Week 19: 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 LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 11.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 6, 2009) – Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12, along with other notable drivers, going into the LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 11. (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 – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 106.2
2009 Rundown
• Two wins, 10 top fives, 14 top 10s
• Average finish of 7.8
• Led 10 races for 236 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, six top fives; one pole
• Average finish of 10.3
• Finished fifth last season
• Led six of eight races for 395 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 9.3, second-best

2 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.4
2009 Rundown
• One win, nine top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 10.7
• Led 11 races for 570 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
• One win, four top fives, five top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 10.1
• Finished 11th last season
• Led four of eight races for 87 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 374 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

3 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 109.0
2009 Rundown
• Two wins, eight top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 11.6
• Led 14 races for 887 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
• Five top fives, six top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 8.1
• Finished second last season
• Led six of seven races for 176 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-best Average Running Position of 8.6

4 – Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.6
2009 Rundown
• One win, six top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.2
• Led 11 races for 354 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
• Five top 10s
• Average finish of 17.3
• Finished 28th last season
• Led two of eight races for three laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.0, third-best

5 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.7
2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 13.4
• Led eight races for 158 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
• One top five
• Average finish of 23.5
• Finished 32nd last season
• Led one of four races for 15 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 12.1, seventh-best

6 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.3
2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 13.8
• Led eight races for 577 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
• Average finish of 23.7 in three races
• Finished 40th last season
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 12.1, seventh-best

7 – Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 81.1
2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 15.0
• Led 10 races for 156 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
• One win, two top fives, four top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 17.6
• Finished 10th last season
• Led three of seven races for 163 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has run 80.5% of the laps on the lead lap, 12th-best

8 – Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.1
2009 Rundown
• Three wins, four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 16.1
• Led 11 races for 809 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
• One win, two top fives
• Average finish of 7.8
• Won last season’s Chicagoland race
• Led two of four races for 167 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 253 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

9 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.4
2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 15.3
• Led nine races for 355 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
• One top five
• Average finish of 12.8
• Finished fourth last season
• Led two of six races for 77 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 349 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

10 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.9
2009 Rundown
• Two wins, four top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 15.7
• Led eight races for 187 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
• Two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 9.8
• Finished seventh last season
• Led six of eight races for 300 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,509 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most

11 – Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Target Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.6
2009 Rundown
• Eight top 10s
• Average finish of 14.7
• Led four races for 17 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
• Average finish of 16.5 in two races
• Finished 18th last season
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,733 Green Flag Passes, second-most

12 – Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.3
2009 Rundown
• One win, two top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 15.4
• Led three races for 83 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
• Average finish of 29.4
• Finished 15th last season
• Led one of five races for 10 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 144 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

13 – Mark Martin (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.5
2009 Rundown
• Three wins, four top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 18.3
• Led nine races for 219 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
• Three top 10s
• Average finish of 14.0
• Finished 17th last season
• Led four of eight races for 44 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has been passed 764 times, fewest in the series

Chase Contenders

The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 18 of 36

Rank      Season
Last        Driver
Driver Points Wins Poles Week Rating

1. Tony Stewart 2,719 2 0 1 106.2

2. Jeff Gordon 2,539 1 0 2 101.4

3. Jimmie Johnson 2,525 2 0 3 109.0

4. Kurt Busch 2,414 1 0 4 101.6

5. Carl Edwards 2,317 0 0 5 94.7

6. Denny Hamlin 2,302 0 0 6 97.3

7. Ryan Newman 2,235 0 1 7 81.1

8. Kyle Busch 2,234 3 1 8 103.1

9. Greg Biffle 2,215 0 0 9 90.4

10. Matt Kenseth 2,201 2 1 10 85.9

11. Juan Pablo Montoya 2,187 0 1 12 84.6

12. Kasey Kahne 2,166 1 0 13 86.3

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ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

13. Mark Martin 2,101 34. Robby Gordon 1,468

14. David Reutimann 2,092 35. Scott Speed 1,218

15. Jeff Burton 2,061 36. John Andretti 1,201

16. Clint Bowyer 2,031 37. David Gilliland 1,027

17. Brian Vickers 1,998 38. Regan Smith 943

18. Marcos Ambrose 1,948 39. Brad Keselowski 720

19. Jamie McMurray 1,863 40. Joe Nemechek 678

20. Joey Logano 1,847 41. Dave Blaney 622

21. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,810 42. Max Papis 502

22. Casey Mears 1,808 43. Bill Elliott 461

23. Elliott Sadler 1,794 44. Aric Almirola 451

24. Martin Truex Jr. 1,730 45. Scott Riggs 448

25. Sam Hornish Jr. 1,705 46. Tony Raines 352

26. Kevin Harvick 1,683 47. Travis Kvapil 292

27. Bobby Labonte 1,679 48. Jeremy Mayfield 288

28. Reed Sorenson 1,668 49. Patrick Carpentier 235

29. AJ Allmendinger 1,646 50. Sterling Marlin 209

30. David Ragan 1,620 51. Mike Bliss 200

31. Paul Menard 1,504 52. Todd Bodine 123

32. David Stremme 1,499 53. Terry Labonte 91

33. Michael Waltrip 1,481 54. Boris Said 91

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.