Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12, going into the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway on Sept. 16. This weekend marks the first race in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.
1 — Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
The File:
* 31 years old from El Cajon, Calif., 28 career wins
* Six wins, 14 top fives, 16 top 10s
* Average finish of 13.0
* Led 15 of 26 races for 966 laps
New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook:
* Two wins, three top fives, six top 10s
* Average finish of 11.1
* Finished fifth in July
* Led four of 11 races for 85 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-high 672 Fastest Laps Run
2 — Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
The File:
* 36 years old, Vallejo, Calif., 79 career wins
* Four wins, 15 top fives, 21 top 10s this year
* Six poles
* Average finish of 8.2 this season
* Led 18 of 26 races for 1,033 laps
New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook:
* Three wins, 11 top fives, 14 top 10s; three poles
* Average finish of 12.0
* Finished second at NHIS in July
* Led 17 of 25 races for 1,141 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-best Average Running Position of 8.6
3 — Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet)
The File:
* 36 years old from Columbus, Ind., 32 career wins
* Three wins, nine top fives, 18 top 10s
* Average finish of 12.3
* Led 17 of 26 races for 890 laps
New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook:
* Two wins, nine top fives, 10 top 10s
* Average finish of 13.4
* Finished 12th in July
* Led eight of 17 races for 764 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 547 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
4 — Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
The File:
* 28 years old from Columbia, Mo., six career wins
* Two wins, seven top fives, 11 top 10s
* Average finish of 13.3
* Led 10 of 26 races for 333 laps
New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook:
* One top five
* Average finish of 14.0
* Finished 13th in July
* Led one of six races for two laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 5,506 Laps in the Top 15, sixth-most
5 — Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
The File:
* 29 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., 17 career wins
* Two wins, five top fives, 10 top 10s
* Average finish of 15.0
* Led 15 of 26 races for 651 laps
New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook:
* Two wins, four top fives, five top 10s
* Average finish of 16.6
* Finished 21st in July
* Led five of 13 races for 288 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 1,414 Quality Passes, second-most
6 — Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet)
The File:
* 26 years old, Chesterfield, Va., three career wins
* One win, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 12.3
* Led 13 of 26 races for 738 laps
New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook:
* One win, two top fives, three top 10s
* Average finish of 3.7
* Won at NHIS in July
* Led all three of his NHIS races for 51 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 395 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
7 — Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet)
The File:
* 27 years old from Mayetta, N.J., one career win
* One win, five top fives, 10 top 10s
* Average finish of 15.7
* Led 10 of 26 races for 350 laps
New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook:
* One top five
* Average finish of 14.3
* Finished third in July
* Led one of three races for 46 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-high 2,369 Green Flag Passes
8 — Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
The File:
* 35 years old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins
* One win, eight top fives, 16 top 10s
* Average finish of 12.1
* Led 14 of 26 races for 288 laps
New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook:
* Five top fives, 10 top 10s
* Average finish of 10.7
* Finished ninth in July
* Led five of 15 races for 88 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-high 7,084 laps run on the lead lap
9 — Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet)
The File:
* 22 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins
* One win, six top fives, 14 top 10s
* Average finish of 13.9
* Led 13 of 26 races for 274 laps
New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook:
* One win, two top fives
* Average finish of 16.2
* Finished 11th July
* Led two of five races for 155 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Fifth-fastest average Green Flag Speed
10 — Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
The File:
* 40 years old from South Boston, Va., 19 career wins
* One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s
* Average finish of 13.4
* Led six of 26 races for 28 laps
New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook:
* Four wins, seven top fives, 12 top 10s
* Average finish of 13.0
* Finished seventh in July
* Led 10 of 25 races for 694 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 1,340 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions), fourth-most
11 — Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
The File:
* 31 years old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories
* One win, four top fives, 11 top 10s
* Average finish of 15.5 this season
* Led nine of 26 races for 251 laps
New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook:
* One win, three top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 12.3
* Finished eighth in July
* Led seven of 13 for 264 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Third-best Closer — 40 positions improved over the last 10% of races
12 — Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet)
The File:
* 28 years old from Emporia, Kan.
* Two top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 14.8
* Led nine of 26 races for 84 laps
New Hampshire International Speedway Outlook:
* Average finish of 29.3
* Finished 37th in July
* Led one of three races for 23 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Eighth-best Closer — 33 positions improved over the last 10% of races
[NASCAR]
Bookmark to:
- SPEED’s ‘The Chase is On’ returns with Carl Edwards
- Chase races to remain the same in 2008
- Jeff Gordon doesn’t think The Chase points are unfair but…
- NASCAR Considers Increasing Number of Drivers in the Chase
- Johnson takes 30 point lead in The Chase, only 6 drivers left
How does everyone feel about the seeding they are doing this year?? I think that the lineup should have stayed the way it was coming out of the season instead of moving drivers around… I mean cmon why change how they are lined up due to wins when points are what got them there in the first place?
I have not liked the chase format sence day one. This years version isnt any better.
Even with 12 spots, JR is on the outside looking in…….
Thoughts?
It’s more of a surprise when JR makes the chase than when he doesn’t. He’s in Cup so he is a GOOD driver, just not a GREAT driver.
What the chase needs is a true playoff format like the NHRA. The field of eligible drivers should be reduced to 6 after the first 5 races so that only one of those 5 can win it all.
why not 15 instead of 12 fifthteen is a better number.
I believe it would give some of the good guys a chance to get in
the chase instead of the same top guys every week. Give the other
drivers a chance to get in.
bad idea steve, top 12 have been doing good changing it would so ruin the chase
o and if it wasnt for this chase system my driver would be going for his 5th title, i hate this whole competitive crap
The way the points system is set up, it takes away from racing and running great each week. I think the old way was better, race for the win each week, race to the yellow, race for your lap back, race race race, is the name of the game, not seeding.
So all year, it’s just run each week in the top ten, you dont need to do much else, and maybe led a few laps, no wins are really necessary and no poles are necessary, really no racing is really necessary, just stay out of trouble on the track and go in circles.
Racing has become, really a huge bore to the true Racer and race Fan. There is no racing anymore, except for a lap or two in each race all the rest are sponsers and tv time.
So now we’ve come down to 12 stock cars racers who have been seeded, give me break. Seeded in Racing, ROFL. I thought you won by racing, not seeded. The France Family is losing sight of where this sport originally started and why and by whom. Also, they have choked it down to NO racing, but now a seeded sport.
Go figure that one out and tell me if you are watching a College BB NCAA tournament 64 team run with nothing to lose but a game of leather.
What? No Boris Said? lol