Week 7: Top 12 - and beyond

Week 7: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 31, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 6.

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

2008 Rundown
* One win, three top fives, four top 10s
* Average finish of 7.3
* Led five races for 60 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Two wins, three top fives, six top 10s
* Average finish of 16.9
* Finished sixth in November
* Led four of 14 races for 146 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-high 2,045 laps run on the lead lap (of a total of 2,048)

2 -- 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 7.8
* Led two race for 33 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Two top fives, four top 10s
* Average finish of 13.6
* Finished 10th in November
* Led three of 10 races for four laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 2,041 laps run on the lead lap (of a total of 2,048), second-most

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

2008 Rundown
* Three top fives, four top 10s
* Average finish of 9.3
* Led three races for 17 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, two top 10s
* Average finish of 24.5
* Finished 33rd in November
* Led three of eight races for 280 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-high 316 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)

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

2008 Rundown
* Three top fives, five top 10s
* Average finish of 10.8
* Led four races for 237 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, three top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 12.9
* Finished 14th in November
* Led eight of 11 races for 362 lap

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 153 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

5 -- 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 12.5
* Led five races for 336 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Two top fives
* Average finish of 20.2
* Finished fourth in November's Texas race
* Led two of six races for 155 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Average Running Position of 9.7, third-best

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

2008 Rundown
* Three top fives, four top 10s
* Average finish of 12.3
* Led three races for 289 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, three top fives, seven top 10s
* Average finish of 13.5
* Finished 11th in November
* Led five of 12 races for 453 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 1,697 Laps in the Top 15, fourth-most

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

2008 Rundown
* Four top 10s
* Average finish of 12.3
* Led three races for three laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, two top fives; one pole
* Average finish of 21.6
* Finished 18th in November
* Led three of seven races for 213 laps

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

8 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
* Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.6

2008 Rundown
* One win, three top 10s
* Average finish of 14.8
* Led three races for 212 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One top five, four top 10s
* Average finish of 11.8
* Finished 29th in November
* Led two of five races for 86 laps

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

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

2008 Rundown
* Three top fives
* Average finish of 15.8
* Led five races for 183 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Five top fives, seven top 10s
* Average finish of 15.2
* Finished seventh in November
* Led six of 14 races for 326 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-best Average Running Position of 7.6

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

2008 Rundown
* Two top fives
* Average finish of 15.5
* Led four races for 226 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, four top fives, seven top 10s
* Average finish of 9.2
* Won the November race at Texas
* Led three of nine races for 12 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 1,651 Laps in the Top 15, fifth-most

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

2008 Rundown
* One win, two top 10s
* Average finish of 15.2
* Led two races for 11 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, two top fives; two poles
* Average finish of 25.8
* Finished fifth in November
* Led four of nine races for 84 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 494 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most

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

2008 Rundown
* One top five, three top 10s
* Average finish of 15.0
* Led three races for 137 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One top five
* Average finish of 14.8
* Finished 19th in November
* Led two of four races for four laps

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

-credit: nascar