Week 12: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 – And Beyond
NASCAR returns "home" to Charlotte, N.C. this week for their annual All-Star Race Weekend. Most teams are based in the Charlotte area and while many will be racing most drivers and crews will have the chance to sleep in their beds this weekend.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 11, 2009) – Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12, along with other notable drivers, going into the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on May 24. (Note: Drivers listed below who are outside the top 12 are chosen based on past performances at the upcoming track and/or are within striking distance of the top 12.)
1 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 109.8
2009 Rundown
• One win, six top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 9.7
• Led eight races for a total of 496 laps
Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Five wins, 15 top fives, 18 top 10s; seven poles
• Average finish of 16.1
• Finished eighth in October
• Led 21 of 32 races for 579 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 291 Fastest Laps Run
2 – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.9
2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 9.5
• Led five races for 54 laps
Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One win, six top fives, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.1
• Finished 11th in October
• Led 11 of 20 races for 595 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.4, fourth-best
3 – Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.7
2009 Rundown
• One win, three top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 10.3
• Led seven races for 322 laps
Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Three top fives
• Average finish of 20.8
• Finished third in October
• Led eight of 17 races for 238 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 9.8, second-best
4 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.7
2009 Rundown
• One win, five top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 13.7
• Led nine races for 313 laps
Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Five wins, eight top fives, 12 top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 8.9
• Finished sixth in October
• Led 14 of 15 races for 1,236 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.4, fifth-best
5 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.3
2009 Rundown
• Two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 12.5
• Led four races for 479 laps
Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Three top 10s
• Average finish of 16.3
• Finished 16th in October
• Led four of seven races for 28 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.3, third-most
6 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.9
2009 Rundown
• Two top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 13.5
• Led two races for 67 laps
Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Three wins, eight top fives, 15 tops 10s
• Average finish of 14.4
• Won October’s Lowe’s Motor Speedway race
• Led nine of 30 races for 428 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 70.5%, seventh-best
7 – Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 104.1
2009 Rundown
• Three wins, four top fives
• Average finish of 16.6
• Led seven races for 616 laps
Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Three top fives, four tops 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 21.4
• Finished fourth in October
• Led seven of 10 races for 146 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 186 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
8 – Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 81.7
2009 Rundown
• Three top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 15.1
• Led six races for 135 laps
Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Three top fives, five top 10s; seven poles
• Average finish of 21.9
• Finished 21st in October
• Led 10 of 16 races for 254 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 66 Fastest Laps Run, 15th-most
9 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.7
2009 Rundown
• Three top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 15.6
• Led five races for 267 laps
Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Two top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 18.3
• Finished seventh in October
• Led five of 12 races for 43 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 255 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
10 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 80.7
2009 Rundown
• Two wins, three top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 16.8
• Led five races for 171 laps
Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One win, five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 16.6
• Finished 41st in October
• Led 14 of 19 races for 253 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,038 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
11 – Mark Martin (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.1
2009 Rundown
• Two wins, three top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 17.8
• Led five races for 215 laps
Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Four wins, 17 top fives, 22 top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 15.9
• Finished ninth in October
• Led 22 of 48 races for 1,168 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has run 85.3% of the laps on the lead lap, eighth-best
12 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.4
2009 Rundown
• One top five, four top 10s
• Average finish of 17.1
• Led five races for 42 laps
Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Three top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 10.8
• Finished 33rd in October
• Led four of eight races for 34 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 13.8, seventh-best
13 – Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 77.9
2009 Rundown
• Three top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 17.4
• Led two races for 16 laps
Lowe’s Motor Speedway Outlook:
• One top five
• Average finish of 18.3
• Finished 12th in October
• Led two of six races for 82 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has run 78.9% of the laps on the lead lap, 12th-best
Chase Contenders
The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 11 of 36
Rank Season
Last Driver
Driver Points Wins Poles Week Rating
1. Jeff Gordon 1,601 1 0 1 109.8
2. Tony Stewart 1,572 0 0 3 100.9
3. Kurt Busch 1,546 1 0 2 100.7
4. Jimmie Johnson 1,465 1 0 6 100.7
5. Denny Hamlin 1,445 0 0 4 100.3
6. Jeff Burton 1,384 0 0 7 84.9
7. Kyle Busch 1,380 3 1 5 104.1
8. Ryan Newman 1,363 0 0 10 81.7
9. Greg Biffle 1,345 0 0 11 90.7
10. Matt Kenseth 1,326 2 1 12 80.7
11. Mark Martin 1,316 2 3 15 97.1
12. Carl Edwards 1,271 0 0 9 88.4
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ADDITIONAL DRIVERS
13. Clint Bowyer 1,264 34. Robby Gordon 847
14. J.P. Montoya 1,255 35. Scott Speed 756
15. David Reutimann 1,232 36. John Andretti 743
16. Kasey Kahne 1,205 37. David Gilliland 649
17. Brian Vickers 1,188 38. Regan Smith 573
18. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,182 39. Brad Keselowski 479
19. Martin Truex Jr. 1,144 40. Aric Almirola 451
20. Marcos Ambrose 1,131 41. Joe Nemechek 414
21. Kevin Harvick 1,109 42. Scott Riggs 394
22. Casey Mears 1,104 43. Dave Blaney 298
23. Reed Sorenson 1,090 44. Travis Kvapil 292
24. Jamie McMurray 1,068 45. Jeremy Mayfield 288
25. AJ Allmendinger 1,059 46. Max Papis 280
26. Elliott Sadler 1,059 47. Bill Elliott 228
27. David Stremme 1,039 48. Todd Bodine 123
28. Michael Waltrip 1,017 49. Mike Bliss 123
29. Bobby Labonte 1,007 50. Sterling Marlin 123
30. Joey Logano 1,002 51. Tony Raines 122
31. Sam Hornish Jr. 998 52. Terry Labonte 91
32. David Ragan 998
33. Paul Menard 957
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.
