Week 33: The top 12

Week 33: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 20, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 going into the seventh race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup -- the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

1 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 107.2

2008 Rundown
• Six wins, 13 top fives, 20 top 10s
• Average finish of 10.8
• Led 26 races for 1,708 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 113.4
• Three wins, eight top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 9.6
• Finished 13th in March
• Led seven of 14 races for 347 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-best Average Running Position of 9.9

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

2008 Rundown
• Two wins, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.1
• Led 17 races for 455 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 102.3
• Three top fives, six top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 14.8
• Finished fourth in March
• Led six of 11 races for 288 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 458 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

3 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.8

2008 Rundown
• Two wins, seven top fives, 17 top 10s
• Average finish of 11.5
• Led 11 races for 140 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 92.8
• Seven top fives, 13 tops 10s
• Average finish of 16.5
• Finished 10th in March
• Led eight of 28 races for 103 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,507 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), third-most

4 -- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 105.4

2008 Rundown
• Six wins, 15 top fives, 23 top 10s
• Average finish of 10.5
• Led 18 races for 815 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 102.8
• Two wins, four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 12.9
• Finished 42nd in March
• Led five of eight races for 173 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 871 Fastest Laps Run

5 -- Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 81.8

2008 Rundown
• One win, five top fives, 15 top 10s
• Average finish of 14.5
• Led five races for 152 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 89.4
• Three top 10s
• Average finish of 14.0
• Finished sixth in March
• Led two of five races for 54 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 221 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most

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

2008 Rundown
• Six top fives, 16 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.0
• Led seven races for 191 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 74.5
• One win, two top fives, three top 10s
• Average finish of 23.3
• Finished seventh in March
• Led five of 15 races for 70 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 66.3%, 10th-best

7 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.0

2008 Rundown
• 11 top fives, 16 top 10s
• Average finish of 14.6
• Led 18 races for 416 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 96.6
• Four wins, 13 top fives, 20 top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 12.8
• Finished fifth in March
• Led 20 of 32 races for 1,051 laps

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

8 -- Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.4

2008 Rundown
• One win, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s
• Average finish of 14.8
• Led 14 races for 622 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 104.4
• Two wins, eight top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.0
• Finished second in March
• Led 12 of 19 races for 790 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 375 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

9 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.0

2008 Rundown
• One win, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.4
• Led 20 races for 894 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 103.6
• One win, eight top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 11.7
• Finished third in March
• Led 11 of 18 races for 632 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 551 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

10 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.4

2008 Rundown
• Eight top fives, 18 top 10s
• Average finish of 16.8
• Led 17 races for 403 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 94.1
• Six top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 14.5
• Finished eighth in March
• Led four of 17 races for 60 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 262 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

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

2008 Rundown
• One win, 10 top fives, 16 top 10s
• Average finish of 16.1
• Led 14 races for 710 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 83.5
• One top 10
• Average finish of 19.3
• Finished 15th in March
• Led two of six races for 18 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,517 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-most

12 -- Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 104.8

2008 Rundown
• Eight wins, 16 top fives, 18 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.8
• Led 23 races for 1,671 laps

Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 88.5
• One win
• Average finish of 19.9
• Won March's Atlanta race
• Led three of eight races for 254 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 692 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

-credit: nascar