Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 going into the first race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup – the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
1– Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 111.8
2008 Rundown
• Eight wins, 15 top fives, 17 top 10s
• Average finish of 9.9
• Led 19 races for 1,633 laps
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 92.4
• One win, three top fives
• Average finish of 15.7
• Finished 25th in June’s NHMS race
• Led three of seven races for 176 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high Average Running Position of 9.3
2 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 105.6
2008 Rundown
• Six wins, 11 top fives, 19 top 10s
• Average finish of 10.1
• Led 14 races for 636 laps
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 83.1
• One top five
• Average finish of 14.1
• Finished 17th in June
• Led one of eight races for two laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 716 Fastest Laps Run
3 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.9
2008 Rundown
• Four wins, nine top fives, 14 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.4
• Led 20 races for 998 laps
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 98.3
• Two wins, three top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 10.5
• Finished ninth in June
• Led four of 13 races for 85 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.6, second-best
4 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.3
2008 Rundown
• One win, eight top fives, 13 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.3
• Led 18 races for 796 laps
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 100.1
• Four top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 17.8
• Finished 24th in June
• Led eight of 18 races for 272 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 470 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
5 – Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 79.0
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 15.7
• Led four races for 150 laps
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 89.8
• One win; one pole
• Average finish of 22.2
• Finished 22nd in June
• Led two of five races for 245 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 189 Fastest Laps Run, tied for 11th-most
6 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.7
2008 Rundown
• One win, nine top fives, 14 top 10s
• Average finish of 15.3
• Led 12 races for 700 laps
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 104.0
• One win, two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 6.8
• Finished eighth in June
• Led three of five races for 51 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-high 1,194 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)
7 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.7
2008 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.6
• Led 10 races for 74 laps
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 94.6
• Four wins, seven top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.1
• Finished 12th in June
• Led 10 of 27 races for 694 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,115 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fifth-most
8 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.8
2008 Rundown
• Nine top fives, 13 top 10s
• Average finish of 14.5
• Led 11 races for 555 laps
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 118.6
• Two wins, 10 top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 12.8
• Finished 13th in June
• Led 10 of 19 races for 935 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 295 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
9 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.1
2008 Rundown
• Eight top fives, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 14.3
• Led 12 races for 341 laps
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 84.3
• Three top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 19.5
• Finished 21st in June
• Led two of 12 races for 26 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 314 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
10 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.1
2008 Rundown
• Nine top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 15.1
• Led 14 races for 279 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 11th in June
• Led 17 of 27 races for 1,141 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 12.0, fifth-best
11 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.6
2008 Rundown
• Six top fives, 12 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.6
• Led five races for 168 laps
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 104.3
• One win, three top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 12.7
• Finished 14th in June
• Led eight of 15 races for 318 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Seventh-fastest average Green Flag Speed rank
12 – Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.8
2008 Rundown
• Six top fives, 15 top 10s
• Average finish of 16.0
• Led 13 races for 204 laps
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:
• Driver Rating of 87.8
• Five top fives, 11 top 10s
• Average finish of 10.9
• Finished 18th in June
• Led five of 17 races for 88 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 189 Fastest Laps Run, tied for 11th-most
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