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Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night. (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: 108.7
2008 Rundown
• Five wins, 10 top fives, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 10.5
• Led 12 races for 869 laps
Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 95.3
• Three top fives
• Average finish of 17.7
• Finished fourth in February
• Led four of seven races for 115 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high Average Running Position of 10.1
2 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.9
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 8.7
• Led seven races for 62 laps
Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 85.2
• One win, six top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 16.8
• Finished 13th in February
• Led six of 29 races for 100 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 786 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 11.4
• Led 12 races for 570 laps
Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 87.5
• Two wins, six top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.9
• Finished ninth in February
• Led 12 of 17 races for 331 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 359 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
4 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.0
2008 Rundown
• Three wins, six top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 11.5
• Led eight races for 395 laps
Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 78.1
• One top five
• Average finish of 24.7
• Finished 19th in February
• Led one of seven races for two laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 497 Fastest Laps Run
5 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.3
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 13.8
• Led 12 races for 600 laps
Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 95.5
• One win, five top fives, eight top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 13.2
• Finished 27th in February
• Led six of 13 races for 55 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.6, second-most
6 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.4
2008 Rundown
• Seven top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 13.9
• Led eight races for 211 laps
Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 91.9
• Six wins, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s; three poles
• Average finish of 14.7
• Finished 39th in February
• Led 23 of 31 races for 511 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 12.3, sixth-best
7 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.2
2008 Rundown
• One win, five top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 14.7
• Led nine races for 664 laps
Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 72.2
• Average finish of 27.0
• Finished 17th in February
• Led two of five races for 42 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 811 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)
8 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.5
2008 Rundown
• Five top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 14.8
• Led eight races for 283 laps
Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 78.8
• One win, three top 10s
• Average finish of 20.8
• Finished 10th in February
• Led four of 11 races for 30 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 257 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
9 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.9
2008 Rundown
• Five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 16.5
• Led eight races for 520 laps
Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 108.1
• Two wins, six top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 17.6
• Finished third in February
• Led 10 of 19 races for 531 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 3,803 Laps in the Top 15 (72.3%), seventh-most
10 – 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 16.9
• Led seven races for 144 laps
Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 78.4
• Three top 10s
• Average finish of 18.1
• Finished seventh in February
• Led three of nine races for five laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 207 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
11 – Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 80.4
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 16.4
• Led four races for 150 laps
Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 88.0
• Three top 10s
• Average finish of 13.0
• Finished 24th in February
• Led two of five races for 59 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 158 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
12 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.5
2008 Rundown
• Two top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 15.8
• Led four races for 88 laps
Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 83.2
• One win, three top fives, five top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 16.2
• Finished 14th in February
• Led 10 of 14 races for 88 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Eighth-fastest average Green Flag Speed rank
13 – Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.9
2008 Rundown
• Three top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 16.9; Led nine races for 191 laps
Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 92.4
• One top five, six top 10s
• Average finish of 20.4; Finished 36th in February
• Led nine of 17 races for 59 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 165 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
15 – Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 80.6
2008 Rundown
• One win, two top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 18.0
• Led six races for 60 laps
Daytona International Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 98.6
• One win, two top fives, three top 10s
• Average finish of 18.7; Won the Daytona 500 in February
• Led five of 13 races for 35 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 19 “Closer” positions improved (positions improved in the last 10% of races), ninth-most
