NASCAR NNCS (Daytona) - Chase Update

Below is a look at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 along with some other notable drivers, going into the Pennsylvania 500 at the Pocono Raceway on August 5.

1 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) The File: • 35 years old, Vallejo, Calif., 79 career wins • Four wins, 13 top fives, 18 top 10s • Five poles • Average finish of 6.4 this season • Led 14 of 20 races for 764 laps Pocono Raceway Outlook: • Four wins, 14 top fives, 20 top 10s • Two poles • Average finish of 10.4 • Won this season’s Pocono 500 • Led 19 of 29 races for 870 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-best Closer – 80 positions improved over the last 10% of races

2 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet) The File: • 26 years old, Chesterfield, Va., three career wins • One win, seven top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 12.1 • Led 12 of 20 races for 721 laps Pocono Raceway Outlook: • Two wins, three top 10s • Average finish of 2.7 • Finished sixth at this season’s Pocono 500 • Led all three of his races for 283 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 328 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

3 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford) The File: • 35 years old from Cambridge, Wis., 15 career wins • One win, seven top fives, 14 top 10s • Average finish of 11.2 • Led 12 of 20 races for 256 laps Pocono Raceway Outlook: • Three top fives, seven top 10s • Average finish of 14.9 • Finished ninth at this season’s Pocono 500 • Led six of 15 races for 26 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 5,504 laps run on the lead lap

4 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) The File: • 40 years old from South Boston, Va., 19 career wins • One win, six top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 12.4 • Led five of 20 races for 27 laps Pocono Raceway Outlook: • Six top fives, 13 top 10s • Average finish of 17.0 • Finished 13th at this season’s Pocono 500 • Led 15 of 27 races for 104 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 1,128 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions), third-most

5 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet) The File: • 36 years old from Columbus, Ind., 31 career wins • Two wins, six top fives, 13 top 10s • Average finish of 14.2 • Led 14 of 20 races for 831 laps Pocono Raceway Outlook: • One win, five top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 12.8 • Finished fifth at this season’s Pocono 500 • Led seven of 17 races for 100 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 456 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

6 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) The File: • 27 years old from Columbia, Mo., five career wins • One win, five top fives, seven top 10s • Average finish of 13.2 • Led eight of 20 races for 136 laps Pocono Raceway Outlook: • One win, two top fives • Average finish of 16.6 • Finished 14th at this season’s Pocono 500 • Led three of five races for 51 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 4,325 Laps in the Top 15, fifth-most

7 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet) The File: • 31 years old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories • One win, four top fives, 10 top 10s • Average finish of 14.9 this season • Led nine of 20 races for 251 laps Pocono Raceway Outlook: • One top five, four top 10s • Average finish of 16.3 in 13 races • Finished 11th at this season’s Pocono 500 Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 1,755 Green Flag Passes, eighth-best

8 – Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet) The File: • 22 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins • One win, five top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 14.9 • Led 10 of 20 races for 172 laps Pocono Raceway Outlook: • One top five, two top 10s • Average finish of 17.0 in five races • Finished eighth in this season’s Pocono 500 Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Fourth-fastest average Green Flag Speed

9 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) The File: • 31 years old from El Cajon, Calif., 27 career wins • Four wins, nine top fives, 11 top 10s • Average finish of 15.2 • Led 12 of 20 races for 763 laps Pocono Raceway Outlook: • Two wins, three top fives, six top 10s • Average finish of 11.2 • Finish 42nd in this season’s Pocono 500 • Led four of 11 races for 275 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Average Running Position of 9.7, second-best

10 – Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet) The File: • 28 years old from Emporia, Kan. • One top five, 10 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 15.5 • Led seven of 20 races for 79 laps Pocono Raceway Outlook: • One top 10 • Average finish of 24.0 • Finished 10th at this season’s Pocono 500 • Led one of three races for eight laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Fifth-best Closer – 31 positions improved over the last 10% of races

11 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) The File: • 27 years old from Mayetta, N.J., 1 career win • One win, four top fives, seven top 10s • Average finish of 17.3 • Led eight of 20 races for 345 laps Pocono Raceway Outlook: • One top five, two top 10s • Average finish of 12.3 • Finished third in this season’s Pocono 500 • Led on of three races for one lap Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 265 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-best

12 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet) The File: • 32 years old from Kannapolis, N.C., 17 career wins • Three top five, seven top 10s • Average finish of 17.2 • Led nine of 20 races for 337 laps Pocono Raceway Outlook: • Three top fives, four top 10s • Average finish of 18.3 • Finished 12th at this season’s Pocono 500 • Led four of 15 races for 89 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • 4,386 Laps in the Top 15, third-most

13 – Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) The File: • 28 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., 15 career wins • Three top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 17.6 • Led 11 of 20 races for 361 laps Pocono Raceway Outlook: • One win, six top fives • Average finish of 15.7 • Finished 16th at this season’s Pocono 500 • Led six of 13 races for 172 laps Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight: • Series-high 1,166 Quality Passes