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News and Results | Point Standings | 2008 Schedule | 2008 Teams | 2007 Schedule and Results


Week 17: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 – and Beyond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 23, 2008) – Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday.

(Note: Drivers listed below who are outside the top 12 are chosen based on past performances at the upcoming track and/or those within striking distance of the top 12)



1 – Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)

  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 111.1

    2008 Rundown

  • Five wins, 10 top fives, 11 top 10s
  • Average finish of 9.6
  • Led 12 races for 869 laps

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Driver Rating of 96.2
  • One win, three top fives
  • Average finish of 14.2
  • Finished fourth in September
  • Led three of six races for 176 laps

    Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

  • Series-high Average Running Position of 9.6



    2 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.8

    2008 Rundown

  • One win, four top fives, 10 top 10s
  • Average finish of 8.5
  • Led seven races for 62 laps

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Driver Rating of 94.6
  • Four wins, seven top fives, 12 top 10s
  • Average finish of 13.2
  • Finished 18th in September
  • Led 10 of 26 races for 694 laps

    Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

  • 757 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-most



    3 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.7

    2008 Rundown

  • One win, seven top fives, 11 top 10s
  • Average finish of 10.6
  • Led 11 races for 541 laps

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Driver Rating of 99.5
  • Four top fives, seven top 10s
  • Average finish of 17.5
  • Finished 16th in September
  • Led seven of 17 races for 243 laps

    Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

  • 342 Fastest Laps Run, third-most



    4 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 105.3

    2008 Rundown

  • Three wins, six top fives, 12 top 10s
  • Average finish of 11.1
  • Led eight races for 395 laps

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Driver Rating of 86.0
  • One top five
  • Average finish of 13.7
  • Finished 12th in September
  • Led one of seven races for two laps

    Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

  • Series-high 496 Fastest Laps Run



    5 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.9

    2008 Rundown

  • One win, four top fives, seven top 10s
  • Average finish of 14.1
  • Led 12 races for 600 laps

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Driver Rating of 96.7
  • Two wins, three top fives, seven top 10s
  • Average finish of 10.7
  • Finished sixth in September
  • Led four of 12 races for 85 laps

    Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

  • Average Running Position of 10.8, third-most



    6 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.4

    2008 Rundown

  • Seven top fives, eight top 10s
  • Average finish of 14.1
  • Led eight races for 211 laps

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Driver Rating of 108.7
  • Three wins, 12 top fives, 15 top 10s; three poles
  • Average finish of 11.6
  • Finished second in September
  • Led 17 of 26 races for 1,141 laps

    Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

  • 176 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most



    7 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.6

    2008 Rundown

  • Five top fives, seven top 10s
  • Average finish of 14.4
  • Led eight races for 283 laps

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Driver Rating of 88.7
  • Three top fives, four top 10s
  • Average finish of 19.4
  • Finished 13th in September
  • Led two of 11 races for 26 laps

    Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

  • 256 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most



    8 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.3

    2008 Rundown

  • One win, five top fives, eight top 10s
  • Average finish of 15.1
  • Led nine races for 664 laps

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Driver Rating of 102.4
  • One win, two top fives, three top 10s
  • Average finish of 6.5
  • Finished 15th in September
  • Led three of four races for 51 laps

    Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

  • Series-high 776 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)



    9 – Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.5

    2008 Rundown

  • Two wins, three top fives, eight top 10s
  • Average finish of 16.1
  • Led seven races for 144 laps

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Driver Rating of 76.9
  • One top five, four top 10s
  • Average finish of 15.6
  • Finished 20th in September
  • Led two of eight races for 49 laps

    Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

  • 180 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most



    10 – Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet)
  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 79.3

    2008 Rundown

  • One win, four top fives, eight top 10s
  • Average finish of 16.1
  • Led four races for 150 laps

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Driver Rating of 88.0
  • One win; one pole
  • Average finish of 22.3; Won in September
  • Led two of four races for 245 laps

    Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

  • 144 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most



    11 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.1

    2008 Rundown

  • Five top fives, eight top 10s
  • Average finish of 16.7
  • Led seven races for 388 laps

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Driver Rating of 117.9
  • Two wins, 10 top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole
  • Average finish of 12.8
  • Finished third in September
  • Led nine of 18 races for 803 laps

    Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

  • 3,563 Laps in the Top 15 (71.6%), eighth-most



    12 – Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford)
  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.1

    2008 Rundown

  • Three top fives, 10 top 10s
  • Average finish of 16.9; Led nine races for 191 laps

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Driver Rating of 102.7
  • Five top fives, 11 top 10s
  • Average finish of 10.5; Finished seventh in September
  • Led five of 16 races for 88 laps

    Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

  • 163 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most



    13 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.6

    2008 Rundown

  • Two top fives, five top 10s
  • Average finish of 15.9
  • Led three races for 34 laps

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Driver Rating of 102.0
  • One win, three top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
  • Average finish of 12.6
  • Finished 17th in September
  • Led seven of 14 races for 264 laps

    Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

  • Eighth-fastest average Green Flag Speed rank



    16 – Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge)
  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 80.4

    2008 Rundown

  • One win, two top fives, five top 10s
  • Average finish of 18.2
  • Led six races for 60 laps

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Driver Rating of 102.7
  • Two wins, five top fives, nine top 10s; four poles
  • Average finish of 11.1; Finished ninth in September
  • Led 11 of 12 races for 520 laps

    Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

  • 25 “Closer” positions improved (positions improved in the last 10% of races), fifth-most


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