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The 2007 Top 12 Drivers [/align][align=center][:-][/align][align=center]
Written by Administrator & MCF `Space
[align=center][b]1 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
The File:
• 32 years old from El Cajon, Calif., 33 career wins
• 10 wins, 20 top fives, 24 top 10s this year
• Four poles
• Average finish of 10.8
• Led 24 of 36 races for 1,289 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
• Series-high 962 Fastest Laps Run

2 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
The File:
• 36 years old, Vallejo, Calif., 81 career wins
• Six wins, 21 top fives, 30 top 10s; seven poles
• Average finish of 7.3
• Led 23 of 36 races for 1,300 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
• Series-best Average Running Position of 9.1

3 – Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet)
The File:
• 28 years old from Emporia, Kan., one career win
• One win, five top fives, 17 top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 13.8
• Led 13 of 36 races for 387 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
• Second-best Closer – 57 positions improved over the last 10% of races

4 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
The File:
• 35 years old from Cambridge, Wis., 16 career wins
• Two wins, 13 top fives, 22 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.0
• Led 20 of 36 races for 912 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
• 9,900 laps run on the lead lap, second-most

5 – Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet)
The File:
• 22 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., four career wins
• One win, 11 top fives, 20 top 10s
• Average finish of 14.1
• Led 19 of 36 races for 637 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
• Fifth-fastest average Green Flag Speed

6 – Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet)
The File:
• 36 years old from Columbus, Ind., 32 career wins
• Three wins, 11 top fives, 23 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.1
• Led 20 of 36 races for 980 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
• 634 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

7 – Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
The File:
• 29 years old from Las Vegas, Nev., 17 career wins
• Three wins, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.9
• Led 20 of 36 races for 515 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
• Series-high 1,854 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green flag conditions)

8 – Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet)
The File:
• 40 years old from South Boston, Va., 19 career wins
• One win, nine top fives, 18 top 10s
• Average finish of 13.8; Led seven of 36 races for 79 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
• 2,876 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

9 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
The File:
• 28 years old from Columbia, Mo., seven career wins
• Three wins, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 13.9
• Led 12 of 36 races for 515 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
• 429 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

10 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
The File:
• 31 years old from Bakersfield, Calif., 11 career victories
• One win, four top fives, 15 top 10s
• Average finish of 15.4 this season
• Led 12 of 36 races for 271 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
• Fourth-best Closer – 51 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., one career win
• One win, seven top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 16.4
• Led 17 of 36 races for 581 laps
Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight:
• 3,079 Green Flag Passes, second-most

12 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet)
Th

 

All though I dont like the guy I do respect what he has done, Jeff Gordons 30 top ten finishes is also a Current day NASCAR record.

 

Now I like M. Kenseth since he was a rookie and didn't even have a sponsor.

The ONLY reason I'd support Jimmy Johnson is the #48 Lowes car is in the line up of '06 Montes in the 2006 Monte Carlo sales brochure. And he (did anyways) drive a MonteCarlo.

 

Even though both Jeffers and Jimmie are fellow Californians, Jeffers got screwed out of the t*i*tle by the bogus "chase" format.

I can't help thinking about Mod SoCalSS, Jimmie is fron his backyard.

 

But you have to think if there was no Chase format would the drivers run races a bit differently? Most drivers when they have a comfortable position in the top 5 or 10 they back off a bit and that may get them in trouble they normally would have been able to avoid.

 

Rookies of 2007








[center][b]Juan Pablo Montoya is the 2007 Raybestos® Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. Montoya finished his Raybestos® Rookie season with one win, three top-five and six top-10 finishes.

Montoya was Raybestos® Rookie of the Race 16 times in 36 races. His final margin of victory over David Ragan in the Raybestos® Rookie standings was 24 points (276-252).

This is the SECOND Raybestos® Rookie of the Year title for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Jamie McMurray claimed top rookie honors in 2003.

This is the FOURTH Raybestos® Rookie of the Year title for Montoya’s primary sponsor, Texaco/Havoline. He joins Davey Allison (1987), Kenny Irwin, Jr. (1998) and Jamie McMurray (2003).

RECORD PAYOUT TO MONTOYA: Montoya will earn a record $106,500 from Raybestos® brand Brakes for his efforts in the 2007 NEXTEL Cup Series this season. In addition to the payout for winning Raybestos® Rookie of the Year ($65,000) and for being the top rookie finisher in 16 races ($24,000), he also captured bonus money as part of the Magnificent Seven program. The Raybestos® Rookie of the Race normally pays $1,500 but that increased to $5,000 at seven designated races throughout the 2007 season. Montoya collected the bonus money at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (race No.3), Darlington Raceway (race No. 11), Infineon Raceway (race No. 16), Chicagoland Speedway (race No. 19) and Bristol Motor Speedway (race No. 24). David Ragan collected the bonus at Daytona International Speedway (race No. 1) and Martinsville Speedway (race No. 6).

RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE CONTENDER POINT STANDINGS

DRIVER POINTS
Juan Pablo Montoya 276
David Ragan 252
Paul Menard 221
David Reutimann 207
AJ Allmendinger 190



NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE CONTENDERS – NASCAR BUSCH SERIES

David Ragan is the 2007 Raybestos® Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Busch Series. Ragan edged Marcos Ambrose by 27 points (272-245) for the honor.

Ragan finished the season with two poles, four top-five and nine top-10 finishes. His best finish of the season was a third-place effort in the Sam’s Town 250 at Memphis (Millington, Tenn.) Motorsports Park (race no. 32). Ragan was fifth in the Busch Series championship standings, best of any Raybestos® Rookie.

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