Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 10 along with some other notable drivers, going into the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 15.

1 — Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)

The File:
* 35-years-old from Vallejo, Calif., 75 career wins
* Prior to Jimmie Johnson this season, Gordon was the last driver to win three of the first six races (1996)
* Four top fives, five top 10s; two poles
* Average finish of 5.167 this season
* Led in five of six races for 241 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Four top fives, five top 10s
* 16.833 average finish
* Finished 22nd and ninth, respectively, last season
* Led in four of his 12 Texas races for a total of 133 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Driver Rating of 108.7, third best; 609 passes, most of any driver

***

2 — Jeff Burton (No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet)

The File:
* 39-years-old from South Boston, Va., 18 career wins
* Four top fives, five top 10s
* Average finish of 5.67 this season
* Led in three of six races for 24 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Won the first ever NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway (1997).
* One win, two top fives, four top 10s
* 19.167 average finish
* Finished sixth and 38th, respectively, last season
* Led in three of his 12 Texas races for a total of 145 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 451 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 while under green flag conditions), most of any driver

***

3 — Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)

The File:
* 31-years-old from El Cajon, Calif., 26 career wins
* Three wins, four top fives
* Average finish of 10.16
* Led in four of six races for 368 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Three top fives, six top 10s
* 6.286 average finish
* Finished 11th and second, respectively, last season
* Led in two of his seven Texas races for a total of three laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Driver Rating of 110.6 and Average Running Position of 9.436 are best of any driver

***

4 — Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)

The File:
* 35-years-old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins
* One win, three top fives, four top 10s
* Average finish of 9.3
* Led in five of six races for 152 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, three top fives, four top 10s
* 12.111 average finish
* Finished second and 12th, respectively, last season
* Led in six of his nine Texas races for a total of 314 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 569 passes, second-most

***

5 — Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet)

The File:
* 21-years-old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins
* One win, two top fives, four top 10s
* Average finish of 13.16
* Led in five of six races for 56 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One top five
* 20.00 average finish
* Finished 15th and fourth, respectively, last season
* Led in one of his four Texas races for a total of two laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Average Running Position of 11.732, fifth-best

***

6 — Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet)

The File:
* 26-years-old from Chesterfield, Va., two career wins
* Two top fives; one pole
* Average finish of 13.0
* Led in two of six races for 302 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One top five, three top 10s
* 7.000 average finish
* Finished fourth and 10th, respectively, last season
* Led in one of his three Texas races for a total of 41 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Driver Rating of 92.3, seventh-best

***

7 — Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet)

The File:
* 27-years-old from Emporia, Kan., zero career wins
* Three top 10s
* Average finish of 14.16
* Led in three of six races for five laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One top five
* 12.0 average finish
* Finished 19th and fifth, respectively, last season
* Led in one of his two Texas races for a total of three laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Third-best “Closer” with 17 positions improved over the last 10% of the six races

***

8 — Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet)

The File:
* 35-years-old from Columbus, Ind., 29 career wins
* One top five, four top 10s
* Average finish of 17.0
* Led five of six races for 452 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One wins, three top fives, seven top 10s
* 12.60 average finish
* Finished third and first, respectively, last season
* Led five of his 10 Texas races for 453 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 186 Fastest Laps Run, most of any driver

***

9 — Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)

The File:
* 27-years-old from Columbia, Mo., four career wins
* Two top 10s
* Average finish of 15.67
* Led in one race for three laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win
* 17.750 average finish
* Finished 36th and 15th, respectively, last season
* Led in two of his four Texas races for a total of 132

Loop Data Highlight:
* 367 Quality Passes, second-most

***

10 — Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)

The File:
* 31-years-old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories
* One win, two top fives
* Average finish of 19.16 this season
* Led in four of six races for 17 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Two top fives, three top 10s
* 12.125 average finish
* Finished fifth and third, respectively, last season
* Led in three of his eight Texas races for a total of four laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 66 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

11 — Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet)

The File:
* 32-years-old from Kannapolis, N.C., 17 career wins
* One top five, two top 10s
* Average finish of 18.16
* Led in two of six races for 138 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, three top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
* 10.222 average finish
* Finished 12th and sixth, respectively, last season
* Has led in six of his nine Texas races for 254 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* 309 Quality Passes, sixth-most

***

12 — Jamie McMurray (No. 26 Crown Royal/IRWIN Industrial Tools Ford)

The File:
* 30-years-old from Joplin, Mo., one career wins
* Three top 10s
* 18.5 average finish

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One top five, three top 10s
* 16.0 average finish
* Finished 37th and 26th, respectively, last season
* Led in one of his six Texas races for four laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Fifth-Fastest Speed in Traffic

***

16 — Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge)

The File:
* 31-years-old from Bogota, Colombia, zero career wins
* One top five
* 20.0 average finish

Loop Data Highlight:
* Tied for fifth-best “Closer” with 14 positions improved over the last 10% of the six races

***

34 — Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge)

The File:
* 26-years-old from Enumclaw, Wash., seven career wins
* One top 10; one pole
* 27.16 average finish
* Led in two of six races for 33 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, two top five
* 22.6 average finish
* Finished first and 33rd, respectively, last season
* Led in three of his five Texas races for 213 laps

Loop Data Highlight:
* Fourth-Fastest on the Straightaways

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