Week 26: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 – And Beyond

Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 along with other notable drivers, going into the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. (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.)

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 112.0

• Eight wins, 15 top fives, 17 top 10s

• Average finish of 9.7

• Led 18 races for 1,580 laps

• Driver Rating of 110.6

• Six top fives

• Average finish of 5.6

• Finished second in May’s Richmond race

• Led four of seven races for 292 laps

• Series-high Average Running Position of 9.0

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 106.4

• Six wins, 11 top fives, 19 top 10s

• Average finish of 10.0

• Led 14 races for 636 laps

• Driver Rating of 79.7

• Three top 10s

• Average finish of 18.9

• Finished seventh in May

• Led one of eight races for 15 laps

• Series-high 702 Fastest Laps Run

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.3

• Three wins, eight top fives, 13 top 10s

• Average finish of 12.8

• Led 19 races for 966 laps

• Driver Rating of 81.0

• Two wins, three top fives; two poles

• Average finish of 18.8

• Finished 12th in May

• Led six of 13 races for 337 laps

• Average Running Position of 10.8, third-best

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.2

• One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s

• Average finish of 12.6

• Led 17 races for 706 laps

• Driver Rating of 92.4

• Three wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s

• Average finish of 11.5

• Finished 15th in May

• Led nine of 18 races for 337 laps

• 417 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.0

• One win, four top fives, 11 top 10s

• Average finish of 12.8

• Led 10 races for 74 laps

• Driver Rating of 80.2

• One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole

• Average finish of 15.4

• Finished 11th in May

• Led nine of 28 races for 899 laps

• 1,063 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fifth-most

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.8

• Eight top fives, 11 top 10s

• Average finish of 14.3

• Led 12 races for 341 laps

• Driver Rating of 92.0

• Two top fives, five top 10s; one pole

• Average finish of 15.8

• Finished 14th in May

• Led four of 12 races for 71 laps

• 313 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.5

• Six top fives, 11 top 10s

• Average finish of 13.9

• Led four races for 88 laps

• Driver Rating of 118.9

• One win, four top fives, nine top 10s; one pole

• Average finish of 11.8

• Finished eighth in May

• Led eight of 15 races for 646 laps

• Seventh-fastest average Green Flag Speed rank

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.7

• Eight top fives, 12 top 10s

• Average finish of 15.0

• Led 10 races for 532 laps

• Driver Rating of 102.3

• Three wins, seven top fives, 13 top 10s

• Average finish of 10.9

• Finished fourth in May

• Led 10 of 19 races for 792 laps

• 263 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.6

• Six top fives, 15 top 10s

• Average finish of 15.1

• Led 12 races for 202 laps

• Driver Rating of 85.2

• One win, three top fives, nine top 10s

• Average finish of 15.6

• Finished 38th in May

• Led seven of 17 races for 190 laps

• 186 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.9

• Nine top fives, 11 top 10s

• Average finish of 15.4

• Led 13 races for 273 laps

• Driver Rating of 88.2

• Two wins, 12 top fives, 19 top 10s; five poles

• Average finish of 15.3

• Finished ninth in May

• Led 19 of 31 races for 1,059 laps

• Average Running Position of 12.1, fifth-best

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.8

• One win, eight top fives, 13 top 10s

• Average finish of 15.8

• Led 11 races for 696 laps

• Driver Rating of 114.8

• Two top fives, three top 10s; two poles

• Average finish of 10.0

• Finished 24th in May

• Led all five of his races for 448 laps

• 1,141 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-most

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 78.5

• One win, four top fives, 12 top 10s

• Average finish of 15.8

• Led four races for 150 laps

• Driver Rating of 93.2

• One win, three top 10s

• Average finish of 8.8

• Won the Richmond race in May

• Led two of five races for 17 laps

• 184 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 80.2

• Five top fives, nine top 10s

• Average finish of 15.8

• Led six races for 15 laps

• Driver Rating of 75.0

• One top five

• Average finish of 13.3 in three races; Finished 17th in May

• Series-high 1,147 Quality Passes

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.4

• Two wins, three top fives, 12 top 10s

• Average finish of 17.0

• Led eight races for 185 laps

• Driver Rating of 98.2

• One win, two top five, five top 10s; one pole

• Average finish of 17.3; Finished 10th in May

• Led three of nine races for 249 laps

• 257 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

1. Kyle Busch * 3,755 8 25 1 112.0

2. Carl Edwards * 3,547 6 21 2 106.4

3. Jimmie Johnson * 3,386 3 21 4 103.3

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. * 3,323 1 24 3 100.2

5. Jeff Burton * 3,234 1 25 5 88.0

6. Greg Biffle 3,159 0 25 7 91.8

7. Kevin Harvick 3,132 0 21 8 88.5

8. Tony Stewart 3,110 0 25 6 94.7

9. Matt Kenseth 3,081 0 11 10 87.6

10. Jeff Gordon 3,074 0 16 9 94.9

11. Denny Hamlin 3,065 1 20 11 94.8

12. Clint Bowyer 2,989 1 18 12 78.5

* - Clinched berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

13. David Ragan 2,972

14. Kasey Kahne 2,941

15. Brian Vickers 2,799

16. Ryan Newman 2,789

17. Martin Truex Jr. 2,698

18. Jamie McMurray 2,583

19. Kurt Busch 2,488

20. Elliott Sadler 2,425

21. J.P. Montoya 2,414

22. Bobby Labonte 2,397

23. Travis Kvapil 2,365

24. Casey Mears 2,304

25. David Reutimann 2,279

26. David Gilliland 2,255

27. Paul Menard 2,141

28. Mark Martin 2,115

29. Reed Sorenson 1,937

30. Michael Waltrip 1,930

31. Robby Gordon 1,911

32. Dave Blaney 1,901

33. Sam Hornish Jr. 1,893

34. Scott Riggs 1,842

35. Regan Smith 1,836

36. Patrick Carpentier 1,515

37. AJ Allmendinger 1,492

38. Joe Nemechek 1,443

39. J.J. Yeley 1,263

40. Michael McDowell 1,200

41. Bill Elliott 790

42. Terry Labonte 699

43. Aric Almirola 671

44. Kyle Petty 659

45. Mike Skinner 618

46. Dario Franchitti 606

47. Jeremy Mayfield 578

48. Ken Schrader 438

49. Marcos Ambrose 400

50. Dale Jarrett 367

51. Tony Raines 334

52. Sterling Marlin 302

53. Ron Fellows 200

54. Boris Said 194

55. Jason Leffler 192

56. Johnny Sauter 192

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.

- Mike Forde, NASCAR -