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Kyle Busch: Three wins already

It's NASCAR's All-Star break weekend and Alexander Ferguson picks out his top 12 as the season hits the home straight.

1. Kyle Busch (Joe Gibbs Motorsports)

With three wins already under his belt and the rest of the season seemingly living in the Top 10, there hasn't been a more dominant driver this season than Kyle Busch. Dale Earnhardt Jr fans may not love him after he turned their hero at Richmond, but is that because Busch reminds them of Dale's late father, Dale Earnhardt, who bashed his way to the front of many a race?

2. Carl Edwards (Roush Racing)

One of the bright spots in an otherwise bleak year for Roush, Edwards also has three wins under his belt. Although there were patchy finishes at Talladega and Atlanta, Edwards will be one to watch come Chase-time - particularly if he banks more victories after the All-Star break.

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr (Hendrick Motorsports)

The model of consistency this year, the fans' biggest driver has finished seven of 11 races in the top 10 - and most of those challenging for the lead. His first win in over two years may well be in a Hendrick Car this year, but the question is: where? Junior Nation will be hoping that it all starts at the Coca-Cola 600 in Atlanta.

4. Jeff Burton (Richard Childress Racing)

Jeff Burton hasn't been spectacular this year, but like the Arsenal of the early 1990s, he knew how to grind a result out. But listen to this: His No.31 car hasn't spent a week out of the top 12, and he already has a win to his name. If he comes to the Chase as the points leader in the Championship, we won't be surprised.

5. Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing)

He had the best car at Richmond but was not able to bring home victory. He didn't have the best car at Martinsville but took home victory. But like the Gibbs-Toyota combination this year, he's talented enough to make the Chase.

6. Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports)

NASCAR's champion for the last two straight years, Jimmie Johnson was expected to ride atop the leaderboard all season long - particularly bearing in mind Hendrick's dominance with the "Car of Tomorrow" (now the "Car of Today") last year. Despite his win in Phoenix, Johnson has really flattered to deceive - and like his Hendrick teammates - has never looked like having a car that would take you to Victory Lane. But Johnson is great at coming on strong in the latter part of a season... so NASCAR drivers and fans alike will expect a strong finish.

7. Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Motorsports)

Last year, Gordon won practically three points races and one Gatorade Duel before the All-Star race. This year so far, Gordon's best finish has been two seconds and a third. Gordon has talked often this year about the need for his team to get their act together, and he thinks the team are getting there. But for a man who has the most wins in the modern era, Gordon expects more than "getting there". And frankly, so does NASCAR Nation.

8. Tony Stewart (Joe Gibbs Racing)

Like Gordon, Stewart hasn't had a pretty start to the season. Like Gordon, Stewart's highest finish has been a second and third place finish. And like Gordon, his fans are expecting more. Like Gordon, Stewart has been kicking up a fuss lately, but unlike Gordon, it's been about his contract rather than his car. And like Gordon, if Tony Stewart starts winning - and he's a red-hot favourite for the Brickyard at Indianapolis later this year - then watch out.

9. Clint Bowyer (Richard Childress Racing)

Bowyer's win at Richmond exemplified his style of driving, which seems to be all around keeping the car in shape until about 100 laps to go and give yourself the best chance of victory. Bowyer only won Richmond because Busch and Earnhardt got together and he was lying in third. But his model has given him seven top 10 finishes. You can't argue with that, can you?

10. Kasey Kahne (Gillett Evernharm Motorsports)

We all thought Kasey Kahne would do great things in 2007 after he brought his No. 9 car to Victory Lane six times in 2006. However, a dreadful year after has seemingly dampened expectations for the young NASCAR driver. This year, Kahne is lying just a few points out of the Top 12... and we think he'll make it.

11. Ryan Newman (Penske Racing)

The quietly-spoken Newman was the toast of Penske Racing when he won the Daytona 500 at the start of the year, but since then he's only had one top five finish. The last three races he's been consistently in the top 15, but Newman needs to start being a top ten finisher to get a place in the lucrative Chase for the Sprint Cup.

12. Greg Biffle (Roush Racing)

After missing out on victory in Darlington last week due to a mechanical failure in his No.16 car, Biffle was rightly furious about his luck. Biffle, widely acknowledged as the No.3 driver at Roush Racing behind Edwards and Matt Kenseth, has been better than Kenseth almost all year long. He's been solid, if not spectacular, this season, going on a three-race run at the start of the year that didn't see his No.16 Ford leave the Top 5. Greg Biffle fans will need much of the same if he's going to claim a Chase place.

And wouldn't it be great if...

Somehow Travis Kvapil could perhaps make the Chase? For the whole of the season, Kvapil has been riding around without a permanent sponsor - something that's virtually a death knell to most NASCAR drivers. But by hook or by crook, he's 18th in points at the time of writing and ahead of larger profile drivers such as Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray and Kurt Busch. If he breaks the Top 15, the season will be seen as a success, but many more who love the underdog will be hoping for a 12th place finish before Chase-time.