Week 9: 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 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

Chase Contenders
The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 8 of 36

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

1. Jeff Burton 1,215 1 8 1 96.3
2. Kyle Busch 1,135 1 8 3 110.4
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,129 0 7 4 107.6
4. Jimmie Johnson 1,116 1 4 6 104.3
5. Kevin Harvick 1,112 0 7 2 95.5
6. Denny Hamlin 1,078 1 3 7 98.5
7. Tony Stewart 1,078 0 8 5 99.3
8. Clint Bowyer 1,044 0 4 11 90.5
9. Carl Edwards 1,041 3 4 9 111.2
10. Greg Biffle 1,039 0 8 8 93.9
11. Kasey Kahne 929 0 8 12 85.5
12. Ryan Newman 915 1 8 10 83.5
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ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

13. Jeff Gordon 907
14. Martin Truex Jr. 897
15. Matt Kenseth 869
16. Kurt Busch 857
17. J.P. Montoya 854
18. David Ragan 834
19. Brian Vickers 834
20. Bobby Labonte 834
21. David Gilliland 817
22. Paul Menard 776
23. Elliott Sadler 751
24. Travis Kvapill 743
25. Casey Mears 741
26. Jamie McMurray 727
27. Mark Martin 723
28. Scott Riggs 673
29. Robby Gordon 667
30. David Reutimann 661
31. Reed Sorenson 644
32. Michael Waltrip 621
33. Sam Hornish Jr. 605
34. Regan Smith 554
13. Jeff Gordon 907
14. Martin Truex Jr. 897
15. Matt Kenseth 869
16. Kurt Busch 857
17. J.P. Montoya 854
18. David Ragan 834
19. Brian Vickers 834
20. Bobby Labonte 834
21. David Gilliland 817
22. Paul Menard 776
23. Elliott Sadler 751
24. Travis Kvapill 743
25. Casey Mears 741
26. Jamie McMurray 727
27. Mark Martin 723
28. Scott Riggs 673

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.