Date Posted — September 02, 2008
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla — Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. (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.)
Race Results -- 08/30/2008
| Top 12 NASCAR Cup Drivers at Week 26 of 2008 Season |
|---|
| 1– Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 112.0 2008 Rundown • Eight wins, 15 top fives, 17 top 10s • Average finish of 9.7 • Led 18 races for 1,580 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 110.6 • Six top fives • Average finish of 5.6 • Finished second in May’s Richmond race • Led four of seven races for 292 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight • Series-high Average Running Position of 9.0 2 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 106.4 2008 Rundown • Six wins, 11 top fives, 19 top 10s • Average finish of 10.0 • Led 14 races for 636 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 79.7 • Three top 10s • Average finish of 18.9 • Finished seventh in May • Led one of eight races for 15 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight • Series-high 702 Fastest Laps Run 3 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.3 2008 Rundown • Three wins, eight top fives, 13 top 10s • Average finish of 12.8 • Led 19 races for 966 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 81.0 • Two wins, three top fives; two poles • Average finish of 18.8 • Finished 12th in May • Led six of 13 races for 337 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight • Average Running Position of 10.8, third-best 4 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.2 2008 Rundown • One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 12.6 • Led 17 races for 706 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 92.4 • Three wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s • Average finish of 11.5 • Finished 15th in May • Led nine of 18 races for 337 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight • 417 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most 5 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.0 2008 Rundown • One win, four top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 12.8 • Led 10 races for 74 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 80.2 • One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 15.4 • Finished 11th in May • Led nine of 28 races for 899 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight • 1,063 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fifth-most 6 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.8 2008 Rundown • Eight top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 14.3 • Led 12 races for 341 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 92.0 • Two top fives, five top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 15.8 • Finished 14th in May • Led four of 12 races for 71 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight • 313 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most 7 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.5 2008 Rundown • Six top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 13.9 • Led four races for 88 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 118.9 • One win, four top fives, nine top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 11.8 • Finished eighth in May • Led eight of 15 races for 646 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight • Seventh-fastest average Green Flag Speed rank 8 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.7 2008 Rundown • Eight top fives, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 15.0 • Led 10 races for 532 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 102.3 • Three wins, seven top fives, 13 top 10s • Average finish of 10.9 • Finished fourth in May • Led 10 of 19 races for 792 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight • 263 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most 9 – Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.6 2008 Rundown • Six top fives, 15 top 10s • Average finish of 15.1 • Led 12 races for 202 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 85.2 • One win, three top fives, nine top 10s • Average finish of 15.6 • Finished 38th in May • Led seven of 17 races for 190 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight • 186 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most 10 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.9 2008 Rundown • Nine top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 15.4 • Led 13 races for 273 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 88.2 • Two wins, 12 top fives, 19 top 10s; five poles • Average finish of 15.3 • Finished ninth in May • Led 19 of 31 races for 1,059 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight • Average Running Position of 12.1, fifth-best 11 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.8 2008 Rundown • One win, eight top fives, 13 top 10s • Average finish of 15.8 • Led 11 races for 696 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 114.8 • Two top fives, three top 10s; two poles • Average finish of 10.0 • Finished 24th in May • Led all five of his races for 448 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight • 1,141 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-most 12 – Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 78.5 2008 Rundown • One win, four top fives, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 15.8 • Led four races for 150 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 93.2 • One win, three top 10s • Average finish of 8.8 • Won the Richmond race in May • Led two of five races for 17 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight • 184 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most 13 – David Ragan (No. 6 AAA Ford) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 80.2 2008 Rundown • Five top fives, nine top 10s • Average finish of 15.8 • Led six races for 15 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 75.0 • One top five • Average finish of 13.3 in three races; Finished 17th in May Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight • Series-high 1,147 Quality Passes 14 – Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.4 2008 Rundown • Two wins, three top fives, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 17.0 • Led eight races for 185 laps Richmond International Raceway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 98.2 • One win, two top five, five top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 17.3; Finished 10th in May • Led three of nine races for 249 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight • 257 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most Chase Contenders The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 25 of 36 Weeks Rank Season In Last Driver Driver Points Wins Top 12 Week Rating 1. Kyle Busch * 3,755 8 25 1 112.0 2. Carl Edwards * 3,547 6 21 2 106.4 3. Jimmie Johnson * 3,386 3 21 4 103.3 4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. * 3,323 1 24 3 100.2 5. Jeff Burton * 3,234 1 25 5 88.0 6. Greg Biffle 3,159 0 25 7 91.8 7. Kevin Harvick 3,132 0 21 8 88.5 8. Tony Stewart 3,110 0 25 6 94.7 9. Matt Kenseth 3,081 0 11 10 87.6 10. Jeff Gordon 3,074 0 16 9 94.9 11. Denny Hamlin 3,065 1 20 11 94.8 12. Clint Bowyer 2,989 1 18 12 78.5 * - Clinched berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. |
