The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 – And Beyond

Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 9.

1 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 114.8
2008 Rundown
• Two wins
• Average finish of 7.0
• Led two races for 150 laps
Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 8.7
• Finished second in October’s Atlanta race
• Led four of seven races for 140 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 130 Fastest Laps Run

2 – Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 119.9
2008 Rundown
• Two top fives
• Average finish of 6.3
• Led three races for 156 laps
Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Average finish of 22.6
• Finished 20th in October
• Led two of seven races for 81 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-best Average Running Position of 5.7

3 – Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.1
2008 Rundown
• One win, two top 10s
• Average finish of 8.3
• Led two races for 11 laps
Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One top fives, four top 10s; seven poles
• Average finish of 18.8
• Finished 37th in October
• Led nine of 12 races for 159 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 571 Laps in the Top 15, sixth-most

4 – Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.1
2008 Rundown
• Three top 10s
• Average finish of 7.3
• Led two races for two laps
Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One win, four top fives, five top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 16.9
• Finished ninth in October
• Led three of eight races for 92 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 256 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-best

5 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.9
2008 Rundown
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 8.7
• Led one race for one lap
Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One win, two top fives
• Average finish of 24.4
• Finished 15th in October
• Led five of 14 races for 70 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 710 laps run on the lead lap (of a total of 717), third-most

6 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.3
2008 Rundown
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 9.3
• Led two races for 16 laps
Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Two top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 15.9
• Finished 22nd in October
• Led five of 10 races for 287 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 262 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)

7 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.4
2008 Rundown
• 67 consecutive races in the top 12 of the series standings, longest current streak in the series
• One top five
• Average finish of 10.0
• Led three races for 21 laps
Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Seven top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 16.8
• Finished fifth in October
• Led eight of 27 races for 103 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 716 laps run on the lead lap

8 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.0
2008 Rundown
• One top 10
• Average finish of 13.7
Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One top 10
• Average finish of 28.7
• Finished 31st in October
• Led one of six races for 135 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 708 laps run on the lead lap, fifth-most

9 – Elliott Sadler (No. 19 Best Buy Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 73.7
2008 Rundown
• One top 10
• Average finish of 14.0
Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Three top 10s
• Average finish of 21.4
• Finished 14th in October
• Led six of 18 races for 17 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 398 Green Flag Passes, second-most

10 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP/National Guard Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.6
2008 Rundown
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 17.0
• Led two races for 29 laps
Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One win, seven top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 12.2
• Finished 25th in October
• Led 10 of 17 races for 570 lap
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 210 Quality Passes, sixth-most

11 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.4
2008 Rundown
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 17.7
• Led two races for 22 laps
Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, seven top fives, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.6
• Finished 30th in October
• Led 12 of 18 races for 790 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 476 Laps in the Top 15, 10th-most

12 – Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 78.7
2008 Rundown
• One top five
• Average finish of 17.7
• Led one race for nine laps
Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One win, four top 10s
• Average finish of 21.3
• Finished eighth in October
• Led six of 14 races for 280 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 363 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

14 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.3
2008 Rundown
• One top five
• Average finish of 19.3
• Led two races for 77 laps
Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Three wins, eight top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 9.4
• Swept the Atlanta races in 2007
• Led seven of 13 races for 347 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 33 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

22 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 105.0
2008 Rundown
• One top five
• Average finish of 25.7
• Led three races for 92 laps
Atlanta Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Four wins, 12 top fives, 19 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 13.1
• Finished seventh in October
• Led 19 of 31 races for 1,050 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 7.6, second-best

Chase Contenders
The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 3 of 36

Weeks Rank Season
In Last Driver
Driver Points Wins Top 12 Week Rating
1. Carl Edwards 491 2 2 5 114.8
2. Kyle Busch 470 0 3 1 119.9
3. Ryan Newman 450 1 3 2 94.1
4. Kasey Kahne 444 0 3 6 98.1
5 . Kevin Harvick 428 0 2 7 95.9
6. Greg Biffle 427 0 3 9 103.3
7. Jeff Burton 421 0 3 10 90.4
8. Martin Truex Jr. 371 0 2 12 84.0
9. Elliott Sadler 368 0 2 13 73.7
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 361 0 2 23 94.6
11. Tony Stewart 355 0 3 3 90.4
12. Kurt Busch 348 0 3 4 78.7
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ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

13. Brian Vickers 348
14. Jimmie Johnson 343
15. Bobby Labonte 330
16. Matt Kenseth 328
17. Mark Martin 324
18. Reed Sorenson 321
19. David Ragan 304
20. Denny Hamlin 295
21. David Gilliland 285
22. Jeff Gordon 284
23. Clint Bowyer 281
24. J.P. Montoya 276
25. Paul Mendard 276
26. Jamie McMurray 275
27. Travis Kvapil 270
28. Scott Riggs 260
29. David Reutimann 255
30. Jeremy Mayfield 255
31. J.J. Yeley 246
32. Dale Jarrett 230
33. Michael Waltrip 230
34. Casey Mears 219
35. Dave Blaney 212
36. Dario Franchitti 200
37. Robby Gordon 193
38. Same Hornish Jr. 192
39. Regan Smith 183
40. Kyle Petty 177
41. John Andretti 106
42. Joe Nemechek 101
43. Ken Schrader 100
44. Bill Elliott 85
45. Mike Skinner 73
46. Patrick Carpentier 43
47. Kenny Wallace 34

Note: The first 26 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season determine which 12 drivers qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, contested over the final 10 races of the season.