Week 6: Top 12 - and beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 17, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Goody's Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 30.

1 -- Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 119.6

2008 Rundown
* One win, three top fives
* Average finish of 7.4
* Led five races for 336 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Three top fives, four top 10s
* Average finish of 13.2
* Finished fourth in October's Martinsville race
* Led two of six races for 116 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* Series-best Average Running Position of 6.4

2 -- Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.1

2008 Rundown
* Three top fives, four top 10s
* Average finish of 7.2
* Led three races for 17 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* One top 10
* Average finish of 24.0
* Finished seventh in October
* Led one of 10 races for six laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* Series-high 312 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)

3 -- Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 104.2

2008 Rundown
* Two top fives, four top 10s
* Average finish of 7.0
* Led two races for 33 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Five top 10s
* Average finish of 19.3
* Finished 10th in October
* Led four of 13 races for 147 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* 1,541 laps run on the lead lap (of a total of 1,548), second-most

4 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.0

2008 Rundown
* One win, two top fives, three top 10s
* Average finish of 8.2
* Led four races for 23 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* One win, nine top fives, 13 top 10s
* Average finish of 14.9
* Finished 12th in October
* Led seven of 27 races for 625 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* Series-high 1,545 laps run on the lead lap (of a total of 1,548)

5 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.9

2008 Rundown
* Three top fives, four top 10s
* Average finish of 11.8
* Led three races for 91 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Seven top fives
* Average finish of 14.8
* Finished 23rd in October
* Led six of 16 races for 612 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* 83 Fastest Laps Run, tied for fourth-most

6 -- Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.9

2008 Rundown
* Four top 10s
* Average finish of 11.4
* Led three races for three laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* One top five, two top 10s
* Average finish of 16.9
* Finished 15th in October
* Led two of eight races for 18 laps

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

7 -- Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.3

2008 Rundown
* Two top fives, three top 10s
* Average finish of 13.8
* Led three races for 289 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Two wins, six top fives, 10 top 10s; three poles
* Average finish of 12.3
* Finished 13th in October
* Led 10 of 18 races for 1,193 laps

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

8 -- Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.3

2008 Rundown
* One win, two top 10s
* Average finish of 14.4
* Led two races for 11 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Five top fives, six top 10s; two poles
* Average finish of 14.0
* Finished second in October
* Led four of 12 races for 83 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* 443 Laps in the Top 15, fifth-most

9 -- Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.2

2008 Rundown
* One top five, two top 10s
* Average finish of 16.0
* Led three races for 137 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* One top 10
* Average finish of 16.2
* Finished ninth in October

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* 83 Fastest Laps Run, tied for fourth-most

10 -- Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 79.2

2008 Rundown
* One top five
* Average finish of 15.2
* Led one race for nine laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* One win, two top fives, four top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 20.3
* Finished 31st in October
* Led six of 15 races for 358 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* 486 Green Flag Passes, second-most

11 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.8

2008 Rundown
* One top five, three top 10s
* Average finish of 15.8
* Led three races for 75 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Two top fives, five top 10s
* Average finish of 15.6
* Finished fifth in October
* Led six of 16 races for 60 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* Average Running Position of 11.9, seventh-best

12 -- Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.0

2008 Rundown
* One top 10
* Average finish of 15.0

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Average finish of 25.8
* Finished 19th in October
* Led one of four races for one lap

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* 14 "Closer" positions gained (positions improved in the last 10% of races), tied for third-most

13 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.9

2008 Rundown
* One top five
* Average finish of 17.8
* Led three races for 91 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Four wins, eight top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 6.2
* Won the last three Martinsville races
* Led six of 12 races for 871 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* Average Running Position of 13.1, ninth-best

14 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.9

2008 Rundown
* Two top fives
* Average finish of 18.6
* Led four races for 93 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
* Seven wins, 18 top fives, 24 top 10s; six poles
* Average finish of 7.2
* Finished third in October
* Led 22 of 30 races for 2,466 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
* Average Running Position of 7.8, second-best

-credit: nascar