Week 15: 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 LifeLock 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 14.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 8, 2009) – Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12, along with other notable drivers, going into the LifeLock 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 14. (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: 101.2
2009 Rundown
• One win, seven top fives, 10 top 10s
• Average finish of 9.0
• Led seven races for 99 laps
Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• One win, nine top fives, 13 top 10s
• Average finish of 12.5
• Finished 12th in August
• Led six of 20 races for 168 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.4, second-best
2 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.6
2009 Rundown
• One win, seven top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 10.8
• Led nine races for 505 laps
Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, 15 top fives, 20 top 10s; five poles
• Average finish of 11.8
• Finished 42nd in August
• Led 21 of 32 races for 899 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 312 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
3 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 106.2
2009 Rundown
• Two wins, six top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 12.3
• Led 12 races for 648 laps
Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Two top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 14.4
• Finished 17th in August
• Led eight of 14 races for 231 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Series-best Average Running Position of 9.1
4 – Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.3
2009 Rundown
• Five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 12.9
• Led eight races for 138 laps
Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, four top fives; one pole
• Average finish of 18.6
• Finished 21st in August
• Led eight of 15 races for 94 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has run 81.4% of the laps on the lead lap, 11th-best
5 – Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.7
2009 Rundown
• One win, four top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 13.5
• Led eight races for 324 laps
Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, six top 10s
• Average finish of 20.1
• Finished 36th in August
• Led 10 of 16 races for 290 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 10.6, third-best
6 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.9
2009 Rundown
• Three top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 14.4
• Led seven races for 157 laps
Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, five top fives, eight top 10s
• Average finish of 6.6
• Won August’s Michigan race
• Led six of nine races for 242 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 12.0, sixth-best
7 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.7
2009 Rundown
• Four top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 14.7
• Led seven races for 312 laps
Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, five top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 13.2
• Finished fourth in August
• Led eight of 12 races for 191 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 314 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
8 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 85.5
2009 Rundown
• Two wins, four top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 15.4
• Led seven races for 184 laps
Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Two wins, nine top fives, 13 top 10s
• Average finish of 9.1
• Finished fifth in August
• Led eight of 19 races for 222 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 1,212 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
9 – Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.7
2009 Rundown
• Three wins, four top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 16.7
• Led eight races for 789 laps
Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• One top five, three top 10s
• Average finish of 17.4
• Finished second in August
• Led five of eight races for 79 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• 237 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
10 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 82.9
2009 Rundown
• Two top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 14.2
• Led two races for 67 laps
Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Four top fives, eight top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 15.8
• Finished 11th in August
• Led eight of 30 races for 75 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 67%, ninth-best
11 – David Reutimann (No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 83.4
2009 Rundown
• One win, three top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 15.6
• Led five races for 72 laps
Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Average finish of 21.8 in his four Michigan races
• Finished 14th in August
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 15.0, 10th-best
12 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.0
2009 Rundown
• Two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 15.9
• Led four races for 479 laps
Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 15.5
• Finished 39th in August
• Led two of six races for two laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Average Running Position of 13.0, seventh-most
13 – Mark Martin (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet)
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.8
2009 Rundown
• Two wins, three top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 17.3
• Led seven races for 217 laps
Michigan International Speedway Outlook:
• Four wins, 16 top fives, 28 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.1
• Finished sixth in August
• Led 24 of 46 races for 882 laps
Season-To-Date Loop Data Highlight
• Has been passed 547 times, fewest in the series
Chase Contenders
The Top 12 … And Beyond Following Race 14 of 36
Rank Season
Last Driver
Driver Points Wins Poles Week Rating
1. Tony Stewart 2,043 1 0 1 101.2
2. Jeff Gordon 1,972 1 0 2 103.6
3. Jimmie Johnson 1,940 2 0 3 106.2
4. Ryan Newman 1,840 0 1 5 84.3
5. Kurt Busch 1,819 1 0 4 99.7
6. Carl Edwards 1,762 0 0 11 94.9
7. Greg Biffle 1,753 0 0 9 93.7
8. Matt Kenseth 1,745 2 1 8 85.5
9. Kyle Busch 1,731 3 1 6 103.7
10. Jeff Burton 1,725 0 0 10 82.9
11. David Reutimann 1,701 1 2 13 83.4
12. Denny Hamlin 1,679 0 0 7 94.0
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ADDITIONAL DRIVERS
13. Mark Martin 1,678 34. Robby Gordon 1,101
14. Kasey Kahne 1,619 35. Scott Speed 984
15. J.P. Montoya 1,617 36. John Andretti 862
16. Clint Bowyer 1,576 37. David Gilliland 807
17. Brian Vickers 1,536 38. Regan Smith 734
18. Marcos Ambrose 1,469 39. Joe Nemechek 555
19. Martin Truex Jr. 1,447 40. Brad Keselowski 479
20. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,434 41. Dave Blaney 471
21. Casey Mears 1,432 42. Aric Almirola 451
22. Jamie McMurray 1,418 43. Scott Riggs 448
23. Sam Hornish Jr. 1,371 44. Bill Elliottl 346
24. Reed Sorenson 1,362 45. Max Papis 317
25. Joey Logano 1,357 46. Travis Kvapil 292
26. Kevin Harvick 1,352 47. Jeremy Mayfield 288
27. Elliott Sadler 1,309 48. Tony Raines 205
28. Bobby Labonte 1,292 49. Mike Bliss 200
29. AJ Allmendinger 1,275 50. Sterling Marlin 169
30. David Stremme 1,267 51. Todd Bodine 123
31. David Ragan 1,265 52. Terry Labonte 91
32. Michael Waltrip 1,265 53. Dexter Bean 55
33. Paul Menard 1,176 54. Mike Skinner 40
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.
