Week 10: 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 Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond International Raceway on May 3.

1 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.1
2008 Rundown
• One win, three top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 7.6
• Led six races for 61 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 15.5
• Finished 18th in September’s Richmond race
• Led nine of 27 races for 899 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 2,867 laps run on the lead lap (of a total of 2,887)

2– Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 108.2
2008 Rundown
• Two wins, five top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 9.9
• Led seven races for 398 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Five top fives
• Average finish of 6.2
• Finished 20th in September
• Led four of six races for 292 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high Average Running Position of 9.7

3– Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 108.8
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 10.4
• Led seven races for 401 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Three wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 11.3
• Finished 30th in September
• Led eight of 17 races for 322 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 214 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

4 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.5
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 11.1
• Led four races for 249 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two top fives, three top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 6.5
• Finished sixth in September
• Led all four of his Richmond races for 67 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 568 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)

5 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.3
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives
• Average finish of 12.1
• Led seven races for 412 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, three top fives; two poles
• Average finish of 17.8
• Swept at Richmond last season
• Led six of 12 races for 337 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 2,345 Laps in the Top 15 (81.2%), fourth-most

6 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.0
2008 Rundown
• Two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 11.2
• Led three races for 34 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One win, four top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 12.1
• Finished seventh in September
• Led eight of 14 races for 646 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 2,698 laps run on the lead lap (of a total of 2,887), second-most

7– Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.1
2008 Rundown
• Two top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 12.3
• Led three races for 137 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two top 10s
• Average finish of 10.8
• Finished 12th in September
• Led one of four races for four laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 107 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

8 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.2
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 13.6
• Led three races for 17 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two top fives, five top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 16.0
• Finished 39th in September
• Led four of 11 races for 71 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 105 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

9 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.6
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 14.8
• Led four races for 350 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Three wins, six top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 11.3
• Finished second in September
• Led 10 of 18 races for 792 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 2,452 Laps in the Top 15 (84.9%)

10 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 104.9
2008 Rundown
• Three wins, four top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 14.8
• Led four races for 306 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two top 10s
• Average finish of 20.6
• Finished 42nd in September
• Led one of seven races for 15 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 352 Fastest Laps Run

11 – Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.4
2008 Rundown
• One win, two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 16.2
• Led four races for 53 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• One win, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 11.1
• Finished 11th in September
• Led eight of 12 races for 388 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 541 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), third-most

12 – Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 74.0
2008 Rundown
• One top five
• Average finish of 16.9
• Led one race for one lap
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Average finish of 33.5 in two Richmond races
• Finished 41st in September
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 959 Green Flag Passes, second-most

14 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.2
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives
• Average finish of 18.9
• Led six races for 184 laps
Richmond International Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, 12 top fives, 18 top 10s; five poles
• Average finish of 15.5
• Finished fourth in September
• Led 19 of 30 races for 1,059 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 153 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

Chase Contenders
The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 9 of 36

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

1. Jeff Burton 1,347 1 9 1 95.1
2. Kyle Busch 1,325 2 9 2 108.2
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,268 0 8 3 108.8
4. Denny Hamlin 1,248 1 4 6 101.5
5. Jimmie Johnson 1,245 1 5 4 100.3
6. Kevin Harvick 1,208 0 8 5 93.0
7. Clint Bowyer 1,182 0 5 8 88.1
8. Greg Biffle 1,148 0 9 10 89.2
9. Tony Stewart 1,137 0 9 7 99.6
10. Carl Edwards 1,084 3 4 9 104.9
11. Ryan Newman 1,062 1 9 12 85.4
12. J.P. Montoya 1,029 0 1 17 74.0
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ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

13. Kasey Kahne 1,028
14. Jeff Gordon 1,018
15. David Ragan 994
16. Brian Vickers 994
17. Martin Truex Jr 949
18. David Gilliland 940
19. Matt Kenseth 909
20. Kurt Busch 903
21. Paul Menard 902
22. Bobby Labonte 895
23. Travis Kvapil 893
24. Casey Mears 887
25. Jamie McMurray 839
26. Elliott Sadler 832
27. Robby Gordon 797
28. Scott Riggs 788
29. David Reutimann 764
30. Mark Martin 723
31. Michael Waltrip 708
32. Reed Sorenson 678
33. Sam Hornish Jr. 663
34. Regan Smith 659
35. JJ Yeley 551
36. Dave Blaney 546
37. Jeremy Mayfield 490
38. Dario Franchitti 483
39. Mike Skinner 423
40. Joe Nemechek 397
41. Patrick Carpentier 390
42. Dale Jarrett 367
43. Kyle Petty 363
44 Michael McDowell 295
45. Bill Elliott 277
46. Aric Almirola 243
47. Kan Schrader 234
48. John Andretti 149
49. Sterling Marlin 97
50. David Stremme 84
51. AJ Allmendinger 78
52. Jon Wood 55
53. Johnny Sauter 52
54. 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.