Week 21: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 – And Beyond
A look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12, along with other notable drivers, going into the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway on August 2.
Courtesy: NASCAR Media Relations
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 27, 2009) – Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12, along with other notable drivers, going into the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway on August 2. (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 – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 106.4
2009 Rundown
• Two wins, 12 top fives, 16 top 10s
• Average finish of 7.4
• Led 12 races for 239 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, seven top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 12.4
• Won June’s Pocono race
• Led nine of 21 races for 153 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-best Pass Differential of 228 (passes minus times passed)
2 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 110.8
2009 Rundown
• Three wins, nine top fives, 14 top 10s
• Average finish of 10.9
• Led 16 races for 969 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, five top fives, 10 top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 9.6
• Finished seventh in June
• Led seven of 15 races for 399 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-best Average Running Position of 8.1
3 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.2
2009 Rundown
• One win, 10 top fives, 14 top 10s
• Average finish of 10.2
• Led 11 races for 570 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Four wins, 16 fives, 23 top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 10.1
• Finished fourth in June
• Led 20 of 33 races for 879 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 378 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
4 – Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.6
2009 Rundown
• One win, six top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.2
• Led 11 races for 354 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, seven top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 16.9
• Finished 37th in June
• Led nine of 17 races for 354 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 11.0, third-best
5 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.5
2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 13.5
• Led eight races for 158 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, four top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 12.9
• Finished second in June
• Led six of nine races for 209 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 12.6, fifth-best
6 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.4
2009 Rundown
• Six top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 14.4
• Led eight races for 577 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Two wins, four top fives, five top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 10.7
• Finished 38th in June
• Led four of seven races for 300 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 12.8, seventh-best
7 – Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 81.7
2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 14.5
• Led 10 races for 156 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• One win, six top fives, seven top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 13.3
• Finished fifth in June
• Led 10 of 15 races for 162 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has run 81.9% of the laps on the lead lap, 12th-best
8 – Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.5
2009 Rundown
• One win, three top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 14.4
• Led four races for 85 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• One win, two top fives, four top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 16.5
• Finished 15th in June
• Led four of 11 races for 115 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 164 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
9 – Mark Martin (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.0
2009 Rundown
• Four wins, six top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 16.6
• Led 11 races for 428 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• 19 top fives, 31 top 10s; three poles
• Average finish of 10.8
• Finished 19th in June
• Led 27 of 45 races for 431 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has been passed 785 times, fewest in the series
10 – Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Target Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.5
2009 Rundown
• Nine top 10s
• Average finish of 14.2
• Led five races for 133 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• One top 10
• Average finish of 24.4 in five races
• Finished eighth in June
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,832 Green Flag Passes, second-most
11 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.6
2009 Rundown
• Six top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 15.5
• Led nine races for 355 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 17.8
• Finished 11th in June
• Led six of 13 races for 63 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 364 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
12 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.2
2009 Rundown
• Two wins, four top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 15.8
• Led eight races for 187 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• Three top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 14.3
• Finished 16th in June
• Led 10 of 19 races for 38 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,647 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
14 – Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.3
2009 Rundown
• Three wins, four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 18.0
• Led 11 races for 809 laps
Pocono Raceway Outlook:
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 22.0
• Finished 22nd in June
• Led one of nine races for two laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 254 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
Chase Contenders
The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 20 of 36
Rank Season
Last Driver
Driver Points Wins Poles Week Rating
1. Tony Stewart 3,054 2 0 1 106.4
2. Jimmie Johnson 2,862 3 0 3 110.8
3. Jeff Gordon 2,847 1 0 2 101.2
4. Kurt Busch 2,608 1 0 4 98.6
5. Carl Edwards 2,556 0 0 6 93.5
6. Denny Hamlin 2,518 0 0 5 96.4
7. Ryan Newman 2,506 0 1 7 81.7
8. Kasey Kahne 2,482 1 0 8 88.5
9. Mark Martin 2,471 4 4 11 97.0
10. Juan Pablo Montoya 2,461 0 1 9 86.5
11. Greg Biffle 2,445 0 0 13 89.6
12. Matt Kenseth 2,429 2 1 12 84.2
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ADDITIONAL DRIVERS
13. David Reutimann 2,361 34. Robby Gordon 1,608
14. Kyle Busch 2,347 35. Scott Speed 1,343
15. Brian Vickers 2,309 36. John Andretti 1,341
16. Clint Bowyer 2,278 37. David Gilliland 1,142
17. Jeff Burton 2,201 38. Regan Smith 989
18. Marcos Ambrose 2,175 39. Brad Keselowski 787
19. Joey Logano 2,083 40. Joe Nemechek 752
20. Jamie McMurray 2,060 41. Dave Blaney 693
21. Casey Mears 1,998 42. Bill Elliott 622
22. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,983 43. Max Papis 502
23. Kevin Harvick 1,939 44. Aric Almirola 451
24. Martin Truex Jr. 1,932 45. Scott Riggs 448
25. Elliott Sadler 1,924 46. Tony Raines 352
26. Reed Sorenson 1,883 47. Travis Kvapil 292
27. AJ Allmendinger 1,873 48. Jeremy Mayfield 288
28. Bobby Labonte 1,873 49. Mike Bliss 243
29. Sam Hornish Jr. 1,806 50. Patrick Carpentier 235
30. David Ragan 1,799 51. Sterling Marlin 209
31. David Stremme 1,699 52. Terry Labonte 155
32. Michael Waltrip 1,642 53. Mike Skinner 126
33. Paul Menard 1,638 54. Todd Bodine 123
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.
