| # | Driver | Pts | Behind | W |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carl Edwards | 5336 | 9 | |
| 2 | Jimmie Johnson | 5220 | −116 | 7 |
| 3 | Kyle Busch | 4984 | −352 | 8 |
| 4 | Greg Biffle | 4747 | −589 | 2 |
| 5 | Jeff Burton | 4709 | −627 | 2 |
| 6 | Kevin Harvick | 4691 | −645 | |
| 7 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 4605 | −731 | 1 |
| 8 | Jeff Gordon | 4537 | −799 | |
| 9 | Clint Bowyer | 4487 | −849 | 1 |
| 10 | Tony Stewart | 4487 | −849 | 1 |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | 4439 | −897 | 1 |
| 12 | Matt Kenseth | 4316 | −1,020 | |
| 13 | David Ragan | 4299 | −1,037 | |
| 14 | Kasey Kahne | 4085 | −1,251 | 2 |
| 15 | Martin Truex Jr. | 3989 | −1,347 | |
| 16 | Jamie McMurray | 3809 | −1,527 | |
| 17 | Ryan Newman | 3760 | −1,576 | 1 |
| 18 | Brian Vickers | 3730 | −1,606 | |
| 19 | Kurt Busch | 3635 | −1,701 | 1 |
| 20 | Casey Mears | 3527 | −1,809 |
Carl Edwards led on points, but the 2008 title went to Jimmie Johnson. Championships in this era were not decided by the points table alone (playoff/chase formats, dropped scores, or a different points system), so the standings order below is not the championship order.