The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 10 -- And Beyond
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 26, 2007) -- Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 10 along with some other notable drivers, going into the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 11.
Top 10 drivers ...
1 -- Mark Martin (No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet)
The File:
48-years-old from Batesville, Ark., 35 career wins
Finished second and fifth in first two 2007 races
Last time in first place in the points standings was 9/22/02 after Dover race
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:
One win, four top fives and seven top 10s
11.9 average finish
Finished 18th last season
Has led in five of his nine Las Vegas races for a total of 243 laps
Loop Data Highlight:
Has the fifth-highest number of Fastest Laps over the past two races at Las Vegas (31)
2 -- Jeff Burton (No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet)
The File:
39-years-old from South Boston, Va., 18 career wins
Finished third and fourth in first two races
Highest points position since after Charlotte race on Oct. 14, 2006 (first)
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:
Two wins, three top fives and six top 10s
10.6 average finish
Finished seventh last season at Las Vegas
Has led in four of his nine Las Vegas races for a total of 205 laps
Loop Data Highlight:
386 Laps in the Top 15 (ninth-best)
3 -- Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
The File:
35-years-old from Vallejo, Calif., 75 career wins
Finished 10th and second in the first two races
Finished in the top 10 in six out of the last seven races
Las Vegas Motor SpeedwayOutlook:
One win, four top fives at Las Vegas
14.1 average finish
Finished fifth last season at Las Vegas
Has led in three of his nine Las Vegas races for a total of 87 laps
Loop Data Highlight:
Fifth-best Driver Rating (106.1) at Las Vegas
4 -- Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
The File:
31-years-old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories
Won the Daytona 500; finished 17th at Auto Club 500
Finished in the top five in four out of the last five races
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:
One top 5, two top 10s
13.8 average finish
Finished 29th last season at Las Vegas
Has led in one of his six Las Vegas events for a total of 43 laps
Loop Data Highlight:
Average Running Position of 10.628, eighth best
5 -- David Ragan (No. 6 AAA Ford)
The File:
21-years-old from Unadilla, Ga., no career wins
Finished fifth and 16th in first two races
Daytona 500 was his best career finish; Auto Club 500 was second best
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:
Has never competed at Las Vegas
Loop Data Highlight:
95 Green Flag Passes in Auto Club 500, tenth most
6 -- Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet)
The File:
27-years-old from Emporia, Kan., no career wins
Finished 18th and sixth in first two races
Auto Club 500 finish (sixth) was his 12th career Top 10
Las Vegas Speedway Outlook:
Finished 15th in his only Las Vegas start
Loop Data Highlight:
Top "Closer" last year at Las Vegas -- picked up 12 spots over the last 10 percent of the race
7-- Joe Nemechek (No. 13 CertainTeed/Ginn Resorts Chevrolet)
The File:
43-years-old from Lakeland, Fla., four career wins
Finished ninth and 14th in first two races
Nine straight top 20s
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:
Two top 10s at Las Vegas
21.7 average finish
Finished seventh last season at Las Vegas
Has led in one of nine Las Vegas races for a total of six laps
Loop Data Highlight:
10th-best Driver Rating at Las Vegas (88.3)
8 -- J.J. Yeley (No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet)
The File:
30-years-old from Phoenix, Ariz., no career wins
Finished 12th and 13th in the first two races of 2007; two best career finishes
Highest career points standing
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:
Finished 17th last year, his only start at Las Vegas
Loop Data Highlight:
13th best Driver Rating of 85.3 at Las Vegas
9-- Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet)
The File:
21-years-old from Las Vegas, Nev., three career wins
Finished 24th and ninth in the first two races
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:
Two top fives
15.3 average finish
Finished third last year at Las Vegas
Loop Data Highlight:
Second-best Driver Rating at Las Vegas (115.2)
10 -- David Stremme (No. 40 Coors Light Dodge)
The File:
29-years-old from South Bend, Ind., no career wins
Finished 11th and 19th in first two races
Daytona 500 marked best career finish (previous best was 16th at Daytona on July 1, 2006)
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:
Finished 33rd last year, his only start at Las Vegas
and beyond ...
12 -- Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
The File:
34-years-old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins
Finished 27th in the Daytona 500; won the Auto Club 500
Eight top 15s in last nine races
Led in both races this year for 139 laps
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:
Two wins, three top fives and four top 10s
8.1 average finish
Finished second last season at Las Vegas
Led in four of his seven Las Vegas races for a total of 367 laps (most of any driver)
Loop Data Highlight:
Third-best Driver Rating at Las Vegas (114.9)
15 -- Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
The File:
31-years-old from El Cajon, Calif., 23 career wins
Finished 39th and third in first two races
Seven top 10s in last eight races; six top fives in last eight races
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:
Two wins (won last two events here), three top 10s
7.0 average finish (best among active drivers)
Won last season's Las Vegas race
Led in each of his five Las Vegas races for a total of 121 laps
Loop Data Highlight:
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series-best 131.4 Driver Rating at Las Vegas (a perfect Driver Rating is 150.0)
21 -- Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet)
The File:
35-years-old from Columbus, Ind., 29 career wins
Finished 43rd and eighth in first two races
Led both races for a total of 63 laps.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:
Four top fives, five top 10s
11.8 average finish
21st last season at Las Vegas
Loop Data Highlight:
Fourth-best Average Running Position (7.913) at Las Vegas
32 -- Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge)
The File:
26-years-old from Enumclaw, Wash., seven career wins
Finished seventh and 38th in the first two races
Led 20 laps at the Auto Club 500
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:
Two top fives; one pole (2004)
14.7 average finish
Fourth last season at Las Vegas
Loop Data Highlight:
302 laps in the top 15 at Las Vegas
***
40 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet)
The File:
32-years-old from Kannapolis, N.C., 17 career wins
Finished 32nd and 40th in the first two races
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Outlook:
One top five, two top 10s
22.1 average finish
Finished 27th last season at Las Vegas
Has led in four of his seven Las Vegas races for a total of 144 laps
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