Week 5: 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 Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 16.

1 – Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 125.9
2008 Rundown
• One win, three top fives
• Average finish of 5.0
• Led four races for 329 laps
Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One win, two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 13.5
• Finished ninth in August’s Bristol race
• Led four of six races for 67 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-best Average Running Position of 4.7

2 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.3
2008 Rundown
• Two top fives, three top 10s
• Average finish of 8.0
• Led three races for 17 laps
Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Three top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 10.3
• Finished 10th in August
• Led four of 10 races for 202 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 293 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)

3 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.8
2008 Rundown
• One top five, three top 10s
• Average finish of 8.2
• Led one race for one lap
Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One win, seven top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 10.5
• Finished 16th in August
• Led eight of 14 races for 358 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,035 laps run on the lead lap (of a total of 1,042), second-most

4 – Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.8
2008 Rundown
• One win, two top 10s
• Average finish of 9.8
• Led two races for 11 laps
Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One top five, six top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 20.2
• Finished seventh in August
• Led three of 12 races for 57 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 861 Laps in the Top 15, fourth-most

5 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.6
2008 Rundown
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 10.0
• Led three races for 21 laps
Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Seven top fives, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 18.3
• Finished 12th in August
• Led five of 28 races for 318 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 1,039 laps run on the lead lap

6 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP/National Guard Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.9
2008 Rundown
• Two top fives, three top 10s
• Average finish of 13.5
• Led three races for 91 laps
Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One win, six top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 11.7
• Finished fifth in August
• Led six of 16 races for 743 lap
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 72 Fastest Laps Run, third -most

7– Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.5
2008 Rundown
• Three top 10s
• Average finish of 12.5
• Led three races for three laps
Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One top five, two top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 20.0
• Finished second in August
• Led one of eight races for 305 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 260 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fourth-best

8 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.1
2008 Rundown
• Two top fives, three top 10s
• Average finish of 13.8
• Led two races for 22 laps
Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One win, five top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 16.9
• Finished fourth in August
• Led eight of 18 races for 1,085 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 218 Quality Passes, eighth-most

9 – Brian Vickers (No. 83 Red Bull Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 76.2
2008 Rundown
• One top 10
• Average finish of 14.0
• Led one race for one lap
Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Average finish of 24.6
• Finished 15th in March, his last race at Bristol
• Led one of seven races for one lap
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 378 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most

10 – Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 78.4
2008 Rundown
• One top five
• Average finish of 16.0
• Led one race for nine laps
Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Five wins, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 14.5
• Finished sixth in August
• Led nine of 14 races for 562 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 438 Green Flag Passes, second-most

11 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.2
2008 Rundown
• One top 10
• Average finish of 15.5
Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Average finish of 26.0
• Finished 11th in August
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 595 Laps in the Top 15, 12th-most

12 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.4
2008 Rundown
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 17.2
• Led three races for 75 laps
Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 12.5
• Finished 39th in August
• Led seven of 16 races for 742 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 56 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

14 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.7
2008 Rundown
• One top five
• Average finish of 17.8
• Led two races for 77 laps
Bristol Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Two top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 16.0
• Finished 21st in August
• Led three of 12 races for 29 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 36 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

Chase Contenders
The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 4 of 36

Weeks Rank Season
In Last Driver
Driver Points Wins Top 12 Week Rating

1. Kyle Busch 665 1 4 1 125.9
2. Greg Biffle 592 0 4 5 101.3
3. Kevin Harvick 574 0 3 4 99.8
4. Ryan Newman 571 1 4 2 92.8
5. Jeff Burton 555 0 4 6 91.6
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 531 0 3 10 101.9
7. Kasey Kahne 528 0 4 3 91.5
8. Tony Stewart 525 0 4 11 94.1
9. Brian Vickers 491 0 3 13 76.2
10. Kurt Busch 478 0 4 12 78.4
11. Martin Truex Jr. 471 0 3 8 85.2
12. Matt Kenseth 470 0 1 16 97.4
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ADDITIONAL DRIVERS
13. Jimmie Johnson 467
14. Bobby Labonte 462
15. Jeff Gordon 444
16. Clint Bowyer 436
17. Carl Edwards 433
18. Mark Martin 421
19. Denny Hamlin 413
20. Elliott Sadler 402
21. David Ragan 398
22. Reed Sorenson 391
23. J.P. Montoya 391
24. Robby Gordon 384
25. Paul Menard 382
26. Scott Riggs 369
27. David Reutimann 358
28. David Gilliland 352
29. Travis Kvapil 346
30. Casey Mears 331
31. Jamie McMurray 318
32. Dale Jarrett 315
33. Michael Waltrip 303
34. Jeremy Mayfield 301
35. JJ Yeley 298
36. Sam Hornish Jr. 280
37. Dave Blaney 273
38. Dario Franchitti 264
39. Regan Smith 232
40. Kyle Petty 217
41. Joe Nemechek 156
42. Mike Skinner 155
43. John Andretti 106
44 Patrick Carpentier 101
45. Ken Schrader 100
46. Bill Elliott 85
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.