DAYTONA BEACH, Fla — Sept. 15, 2008) – Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 going into the second race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup – the Camping World RV 400 presented by AAA at Dover International Speedway.
1– Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 106.1
2008 Rundown
• Six wins, 12 top fives, 20 top 10s
• Average finish of 9.8
• Led 15 races for 697 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 102.9
• One win, four top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 8.3
• Finished second in June
• Led five of eight races for 200 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 733 Fastest Laps Run
2 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 105.1
2008 Rundown
• Four wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.0
• Led 21 races for 1,094 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 101.5
• Three wins, four top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 11.5
• Finished seventh in June
• Led eight of 13 races for 556 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.3, second-best
3 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.6
2008 Rundown
• One win, nine top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.8
• Led 13 races for 399 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 116.1
• One win, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 12.1
• Finished third in June
• Led six of 12 races for 393 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 356 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
4 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.1
2008 Rundown
• One win, nine top fives, 14 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.0
• Led 19 races for 875 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 80.5
• One win, four top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 16.9
• Finished 35th in June
• Led eight of 17 races for 336 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 502 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
5 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.4
2008 Rundown
• One win, five top fives, 13 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.3
• Led 10 races for 74 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 90.8
• One win, six top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 16.6
• Finished eighth in June
• Led eight of 29 races for 127 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,133 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fifth-most
6 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.9
2008 Rundown
• One win, nine top fives, 15 top 10s
• Average finish of 15.1
• Led 12 races for 700 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 74.6
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 21.0
• Finished 43rd in June
• Led one of five races for 61 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 1,231 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)
7 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.7
2008 Rundown
• Nine top fives, 14 top 10s
• Average finish of 14.2
• Led 12 races for 556 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 63.0
• Two wins, nine top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.2
• Finished 41st in June
• Led 10 of 19 races for 1,061 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 307 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
8 – Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 109.7
2008 Rundown
• Eight wins, 15 top fives, 17 top 10s
• Average finish of 10.8
• Led 20 races for 1,636 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 106.9
• One win, five top fives
• Average finish of 10.3
• Won June’s Dover race
• Led three of seven races for 270 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high Average Running Position of 10.3
9 – Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 79.7
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 15.5
• Led four races for 150 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 88.2
• Two top 10s
• Average finish of 16.2
• Finished 36th in June
• Led one of five races for two laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 196 Fastest Laps Run, tied for 11th-most
10 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.6
2008 Rundown
• Six top fives, 13 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.5
• Led five races for 168 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 71.0
• Two top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 19.3
• Finished 38th in June
• Led one of 15 races for 133 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Seventh-fastest average Green Flag Speed rank
11 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.0
2008 Rundown
• Nine top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 15.0
• Led 14 races for 279 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 88.6
• Four wins, 14 top fives, 19 top 10s; three poles
• Average finish of 12.1
• Finished fifth in June
• Led 18 of 31 races for 2,201 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 12.0, fifth-best
12 – Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.0
2008 Rundown
• Six top fives, 15 top 10s
• Average finish of 16.9
• Led 13 races for 204 laps
Dover International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 112.3
• One win, six top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 14.7
• Finished fourth in June
• Led six of 19 races for 550 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 189 Fastest Laps Run, tied for 12th-most
The Chase is On
The Top 12 Following Race 27 of 36
Weeks Rank Season
In Last Driver
Driver Points Wins Top 12 Week Rating
1. Carl Edwards 5,220 6 23 2 106.1
2. Jimmie Johnson 5,220 4 23 3 105.1
3. Greg Biffle 5,190 1 27 9 92.6
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 5,170 1 26 4 102.1
5. Jeff Burton 5,170 1 17 7 89.4
6. Denny Hamlin 5,148 1 23 6 95.9
7. Tony Stewart 5,147 0 27 8 95.7
8. Kyle Busch 5,146 8 27 1 109.7
9. Clint Bowyer 5,137 1 20 5 79.7
10. Kevin Harvick 5,134 0 23 11 89.6
11. Jeff Gordon 5,121 0 18 10 95.0
12. Matt Kenseth 5,043 0 13 12 86.0
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Additional Drivers
13. Kasey Kahne 3,177
14. David Ragan 3,118
15. Martin Truex Jr. 2,964
16. Brian Vickers 2,917
17. Ryan Newman 2,908
18. Kurt Busch 2,772
19. Jamie McMurray 2,705
20. Bobby Labonte 2,621
21. J.P. Montoya 2,599
22. Travis Kvapil 2,592
23. Elliott Sadler 2,568
24. David Reutimann 2,545
25. Casey Mears 2,486
26. David Gilliland 2,404
27. Paul Menard 2,302
28. Mark Martin 2,270
29. Reed Sorenson 2,119
30. Michael Waltrip 2,097
31. Dave Blaney 2,062
32. Robby Gordon 2,033
33. Regan Smith 2,024
34. Scott Riggs 2,018
35. Sam Hornish Jr. 2,015
36. Patrick Carpentier 1,673
37. AJ Allmendinger 1,575
38. Joe Nemechek 1,520
39. Michael McDowell 1,390
40. J.J. Yeley 1,263
41. Bill Elliott 924
42. Aric Almirola 780
43. Kyle Petty 750
44. Terry Labonte 699
45. Mike Skinner 618
46. Dario Franchitti 606
47. Jeremy Mayfield 578
48. Ken Schrader 520
49. Marcos Ambrose 400
50. Dale Jarrett 367
51. Johnny Sauter 335
52. Tony Raines 334
53. Sterling Marlin 302
54. Ron Fellows 200
55. Boris Said 194
56. Jason Leffler 192
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.
