Top 12

Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway on June 8 (Note: Drivers listed below who are outside the top 12 are chosen based on past performances at the upcoming track and/or those within striking distance of the top 12).

1– Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 115.2
2008 Rundown
• Four wins, nine top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 7.4
• Led 10 races for 786 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 16.2
• Finished 12th in August’s Pocono race
• Led one of six races for two laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high Average Running Position of 7.8

2 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.4
2008 Rundown
• One win, three top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 7.9
• Led seven races for 62 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Six top fives, 13 top 10s
• Average finish of 16.8
• Finished 11th in August
• Led 14 of 28 races for 103 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 656 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), third-most

3– Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 105.0
2008 Rundown
• Five top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 11.8
• Led 10 races for 527 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Four top fives, five top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 17.3
• Finished second in August
• Led five of 16 races for 97 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 330 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

4 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.9
2008 Rundown
• Three wins, six top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 11.8
• Led five races for 370 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• One win, two top fives
• Average finish of 17.3
• Finished 21st in August
• Led three of six races for 51 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 461 Fastest Laps Run

5 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.0
2008 Rundown
• Five top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 14.2
• Led six races for 278 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 19.2
• Finished 23rd in August
• Led three of 10 races for 53 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 243 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

6 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.5
2008 Rundown
• Six top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 14.7
• Led eight races for 211 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Four wins, 15 top fives, 21 top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 10.2
• Finished fourth in August
• Led 20 of 30 races for 871 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 175 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

7 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.5
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 15.2
• Led nine races for 449 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 10.7
• Finished fifth in August
• Led four of 12 races for 275 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 233 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

8 – Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 83.7
2008 Rundown
• One win, three top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 14.5
• Led four races for 150 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Two top 10s
• Average finish of 20.0
• Finished eighth in August
• Led two of four races for nine laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 144 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

9 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.5
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 15.2
• Led seven races for 646 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, three top fives, four top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 2.8
• Finished third in August
• Led three of four races for 283 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 671 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-most

10 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.7
2008 Rundown
• Two top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 15.4
• Led three races for 34 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• One top five, four top 10s
• Average finish of 16.4 in 14 races
• Finished 17th in August
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Eighth-fastest Green Flag Speed

11 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.7
2008 Rundown
• Four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 16.7
• Led five races for 373 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• One win, five top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 12.4
• Finished sixth in August
• Led eight of 18 races for 101 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 3,144 Laps in the Top 15 (70.4%), eighth-most

12 – Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 83.3
2008 Rundown
• One win, six top 10s
• Average finish of 17.1
• Led six races for 71 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• One top five, two top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 19.8
• Finished 27th in August
• Led two of eight races for five laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 574 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), eighth-most

15 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 82.9
2008 Rundown
• Two top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 19.4
• Led seven races for 148 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Three top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 14.8
• Finished 14th in August
• Led seven of 16 races for 27 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 137 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

21 – Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 72.2
2008 Rundown
• One top five
• Average finish of 21.8
• Led three races for 74 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, seven top fives
• Average finish of 14.6
• Won last August’s Pocono race, scoring a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0
• Led seven of 14 races for 347 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,075 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most

Chase Contenders
The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 13 of 36

Weeks Rank Season
In Last Driver
Driver Points Wins Top 12 Week Rating
1. Kyle Busch 2,050 4 13 1 115.2
2. Jeff Burton 1,908 1 13 2 94.4
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,779 0 12 3 105.0
4. Carl Edwards 1,713 3 9 6 103.9
5. Greg Biffle 1,658 0 13 11 95.0
6. Jeff Gordon 1,646 0 4 10 95.5
7. Jimmie Johnson 1,644 1 9 9 96.5
8. Clint Bowyer 1,633 1 9 5 83.7
9. Denny Hamlin 1,630 1 7 4 95.5
10. Kevin Harvick 1,566 0 8 7 85.7
11. Tony Stewart 1,551 0 13 8 90.7
12. Kasey Kahne 1,524 1 11 12 83.3
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ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

13. David Ragan 1,516
14. Ryan Newman 1,495
15. Martin Truex Jr. 1,441
16. Matt Kenseth 1,429
17. J.P. Montoya 1,390
18. Travis Kvapil 1,370
19. Brian Vickers 1,327
20. Bobby Labonte 1,325
21. Kurt Busch 1,295
22. Jamie McMurray 1,265
23. David Gilliland 1,246
24. Mark Martin 1,215
25. Casey Mears 1,193
26. David Reutimann 1,183
27. Paul Menard 1,164
28. Elliott Sadler 1,156
29. Robby Gordon 1,086
30. Reed Sorenson 1,054
31. Dave Blaney 1,048
32. Regan Smith 1,041
33. Sam Hornish Jr. 1,039
34. Michael Waltrip 1,012
35. Scott Riggs 981
36. J.J. Yeley 842
37. Joe Nemechek 604
38. Patrick Carpentier 600
39. Jeremy Mayfield 578
40. Michael McDowell 562
41. Kyle Petty 540
42. Dario Franchitti 483
43. Mike Skinner 423
44 Bill Elliott 414
45. Dale Jarrett 367
46. AJ Allmendinger 366
47. Ken Schrader 298
48. Aric Almirola 243
49. Sterling Marlin 228
50. John Andretti 149
51. David Stremme 84
52. Jon Wood 55
53. Tony Raines 43
54. Kenny Wallace 34
55. Johnny Sauter 24

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.