Week 31: The top 12

Week 31: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 6, 2008) – Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 going into the fifth race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup – the Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

1 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 105.3

2008 Rundown
*Five wins, 12 top fives, 18 top 10s
*Average finish of 11.3
*Led 24 races for 1,302 laps

Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 116.5
*Five wins, eight top fives, 11 top 10s; two poles
*Average finish of 9.1
*Finished 39th in May
*Led 13 of 14 races for 1,169 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-best Average Running Position of 10.4

2 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 105.3

2008 Rundown
*Six wins, 14 top fives, 22 top 10s
*Average finish of 10.0
*Led 18 races for 815 laps

Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 88.2
*Three top fives, six top 10s
*Average finish of 7.6
*Finished ninth in May
*Led four of seven races for 34 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high 821 Fastest Laps Run

3 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.1

2008 Rundown
*Two wins, 11 top fives, 14 top 10s
*Average finish of 13.3
*Led 15 races for 430 laps

Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 87.0
*Two top fives, four top 10s
*Average finish of 19.3
*Finished second in May
*Led four of 11 races for 27 laps

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

4 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.9

2008 Rundown
*One win, six top fives, 16 top 10s
*Average finish of 11.7
*Led 11 races for 82 laps

Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 86.6
*Two wins, seven top fives, 14 top 10s
*Average finish of 14.9
*Finished sixth in May
*Led eight of 29 races for 370 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*1,445 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-most

5 – Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 81.0

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives, 14 top 10s
*Average finish of 14.8
*Led five races for 152 laps

Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 71.4
*One top five
*Average finish of 19.6
*Finished 25th in May
*Led two of five races for 82 laps

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

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

2008 Rundown
*Six top fives, 15 top 10s
*Average finish of 13.2
*Led seven races for 191 laps

Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 66.4
*One top five, three top 10s
*Average finish of 20.7
*Finished 14th in May
*Led two of 15 races for two laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 65.4%, 10th-best

7 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.8

2008 Rundown
*One win, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s
*Average finish of 14.5
*Led 13 races for 580 laps

Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 80.0
*One win, six top fives, 11 top 10s
*Average finish of 13.2
*Finished 18th in May
*Led 10 of 19 races for 553 laps

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

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

2008 Rundown
*10 top fives, 14 top 10s
*Average finish of 15.2
*Led 16 races for 312 laps

Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 84.1
*Five wins, 15 top fives, 17 top 10s; seven poles
*Average finish of 16.4
*Finished fourth in May
*Led 20 of 31 races for 532 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Average Running Position of 12.2, fifth-best

9 – Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.7

2008 Rundown
*Eight top fives, 17 top 10s
*Average finish of 16.3
*Led 16 races for 394 laps

Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 87.6
*One win, five top fives, eight top 10s
*Average finish of 15.3
*Finished seventh in May
*Led 13 of 18 races for 252 laps

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

10 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.2

2008 Rundown
*One win, nine top fives, 14 top 10s
*Average finish of 13.0
*Led 20 races for 894 laps

Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 89.7
*Five top fives, nine top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 16.3
*Finished fifth in May
*Led nine of 18 races for 312 laps

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

11 – Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 105.6

2008 Rundown
*Eight wins, 15 top fives, 17 top 10s
*Average finish of 12.6
*Led 22 races for 1,657 laps

Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 98.7
*Two top fives, three top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 23.3
*Finished third in May
*Led six of nine races for 132 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*659 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

12 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.7

2008 Rundown
*One win, nine top fives, 15 top 10s
*Average finish of 16.5
*Led 14 races for 710 laps

Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
*Driver Rating of 77.8
*Three top 10s
*Average finish of 16.3
*Finished 24th in May
*Led four of six races for 28 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*1,430 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fourth-most

-credit: nascar