Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 going into the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 4.

1– Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)

* 36 years old, Vallejo, Calif., 81 career wins
* Six wins, 20 top fives, 27 top 10s this year
* Seven poles
* Average finish of 7.4
* Led 22 of 33 races for 1,280 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Five top fives, six top 10s
* Average finish of 15.8
* Finished fourth at Texas in April
* Led five of 13 races for 306 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-best Average Running Position of 9.2

2– Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)

* 32 years old from El Cajon, Calif., 31 career wins
* Eight wins, 18 top fives, 21 top 10s; three poles
* Average finish of 11.5
* Led 21 of 33 races for 1,224 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Three top fives, six top 10s
* Average finish of 10.3
* Finished 38th in April
* Led two of eight races for three laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-high 902 Fastest Laps Run

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

* 28 years old from Emporia, Kan., one career win
* One win, five top fives, 17 top 10s; two poles
* Average finish of 13.0
* Led 12 of 33 races for 386 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One top five
* Average finish of 13.3
* Finished 16th in April
* Led one of three races for three laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Second-best Closer — 58 positions improved over the last 10% of races

4– Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)

* 28 years old from Columbia, Mo., seven career wins
* Three wins, 10 top fives, 14 top 10s
* Average finish of 13.0
* Led 11 of 33 races for 428 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win
* Average finish of 16.6
* Finished 12th in April
* Led two of five races for 132 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 7,034 Laps in the Top 15, sixth-most

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

* 36 years old from Columbus, Ind., 32 career wins
* Three wins, 10 top fives, 22 top 10s
* Average finish of 13.0
* Led 20 of 33 races for 980 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, three top fives, seven top 10s
* Average finish of 13.7
* Finished 25th in April
* Led five of 11 races for 453 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 609 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

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

* 22 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins
* One win, 10 top fives, 18 top 10s
* Average finish of 14.4
* Led 18 of 33 races for 483 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One top five
* Average finish of 23.4
* Finished 37th in April
* Led one of five races for two laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Fourth-fastest average Green Flag Speed

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

* 31 years old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories
* One win, four top fives, 13 top 10s
* Average finish of 15.9 this season
* Led 12 of 33 races for 271 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Two top fives, three top 10s
* Average finish of 14.0
* Finished 29th in April
* Led three of nine races for four laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Fourth-best Closer — 51 positions improved over the last 10% of races

8 — Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)

* 40 years old from South Boston, Va., 19 career wins
* One win, nine top fives, 15 top 10s
* Average finish of 14.3
* Led seven of 33 races for 79 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Two wins, three top fives, five top 10s
* Average finish of 17.8
* Won the Texas race in April
* Led four of 13 races for 146 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 2,657 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

9– Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)

* 29 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., 17 career wins
* Two wins, five top fives, 12 top 10s
* Average finish of 16.0
* Led 19 of 33 races for 858 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One top five, six top 10s
* Average finish of 12.4
* Finished 11th in April
* Led five of nine races for 83 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-high 1,695 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions)

10 — Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet)

* 26 years old, Chesterfield, Va., three career wins
* One win, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s; one pole
* Average finish of 13.8
* Led 16 of 33 races for 842 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One top five, four top 10s
* Average finish of 7.5
* Finished ninth in April
* Led one of four races for 41 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 440 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

11 — Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)

* 35 years old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins
* One win, 10 top fives, 19 top 10s
* Average finish of 14.0
* Led 17 of 33 races for 561 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* One win, four top fives, five top 10s
* Average finish of 11.1
* Finished second in April
* Led seven of 10 races for 330 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* 9,001 laps run on the lead lap, second-most

12 — Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet)

* 27 years old from Mayetta, N.J., one career win
* One win, six top fives, 11 top 10s
* Average finish of 17.4
* Led 14 of 33 races for 490 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:
* Two top 10s
* Average finish of 11.0
* Finished seventh in April
* Led one of four races for two laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
* Series-high 2,899 Green Flag Passes

[NASCAR]

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