Week 27: Top 12 - and beyond

Week 27: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 8, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 going into the first race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup -- the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor ...

Week 27: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 8, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 going into the first race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup -- the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

1-- Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 111.8

2008 Rundown
*Eight wins, 15 top fives, 17 top 10s
*Average finish of 9.9
*Led 19 races for 1,633 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 92.4
*One win, three top fives
*Average finish of 15.7
*Finished 25th in June's NHMS race
*Led three of seven races for 176 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high Average Running Position of 9.3

2 -- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 105.6

2008 Rundown
*Six wins, 11 top fives, 19 top 10s
*Average finish of 10.1
*Led 14 races for 636 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 83.1
*One top five
*Average finish of 14.1
*Finished 17th in June
*Led one of eight races for two laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high 716 Fastest Laps Run

3 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.9

2008 Rundown
*Four wins, nine top fives, 14 top 10s
*Average finish of 12.4
*Led 20 races for 998 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 98.3
*Two wins, three top fives, eight top 10s
*Average finish of 10.5
*Finished ninth in June
*Led four of 13 races for 85 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Average Running Position of 10.6, second-best

4 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.3

2008 Rundown
*One win, eight top fives, 13 top 10s
*Average finish of 12.3
*Led 18 races for 796 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 100.1
*Four top fives, seven top 10s
*Average finish of 17.8
*Finished 24th in June
*Led eight of 18 races for 272 laps

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

5 -- Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 79.0

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 15.7
*Led four races for 150 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 89.8
*One win; one pole
*Average finish of 22.2
*Finished 22nd in June
*Led two of five races for 245 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*189 Fastest Laps Run, tied for 11th-most

6 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.7

2008 Rundown
*One win, nine top fives, 14 top 10s
*Average finish of 15.3
*Led 12 races for 700 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 104.0
*One win, two top fives, four top 10s
*Average finish of 6.8
*Finished eighth in June
*Led three of five races for 51 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high 1,194 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)

7 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.7

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 12.6
*Led 10 races for 74 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 94.6
*Four wins, seven top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 13.1
*Finished 12th in June
*Led 10 of 27 races for 694 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*1,115 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fifth-most

8 -- Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.8

2008 Rundown
*Nine top fives, 13 top 10s
*Average finish of 14.5
*Led 11 races for 555 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 118.6
*Two wins, 10 top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 12.8
*Finished 13th in June
*Led 10 of 19 races for 935 laps

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

9 -- Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.1

2008 Rundown
*Eight top fives, 11 top 10s
*Average finish of 14.3
*Led 12 races for 341 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 84.3
*Three top fives, four top 10s
*Average finish of 19.5
*Finished 21st in June
*Led two of 12 races for 26 laps

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

10 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.1

2008 Rundown
*Nine top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 15.1
*Led 14 races for 279 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 108.7
*Three wins, 12 top fives, 15 top 10s; three poles
*Average finish of 11.6
*Finished 11th in June
*Led 17 of 27 races for 1,141 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Average Running Position of 12.0, fifth-best

11 -- Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.6

2008 Rundown
*Six top fives, 12 top 10s
*Average finish of 13.6
*Led five races for 168 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 104.3
*One win, three top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 12.7
*Finished 14th in June
*Led eight of 15 races for 318 laps

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

12 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.8

2008 Rundown
*Six top fives, 15 top 10s
*Average finish of 16.0
*Led 13 races for 204 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 87.8
*Five top fives, 11 top 10s
*Average finish of 10.9
*Finished 18th in June
*Led five of 17 races for 88 laps