NOW YOU KNOW

Kurt Busch beat out Jimmie Johnson by eight points for the Nextel Cup points championship Sunday. A look at the closest point finishes:

The final Nextel Cup driver point standings:

*--* Pts. Winner Runner-up Year 8 Kurt Busch Jimmie Johnson 2004 10 Alan Kulwicki Bill Elliott 1992 11 Richard Petty Darrell Waltrip 1979 12 Rusty Wallace Dale Earnhardt 1989 14 Jeff Gordon Dale Jarrett 1997 19 Dale Earnhardt Cale Yarborough 1980

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*--* Pos. Driver Pts. Behind Starts Poles Wins Top Top Earnin gs 5s 10s 1. Kurt 6,506 36 1 3 10 21 $4,200 ,330 Busch 2. Jimmie 6,498 -8 36 1 8 20 23 $5,692 ,620 Johnson 3. Jeff 6,490 -16 36 6 5 16 25 $6,437 ,660 Gordon 4. Mark 6,399 -107 36 0 1 10 15 $3,948 ,500 Martin 5. Dale 6,368 -138 36 0 6 16 21 $7,201 ,380 Earnhardt Jr. 6. Tony 6,326 -180 36 0 2 10 19 $6,221 ,710 Stewart 7. Ryan 6,180 -326 36 9 2 11 14 $5,152 ,670 Newman 8. Matt 6,069 -437 36 0 2 8 16 $6,223 ,890 Kenseth 9. Elliott 6,024 -482 36 0 2 8 14 $5,158 ,360 Sadler 10. Jeremy 6,000 -506 36 2 1 5 13 $3,892 ,570 Mayfield 11. Jamie 4,597 -1,909 36 0 0 9 23 $3,676 ,310 McMurray 12. Bobby 4,277 -2,229 36 1 0 5 11 $4,570 ,540 Labonte 13. Kasey 4,274 -2,232 36 4 0 13 14 $4,759 ,020 Kahne* 14. Kevin 4,228 -2,278 36 0 0 5 14 $4,739 ,010 Harvick 15. Dale 4,214 -2,292 36 0 0 6 14 $4,539 ,330 Jarrett 16. Rusty 3,960 -2,546 36 0 1 3 11 $4,447 ,300 Wallace 17. Greg 3,902 -2,604 36 1 2 4 8 $3,583 ,340 Biffle 18. Jeff 3,902 -2,604 36 0 0 2 6 $3,695 ,070 Burton 19. Joe 3,878 -2,628 36 2 1 3 9 $3,872 ,410 Nemechek 20. Michael 3,878 -2,628 36 0 0 2 9 $4,245 ,690 Waltrip 21. Sterling 3,857 -2,649 36 0 0 3 7 $4,117 ,750 Marlin 22. Casey 3,690 -2,816 36 2 0 1 9 $3,250 ,320 Mears 23. Robby 3,646 -2,860 36 0 0 2 6 $4,025 ,550 Gordon 24. Ricky 3,615 -2,891 36 1 0 1 3 $3,717 ,100 Rudd 25. Brian 3,521 -2,985 36 2 0 0 4 $3,044 ,900 Vickers*

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* -- Rookie