Week 9: Top 12 - and beyond

Week 9: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 14, 2008) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 27.

1 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.3

2008 Rundown
*One win, three top fives, six top 10s
*Average finish of 7.0
*Led five races for 60 laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
*Two top fives, 10 top 10s
*Average finish of 19.4
*Finished 43rd in October's Talladega race
*Led 10 of 28 races for 57 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high 2,694 laps run on the lead lap (of a total of 2,699)

2 -- Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 110.4

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives, five top 10s
*Average finish of 11.0
*Led six races for 386 laps

Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
*Average finish of 31.7
*Finished 36th in October
*Led two of six races for 11 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high Average Running Position of 8.7

3 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 107.6

2008 Rundown
*Three top fives, six top 10s
*Average finish of 10.50
*Led six races for 355 laps

Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
*Five wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s
*Average finish of 14.3
*Finished 40th in October
*Led 14 of 16 races for 570 laps

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

4 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 104.3

2008 Rundown
*One win, four top fives
*Average finish of 12.0
*Led six races for 411 laps

Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
*One win, four top fives, five top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 17.8
*Finished second in October
*Led 11 of 12 races for 186 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*2,302 Laps in the Top 15 (85.3%), third-most

5 -- Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.5

2008 Rundown
*Two top fives, four top 10s
*Average finish of 9.6
*Led two races for 33 laps

Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
*Three top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 13.6
*Finished 20th in October
*Led eight of 14 races for 55 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*2,511 laps run on the lead lap (of a total of 2,699), fourth-most

6 -- Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.5

2008 Rundown
*One win, three top fives, five top 10s
*Average finish of 12.1
*Led three races for 212 laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
*One top five
*Average finish of 17.0
*Finished fourth in October
*Led all four of his Talladega races for 90 laps

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

7 -- Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.3

2008 Rundown
*Three top fives, five top 10s
*Average finish of 11.6
*Led three races for 289 laps

Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
*Eight top fives, 11 top 10s
*Average finish of 12.6
*Finished eighth in October
*Led 12 of 18 races for 183 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*2,312 Laps in the Top 15 (85.7%), second-most

8 -- Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.5

2008 Rundown
*Two top fives, five top 10s
*Average finish of 12.8
*Led three races for 137 laps

Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
*Average finish of 30.3
*Finished 11th in October
*Led two of four races for six laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*99 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

9 -- Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 111.2

2008 Rundown
*Three wins, four top fives, five top 10s
*Average finish of 11.6
*Led four races for 306 laps

Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
*One top five, three top 10s
*Average finish of 21.7
*Finished 14th in October
*Led two of seven races for nine laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*Series-high 349 Fastest Laps Run

10 -- Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.9

2008 Rundown
*Three top fives, five top 10s
*Average finish of 13.0
*Led three races for 17 laps

Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
*Average finish of 26.0
*Finished 23rd in October
*Led four of 10 races for 19 laps

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

11 -- Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.5

2008 Rundown
*Four top 10s
*Average finish of 16.9
*Led three races for three laps

Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
*One top five
*Average finish of 20.4
*Finished 16th in October
*Led two of eight races for 12 laps

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

12 -- Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 83.5

2008 Rundown
*One win, two top fives, three top 10s
*Average finish of 17.2
*Led three races for 48 laps Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
*Three top fives, five top 10s
*Average finish of 18.6
*Finished fifth in October
*Led seven of 12 races for 35 laps

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

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

2008 Rundown
*Three top fives
*Average finish of 18.9
*Led five races for 183 laps

Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
*Six wins, 13 top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole
*Average finish of 14.9
*Swept the Talladega races last season
*Led 24 of 30 races for 801 laps

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

15 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
*Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.9

2008 Rundown
*One top five, four top 10s
*Average finish of 19.5
*Led four races for 143 laps

Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
*Three top fives, six top 10s
*Average finish of 16.1
*Finished 26th in October
*Led 12 of 16 races for 131 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
*97 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

-credit: nascar