Week 34: The top 12

Week 34: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 27, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 going into the eighth race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup -- the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

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

2008 Rundown
• Six wins, 14 top fives, 21 top 10s
• Average finish of 10.5
• Led 27 races for 1,736 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 107.9
• One win, five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 8.5
• Finished second in April
• Led four of 10 races for 77 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-best Average Running Position of 10.9

2 -- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 106.5

2008 Rundown
• Seven wins, 16 top fives, 24 top 10s
• Average finish of 10.2
• Led 19 races for 913 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 96.0
• Two wins
• Average finish of 15.7
• Won the Texas race in April
• Led three of seven races for 255 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 934 Fastest Laps Run

3 -- Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.4

2008 Rundown
• Two wins, 11 top fives, 16 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.0
• Led 18 races for 456 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 88.8
• One win, two top 10s
• Average finish of 26.1
• Finished 39th in April
• Led three of nine races for 280 laps

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

4 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.4

2008 Rundown
• Two wins, seven top fives, 17 top 10s
• Average finish of 11.7
• Led 11 races for 140 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 84.7
• Two wins, three top fives, seven tops 10s
• Average finish of 16.2
• Finished sixth in April
• Led four of 15 races for 146 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,524 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, 16 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.0
• Led seven races for 191 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 84.6
• Two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 13.4
• Finished 11th in April
• Led three of 11 races for four laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 67.1%, 10th-best

6 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.5

2008 Rundown
• 11 top fives, 17 top 10s
• Average finish of 14.4
• Led 18 races for 416 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 85.1
• Five top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 17.1
• Finished 43rd in April
• Led six of 15 races for 326 laps

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

7 -- Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 81.6

2008 Rundown
• One win, five top fives, 15 top 10s
• Average finish of 14.7
• Led five races for 152 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 85.0
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 13.8
• Finished 10th in April
• Led two of five races for four laps

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

8 -- Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.9

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

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 107.9
• One win, three top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 13.0
• Finished seventh in April
• Led five of 13 races for 452 laps

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

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

2008 Rundown
• Nine top fives, 19 top 10s
• Average finish of 16.5
• Led 18 races for 531 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 104.9
• One win, five top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 10.2
• Finished ninth in April
• Led nine of 12 races for 443 laps

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

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

2008 Rundown
• One win, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.3
• Led 21 races for 895 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 98.1
• One win, three top fives, seven top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 12.8
• Finished 12th in April
• Led nine of 12 races for 393 laps

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

11 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.4

2008 Rundown
• One win, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s
• Average finish of 15.7
• Led 15 races for 766 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 101.9
• Two top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 10.7
• Finished fifth in April
• Led two of six races for 86 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,568 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: 104.7

2008 Rundown
• Eight wins, 17 top fives, 19 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.6
• Led 23 races for 1,671 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 93.2
• Three top fives
• Average finish of 17.7
• Finished third in April
• Led three of seven races for 205 laps

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

-credit: nascar