Week 29: The top 12

Week 29: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 22, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 going into the third race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup -- the Camping World RV 400 at Kansas ...

Week 29: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 22, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 going into the third race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup -- the Camping World RV 400 at Kansas Speedway.

1-- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 106.8

2008 Rundown
*Six wins, 13 top fives, 21 top 10s
*Average finish of 9.6
*Led 16 races for 782 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 90.2
*One top five, two top 10s
*Average finish of 17.0
*Finished 37th last season
*Led two of four races for eight laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high 775 Fastest Laps Run

2 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 105.3

2008 Rundown
*Four wins, 11 top fives, 16 top 10s
*Average finish of 11.8
*Led 22 races for 1,175 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 115.6
*One top five, four top 10s; two poles
*Average finish of 12.0
*Finished third last season
*Led four of six races for 127 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-best Average Running Position of 10.2

3 -- Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.6

2008 Rundown
*Two wins, 10 top fives, 13 top 10s
*Average finish of 13.3
*Led 14 races for 428 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 118.5
*One win, three top fives
*Average finish of 11.0
*Won last season's Kansas race
*Led four of six races for 150 laps

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

4 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.4

2008 Rundown
*One win, five top fives, 14 top 10s
*Average finish of 12.1
*Led 10 races for 74 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 70.4
*One top five
*Average finish of 19.6
*Finished 36th last season
*Led three of seven races for five laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*1,158 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fourth-most

5 -- Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.9

2008 Rundown
*Six top fives, 14 top 10s
*Average finish of 13.2
*Led six races for 169 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 83.3
*Two top 10s
*Average finish of 16.1
*Finished sixth last season
*Led three of seven races for 67 laps

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

6 -- Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 80.4

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives, 13 top 10s
*Average finish of 15.2
*Led five races for 152 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 106.5
*One top five, two top 10s
*Average finish of 5.5
*Finished second last season
*Led one of two races for 43 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*207 Fastest Laps Run, tied for 12th-most

7 -- Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.3

2008 Rundown
*Nine top fives, 14 top 10s
*Average finish of 14.1
*Led 12 races for 556 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 108.7
*One win, three top fives, five top 10s
*Average finish of 11.1
*Finished 39th last season
*Led three of seven races for 19 laps

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

8 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.6

2008 Rundown
*Nine top fives, 13 top 10s
*Average finish of 14.8
*Led 15 races for 309 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 98.3
*Two wins, four top fives, five top 10s
*Average finish of 10.6
*Finished fifth last season
*Led three of seven races for 175 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Average Running Position of 11.8, fifth-best

9 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.9

2008 Rundown
*One win, nine top fives, 14 top 10s
*Average finish of 12.5
*Led 19 races for 875 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 82.0
*Four top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 17.1
*Finished 10th last season
*Led four of seven races for 40 laps

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

10 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.6

2008 Rundown
*Seven top fives, 16 top 10s
*Average finish of 16.4
*Led 14 races for 340 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 93.2
*One top five, two top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 22.1
*Finished 35th last season
*Led three of seven races for 134 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*239 Fastest Laps Run, tied for 10th-most

11 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.0

2008 Rundown
*One win, nine top fives, 15 top 10s
*Average finish of 15.9
*Led 12 races for 700 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 73.7
*Average finish of 26.3 in three races
*Finished 29th last season

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high 1,235 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)

12 -- Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 108.3

2008 Rundown
*Eight wins, 15 top fives, 17 top 10s
*Average finish of 12.0
*Led 20 races for 1,636 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 80.0
*One top 10
*Average finish of 26.5
*Finished 41st last season
*Led one of four races for 64 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Average Running Position of 11.0, third-best