Week 13: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 – And Beyond
A look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12, along with other notable drivers, going into the Autism Speaks 400 presented by Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips & Cheese at Dover International Speedway on May 31.
Courtesy: NASCAR Media Relations
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 26, 2009) – Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12, along with other notable drivers, going into the Autism Speaks 400 presented by Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips & Cheese at Dover International Speedway on May 31. (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: 107.5
2009 Rundown
• One win, six top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 10.1
• Led eight races for a total of 496 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Four wins, 14 top fives, 20 top 10s; four poles
• Average finish of 11.9
• Finished seventh in September
• Led 19 of 32 races for 2,231 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 299 Fastest Laps Run
2 – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.6
2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 10.2
• Led five races for 54 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, nine top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.2
• Finished 11th in September
• Led 10 of 20 races for 1,061 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.7, fifth-best
3 – Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.3
2009 Rundown
• One win, three top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 12.2
• Led seven races for 322 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 21.4
• Finished 34th in September
• Led four of 17 races for 225 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.0, third-best
4 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.7
2009 Rundown
• One win, five top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 13.7
• Led 10 races for 319 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Three wins, five top fives, nine top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 11.1
• Finished fifth in September
• Led nine of 14 races for 637 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.0, second-best
5 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.0
2009 Rundown
• Two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 12.4
• Led four races for 479 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 23.8
• Finished 38th in September
• Led one of six races for 61 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.3, fourth-most
6 – Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 107.1
2009 Rundown
• Three wins, four top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 15.8
• Led eight races for 789 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• One win, five top fives
• Average finish of 14.4
• Finished 43rd in September
• Led three of eight races for 270 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 236 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
7 – Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 82.5
2009 Rundown
• Four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 14.0
• Led seven races for 137 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Three wins, six top fives, eight top 10s; four poles
• Average finish of 10.5
• Finished 13th in September
• Led nine of 14 races for 813 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has run 78.6% of the laps on the lead lap, 12th-best
8 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 82.9
2009 Rundown
• Two top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 14.5
• Led two races for 67 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• One win, six top fives, 13 tops 10s
• Average finish of 16.3
• Finished ninth in September
• Led eight of 30 races for 127 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 66.4%, ninth-best
9 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 81.8
2009 Rundown
• Two wins, three top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 16.2
• Led five races for 171 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 14.1
• Finished second in September
• Led seven of 20 races for 686 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,116 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
10 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.5
2009 Rundown
• Three top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 16.0
• Led five races for 267 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, five top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 11.2
• Won September’s Dover race
• Led seven of 13 races for 422 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 255 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
11 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.7
2009 Rundown
• Two top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 16.0
• Led five races for 42 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• One win, five top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 7.7
• Finished third in September
• Led six of nine races for 285 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 13.3, seventh-best
12 – Mark Martin (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.4
2009 Rundown
• Two wins, three top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 17.8
• Led five races for 215 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Four wins, 21 top fives, 28 top 10s; four poles
• Average finish of 12.8
• Finished fourth in September
• Led 28 of 45 races for 1,719 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has been passed 484 times, fewest in the series
13 – David Reutimann (No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 82.2
2009 Rundown
• One win, two top fives, three top 10s
• Average finish of 16.4
• Led four races for 47 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Average finish of 20.7 in his three Dover races
• Finished 17th in September
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 15.4, ninth-best
Chase Contenders
The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 12 of 36
Rank Season
Last Driver
Driver Points Wins Poles Week Rating
1. Jeff Gordon 1,722 1 0 1 107.5
2. Tony Stewart 1,678 0 0 2 99.6
3. Kurt Busch 1,607 1 0 3 99.3
4. Jimmie Johnson 1,594 1 0 4 101.7
5. Denny Hamlin 1,575 0 0 5 100.0
6. Kyle Busch 1,540 3 1 7 107.1
7. Ryan Newman 1,538 0 1 8 82.5
8. Jeff Burton 1,472 0 0 6 82.9
9. Matt Kenseth 1,460 2 1 10 81.8
10. Greg Biffle 1,448 0 0 9 89.5
11. Carl Edwards 1,431 0 0 12 89.7
12. Mark Martin 1,428 2 3 11 96.4
___________________________________________________
ADDITIONAL DRIVERS
13. David Reutimann 1,422 34. Robby Gordon 1,017
14. J.P. Montoya 1,397 35. Scott Speed 865
15. Kasey Kahne 1,351 36. John Andretti 743
16. Brian Vickers 1,348 37. David Gilliland 731
17. Clint Bowyer 1,319 38. Regan Smith 573
18. Martin Truex Jr. 1,238 39. Brad Keselowski 479
19. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,225 40. Joe Nemechek 466
20. Marcos Ambrose 1,216 41. Aric Almirola 451
21. Jamie McMurray 1,168 42. Scott Riggs 448
22. Casey Mears 1,168 43. Dave Blaney 382
23. Kevin Harvick 1,149 44. Bill Elliottl 346
24. Reed Sorenson 1,148 45. Max Papis 317
25. Joey Logano 1,145 46. Travis Kvapil 292
26. David Stremme 1,136 47. Jeremy Mayfield 288
27. Bobby Labonte 1,134 48. Tony Raines 168
28. Elliott Sadler 1,129 49. Mike Bliss 157
29. AJ Allmendinger 1,126 50. Todd Bodine 123
30. Sam Hornish Jr. 1,113 51. Sterling Marlin 123
31. Michael Waltrip 1,095 52. Terry Labonte 91
32. David Ragan 1,089
33. Paul Menard 1,033
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.
