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| Johnson using eighth-place Texas car this week at Dover |
2. Jimmie Johnson: Coming off sixth win in 18 starts; Leads all drivers by far with 1,069 laps led in the eight races with the COT; Best average finish (5.2) in the last six races; Best driver rating in the past 12 races; Swept events in 2002 and 2009; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 650) that he finished eighth with at Texas Motor Speedway in April.
3. Kyle Busch: Defending race winner; Win was second in 12 starts; Combined to post an average finish of 3.5 and 177 laps led in both races last season; 17.5 average finish in six starts with Joe Gibbs Racing; Posted four top-fives in previous six starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Fifth-best driver rating in the past 12 races; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 286) that he finished 38th with at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March after a blown engine took him out of the race. (Car also finished runner-up at Charlotte last October)
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr: 24.0 average finish in six starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Scored seven top-10s and one win in previous 16 starts with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.; Has yet to lead a lap in the eight races with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 649) that he finished 12th with at Auto Club Speedway in March.
5. Kevin Harvick: Seventh-place finish in this event last year was seventh top 10 in 20 starts; 16.9 average finish and one lap led in the eight races with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 299) that he went to Victory Lane with at Auto Club Speedway in March.
6. Ryan Newman: 9.8 average finish in four starts with Stewart-Haas Racing; Three-time winner with Penske Racing, including a sweep in 2003; Has led 842 laps in 18 starts, including 325 en route to victory in the 2004 fall race; Eighth-best average finish (12.0) in the eight races with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 516) that he finished 10th with at Bristol Motor Speedway in March.
7. Tony Stewart: 10.3 average finish in four starts with Stewart-Haas Racing; Swept the two races in 2000 driving for Joe Gibbs Racing; 17.8 average finish and six laps led in the eight races with the COT. Will return in the same car (chassis No. 530) that he last finished 19th with at Bristol Motor Speedway in March.
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| Kurt Busch is going with a brand new car this week |
9. Clint Bowyer: Three top-10 finishes of eighth are best track results in 10 starts; Last top 10 came in the 2008 fall race; Finished 17th in this event last year after a pit road penalty for leaving his stall with the jack underneath the No. 33 Chevrolet; 16.5 average finish in the eight races with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 310) that he finished 35th with at Bristol Motor Speedway after suffering engine failure from damage to the grill.
10. Matt Kenseth: Won the 2006 spring race after leading 83 laps; 18th-place finish last fall ended streak of five consecutive top fives; Fifth-best average finish (9.2) and 351 laps led in the eight races with the COT; Third-best driver rating in the past 12 races; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 763) in the FedEx 400.
11. AJ Allmendinger: 23.6 average finish in the eight races with the COT; Led 143 laps last fall en route to his second top 10; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 710) that he finished 31st with at Bristol Motor Speedway in March.
12. Greg Biffle: Two-time winner; Third-best track on the circuit based on his 11.0 average finish; Has finished eighth or better in eight of the last 10 races; Second-best average finish (6.6) in the eight races with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 740) that he finished 21st with at Martinsville Speedway in April.
13. Juan Pablo Montoya: 21.9 average finish and three laps led in eight starts; Last of two top-10s came in the 2009 fall race in fourth; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 1003) that he most recently finished 24th with at Bristol Motor Speedway in March.
14. Mark Martin: Four-time winner in 49 starts; His 22 top-five finishes and 1,720 laps led are a personal best at any track; 9.8 average finish in four starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Sixth-best average finish (9.6) in the eight races with the COT; Sixth-best driver rating in the last 12 races; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 625) that he finished 12th with at Bristol Motor Speedway in March.
15. Kasey Kahne: 20.2 average finish in the eight races with the COT; Last of three top-10s in 14 starts came in both races in 2009; Will make first track start with Team Red Bull.
16. Denny Hamlin: Finished in the top 10 in both races in 2010; Fourth-place finish in this event last year ended a streak of five finishes of 22nd or worse; Four top-10s and 61 laps led in 10 starts; 24.2 average finish in the eight races with the COT.
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| Martin Truex jr. looks to create some 2007 magic |
18. Paul Menard: Coming off first top 10 in seventh; 20.4 average finish and no laps led in seven starts; Will make first track start with Richard Childress Racing in the same car (chassis No. 347) that he finished 16th with at Auto Club Speedway in March.
19. David Ragan: 23.6 average finish and no laps led in nine starts; Best finish came in this event in 2007 in 14th; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 759) in the FedEx 400.
20. Martin Truex Jr: Won this event in 2007 with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. after leading 215 laps; Won the pole and finished 12th in this event last year; 23.0 average finish in two starts with Michael Waltrip Racing.
- compiled by Jeff Wackerlin, MotorRacingNetwork.com
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