DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 18, 2008) 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 California Speedway on February 24.
1 Ryan Newman (No. 12 altell Dodge)
Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 110.6
2008 Rundown
With 42 lead changes among 16 drivers, Newman won one of the most competitive Daytona 500s in history
Ended an 81-race winless drought with the win
Led eight laps in the Daytona 500
California Speedway Outlook:
Two top fives, three top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 19.5
Finished 39th at California in September
Led four of 10 races for eight laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
Fourth-fastest driver in the turns
2 Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Light Dodge)
Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 70.4
2008 Rundown
One top five
Led nine laps
California Speedway Outlook:
One win, three top fives, five top 10s; three poles
Average finish of 11.3
Finished ninth in September
Led eight of 11 races for 224 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
Improved 11 Closer positions in the final 20 laps of the race
3 Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.9
2008 Rundown
One top five
Led 16 laps
California Speedway Outlook:
Three top fives, six top 10s
Average finish of 16.7
Finished 13th in September
Led six of 13 races for 225 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
Average Running Position of 9.7
4 Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&Ms Toyota)
Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 133.1
2008 Rundown
One top five
Led 86 laps
California Speedway Outlook:
One win, two top fives, five top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 11.1
Finished third in September
Led five of seven races for 215 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
Average Running Position of 4.2
5 Reed Sorenson (No. 41 Target Dodge)
Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.4
2008 Rundown
One top five
Led five laps
California Speedway Outlook:
Average finish of 26.5
Finished 21st in September
Led one of four races for eight laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
149 Laps in the Top 15
6 Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.4
2008 Rundown
One top 10
Led one lap
California Speedway Outlook:
One win, three top fives, five top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 14.3
Finished 10th in September
Led five of eight races for 267 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
Average Running Position of 8.3
7 Elliott Sadler (No. 19 Best Buy Dodge)
Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 78.0
2008 Rundown
One top 10
California Speedway Outlook:
One win, two top 10s
Average finish of 22.5
Finished 35th in September
Led two of 13 races for 67 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
Fourth-fastest driver on the straightaways
8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Mountain Dew AMP/National Guard Chevrolet)
Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 115.6
2008 Rundown
One top 10
Led 12 laps
California Speedway Outlook:
Three top fives, four top 10s
Average finish of 19.8
Finished fifth in September
Led five of 12 races for 25 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
196 Laps in the Top 15
9 Robby Gordon (No. 7 Jim Beam Dodge)
Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 72.0
2008 Rundown
One top 10
California Speedway Outlook:
One top 10
Average finish of 26.5
Finished 41st in September
Led two of 11 races for 10 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
Spent all 200 laps on the lead lap
10 Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 106.2
2008 Rundown
One top 10
Led seven laps
California Speedway Outlook:
One win, two top fives
Average finish of 20.1
Finished 17th in September
Led five of 10 races for 260 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
Average Running Position of 9.0
11 Bobby Labonte (No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge)
Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.4
California Speedway Outlook:
Four top fives, five top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 17.4
Finished 11th in September
Led four of 15 races for 33 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
243 Green Flag Passes, second-most
12 Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 77.8
2008 Rundown
65 consecutive races in the top 12, longest current streak in the series
California Speedway Outlook:
Five top fives, six top 10s
Average finish of 16.0
Finished fourth in May
Led eight of 13 for 646 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
Pass Differential of 16 (Passes minus times passed)
26 Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowes Chevrolet)
Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 79.9
2008 Rundown
Led one lap
California Speedway Outlook:
Two wins, six top fives
Average finish of 6.8
Won at California in September
Led six of 10 races for 219 laps
Daytona 500 Loop Data Highlight
127 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)
