DAYTONA BEACH, Florida — Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with some other notable drivers, going into the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway on February 22. (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 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 114.0
2009 Rundown
• Won his first Daytona 500, as well as team owner Jack Roush’s first Daytona 500
• Ended a 36-race winless drought
• Won the Daytona 500 from the 39th starting position, the lowest of any Daytona winner
• Led seven laps in the Daytona 500
Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, six top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 9.6
• Finished fifth at Auto Club in August
• Led 10 of 14 races for 384 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
• Top Average Running Position of 8.6
2 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 81.7
2009 Rundown
• One top five
Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
• One top five, four top 10s
• Average finish of 17.9
• Finished fourth in August
• Led five of 13 races for 32 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
• 215 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
3 – A.J. Allmendinger (No. 44 Valvoline Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.2
2009 Rundown
• One top five
Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
• Average finish of 16.0
• Finished 14th in August
• Led one of two races for one lap
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.9, seventh-best
4 – Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.4
2009 Rundown
• One top five
Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
• One top five, three top 10s
• Average finish of 12.0
• Finished 10th in August
• Led one of six races for two laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
• 243 Green Flag Passes, second-most
5 – Elliott Sadler (No. 19 Stanley Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 80.5
2009 Rundown
• One top five
• Led 24 laps
Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
• One win, two top 10s
• Average finish of 26.5
• Finished 34th in August
• Led two of 15 races for 67 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
• 198 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most
6 – David Ragan (No. 6 UPS Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.2
2009 Rundown
• One top 10
Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
• Average finish of 13.8
• Finished 13th in August
• Led one of four races for one lap
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
• Second-best “Closer” – 13 positions improved in the last 20 laps
7 – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.2
2009 Rundown
• One top 10
• Led 15 laps
Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
• Three top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 16.4
• Finished 22nd in August
• Led six of 15 races for 225 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
• Five Fastest Laps Run, tied for fifth-most
8 – Michael Waltrip (No. 55 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 81.2
2009 Rundown
• One top 10
Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
• Two top 10s
• Average finish of 26.3
• Finished 33rd in August
• Led four of 16 races for 16 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
• Race-high 10 Fastest Laps Run
9 – Reed Sorenson (No. 43 McDonald’s Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 73.7
2009 Rundown
• One top 10
Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
• Average finish of 28.3
• Finished 27th in August
• Led one of six races for eight laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 16.2, 15th-best
10 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shop/Tracker Boats Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 70.4
2009 Rundown
• Led one lap
Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
• Two top 10s
• Average finish of 17.7
• Finished 19th in August
• Led one of six races for four laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
• 189 Green Flag Passes, 14th-most
11– Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.4
2009 Rundown
• One top 10
Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
• One win, three top fives, five top 10s; three poles
• Average finish of 13.5
• Finished 39th in August
• Led eight of 13 races for 224 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
• Race’s best “Closer” – 18 positions improved in the last 20 laps
12 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 110.9
2009 Rundown
• Led 14 laps
Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
• Three wins, eight top fives; two poles
• Average finish of 11.5
• Finished 15th in August
• Led 10 of 17 races for 527 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 9.0, third-best
18 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.4
2009 Rundown
• Finished 18th in the Daytona 500
Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
• One win, six top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 6.7
• Finished sixth in August
• Led four of nine races for 120 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.7, sixth-best
31 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 68.4
2009 Rundown
• Finished 31st in the Daytona 500
Auto Club Speedway Outlook:
• Three wins, eight top fives; one pole
• Average finish of 5.9
• Won at Auto Club Speedway in August, posting a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0
• Led eight of 12 races for 523 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
• 123 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), seventh-most
Chase Contenders
The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 1 of 36
Weeks Rank Season
In Last Driver
Driver Pts Wins Top 12 Week Rating
1. Matt Kenseth 190 1 1 - 114.0
2. Kevin Harvick 170 0 1 - 81.7
3. AJ Allmendinger 165 0 1 - 102.2
4. Clint Bowyer 160 0 1 - 87.4
5. Elliott Sadler 160 0 1 - 80.5
6. David Ragan 150 0 1 - 92.2
7. Tony Stewart 147 0 1 - 97.2
8. Michael Waltrip 146 0 1 - 81.2
9. Reed Sorenson 138 0 1 - 73.7
10. Martin Truex Jr. 135 0 1 - 70.4
11. Kurt Busch 134 0 1 - 93.4
12. Jeff Gordon 129 0 1 - 110.9
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ADDITIONAL DRIVERS
13. David Reutimann 127
14. J.P. Montoya 121
15. Mark Martin 120
16. Casey Mears 118
17. Marcos Ambrose 112
18. Carl Edwards 109
19. John Andretti 106
20. Greg Biffle 103
21. Bobby Labonte 102
22. Regan Smith 100
23. Bill Elliott 94
24. Terry Labonte 91
25. Scott Riggs 88
26. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 87
27. Denny Hamlin 85
28. Jeff Burton 79
29. Kasey Kahne 76
30. Aric Almirola 73
31. Jimmie Johnson 70
32. Sam Hornish Jr. 67
33. David Stremme 64
34. Robby Gordon 61
35. Scott Speed 58
36. Ryan Newman 55
37. Jamie McMurray 52
38. Kyle Busch 50
39. Paul Menard 49
40. Brian Vickers 46
41. Jeremy Mayfield 43
42. Travis Kvapil 37
43. Joey Logano 34
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.
