 10s; three poles
• Average finish of 11.9
• Finished fifth in May
• Led 17 of 47 races for 417 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has been passed 1,031 times, fewest in the series

11 -- Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.8

2009 Rundown
• Eight top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 14.6
• Led 11 races for 432 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two top fives, five top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 15.8
• Finished 17th in May
• Led four of 14 races for 71 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 387 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

12 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.1

2009 Rundown
• Two wins, four top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 15.1
• Led 11 races for 195 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One win, three top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 16.7
• Finished 13th in May
• Led eight of 19 races for 192 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 2,041 Green Flag Passes, tied for seventh-most

13 -- Brian Vickers (No. 83 Red Bull Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.3

2009 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 15.2
• Led 10 races for 101 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One top 10; two poles
• Average finish of 27.8
• Finished 15th in May
• Led two of 10 races for 53 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 158 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most

14 -- Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.5

2009 Rundown
• Four wins, six top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 16.7
• Led 14 races for 916 laps

Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One win, seven top fives
• Average finish of 6.1
• Won the May Richmond race
• Led six of nine races for 398 laps

Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 323 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

-credit: nascar

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