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 Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington Raceway on May 10.

1– Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 109.4
2008 Rundown
• Two wins, six top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 9.1
• Led seven races for 398 laps
Darlington Raceway Outlook:
• One top 10
• Average finish of 22.3
• Finished 37th last season
• Led one of three races for one lap
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high Average Running Position of 9.0

2 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.7
2008 Rundown
• One win, three top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 7.9
• Led six races for 61 laps
Darlington Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, eight top fives, 14 top 10s
• Average finish of 11.5
• Finished 10th in last season’s Darlington race
• Led 11 of 25 races for 762 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 519 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fifth-most

3– Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 108.7
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 10.9
• Led eight races for 416 laps
Darlington Raceway Outlook:
• Two top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 15.0
• Finished eighth last season
• Led four of 13 races for 135 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 268 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

4– Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.4
2008 Rundown
• One win, three top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 11.2
• Led four races for 150 laps
Darlington Raceway Outlook:
• One top 10; one pole
• Average finish of 16.0
• Finished ninth last season
• Led one of two races for 16 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 114 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

5 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.2
2008 Rundown
• Two top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 10.9
• Led three races for 34 laps
Darlington Raceway Outlook:
• Two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 19.2
• Finished 17th last season
• Led one of 11 races for 14 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 11.9, sixth-best

6 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 104.2
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 12.4
• Led five races for 630 laps
Darlington Raceway Outlook:
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 6.0
• Finished second last season
• Led one of two races for 179 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 568 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-most

7 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.0
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives
• Average finish of 13.9
• Led seven races for 412 laps
Darlington Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 6.8
• Finished third last season
• Led seven of nine races for 407 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 211 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

8 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.0
2008 Rundown
• Four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 13.7
• Led four races for 350 laps
Darlington Raceway Outlook:
• Two top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 11.9
• Finished sixth last season
• Led two of 15 races for eight laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 2,862 Laps in the Top 15 (86.8%)

9 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.8
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 13.6
• Led three races for 17 laps
Darlington Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, three top 10s
• Average finish of 10.7
• Finished 15th last season
• Led five of seven races for 427 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 108 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

10 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 104.0
2008 Rundown
• Three wins, four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 14.0
• Led four races for 306 laps
Darlington Raceway Outlook:
• One top five, three top 10s
• Average finish of 15.0
• Finished fifth last season
• Led two of four races for 37 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 361 Fastest Laps Run

11 – Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.4
2008 Rundown
• One win, two top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 15.2
• Led four races for 53 laps
Darlington Raceway Outlook:
• Five top fives, six top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 10.7
• Finished fourth last season
• Led seven of nine races for 249 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 558 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), third-most

12 – Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.2
2008 Rundown
• Five top 10s
• Average finish of 16.8
• Led four races for four laps
Darlington Raceway Outlook:
• Two top fives
• Average finish of 12.4
• Finished 20th last season
• Led three of five races for 125 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 481 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), eighth-most

13 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.6
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 17.9
• Led six races for 184 laps
Darlington Raceway Outlook:
• Seven wins, 15 top fives, 18 top 10s; three poles
• Average finish of 11.8
• Won last season’s Darlington race
• Led 22 of 27 races for 1,496 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 158 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

Chase Contenders
The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 10 of 36

Weeks Rank Season
In Last Driver
Driver Points Wins Top 12 Week Rating
1. Kyle Busch 1,495 2 10 2 109.4
2. Jeff Burton 1,477 1 10 1 93.7
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,391 0 9 3 108.7
4. Clint Bowyer 1,372 1 6 7 90.4
5. Kevin Harvick 1,350 0 9 6 94.2
6. Denny Hamlin 1,349 1 5 4 104.2
7. Jimmie Johnson 1,318 1 6 5 96.0
8. Tony Stewart 1,297 0 10 9 100.0
9. Greg Biffle 1,269 0 10 8 88.8
10. Carl Edwards 1,230 3 6 10 104.0
11. Ryan Newman 1,212 1 10 11 86.4
12. Kasey Kahne 1,162 0 9 13 84.2
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ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

13. Jeff Gordon 1,156
14. David Ragan 1,106
15. Martin Truex Jr. 1,104
16. J.P. Montoya 1,096
17. Brian Vickers 1,073
18. Bobby Labonte 1,019
19. Travis Kvapil 1,008
20. David Gilliland 980
21. Paul Menard 972
22. Mat Kenseth 958
23. Casey Mears 942
24. Kurt Busch 940
25. Elliott Sadler 935
26. Jamie McMurray 897
27. Scott Riggs 894
28. Mark Martin 888
29. Robby Gordon 882
30. David Reutimann 861
31. Reed Sorenson 805
32. Michael Waltrip 760
33. Regan Smith 759
34. Sam Hornish Jr. 757
35. Dave Blaney 655
36. J.J. Yeley 612
37. Jeremy Mayfield 490
38. Dario Franchitti 483
39. Joe Nemechek 473
40. Kyle Petty 445
41. Patrick Carpentier 424
42. Mike Skinner 423
43. Dale Jarrett 367
44 Michael McDowell 338
45. Bill Elliott 277
46. Aric Almirola 243
47. Kan Schrader 234
48. John Andretti 149
49. AJ Allmendinger 129
50. Johnny Sauter 116
51. Sterling Marlin 97
52. David Stremme 84
53. Jon Wood 55
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.