NCWTS Race Preview: Overton's 150 at Pocono

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 
Next Race: Overton’s 150
The Place: Pocono Raceway
The Date: Saturday, July 29
The Time: 1 p.m. ET
TV: FOX, 1 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 150 miles (60 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 15),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 30), Final Stage (Ends on lap 60)

NCWTS Quick Facts:

Races: 7
Pole Winners: 5
Youngest Pole Winner: Erik Jones (08/01/2015 - 19 years, 2 months, 2 days)
Oldest Pole Winner: Kevin Harvick (08/07/2011 - 35 years, 7 months, 30 days)
Race Winners: 7
Youngest Winner: William Byron (07/30/2016 - 18 years, 8 months, 1 days)
Oldest Winner: Kevin Harvick (08/07/2011 - 35 years, 7 months, 30 days)
Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): 3
Last Race Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): William Byron (07/30/2016)
Race Record: Ryan Blaney 128.3mph (08/03/2013)
Qualifying Record: Nelson Piquet Jr 169.504mph (08/04/2012)

NCWTS News & Notes:

Crafton Cranks It Up In The Dirt

Two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton dug his way to a win at Eldora Speedway – capturing his first career win at the dirt track.

The win broke a 27-race winless streak for Crafton, who last won a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, 2016.

In four prior NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races at Eldora, Crafton had been strong and finished inside the top-10 each time, but never got that first win.

"My first dirt win - a lot of fun," said Crafton, who picked up his 14th career win in the series. "In the second part of that race we down-right just stunk. It was my fault. We over-tightened it a little bit in the first run. It got free and we just went back to the way we started the race."

As the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pivots next to Pocono Raceway for the Overton’s 150 (Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), Crafton will look to continue his streak of winning at tracks where he’s yet to visit victory lane.

In seven NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at the Tricky Triangle, Crafton has two top fives and four top 10s, with an average finish of 11.0.

Friesen Flourishes At Eldora

Canada-born driver and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Stewart Friesen had a career night at Eldora Speedway.

Friesen won his first career Keystone Light Pole Award to start the evening, and came very close to finishing the night perfectly. He would ultimately finish second to two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton, but led a race-high 93 laps and won Stage 2.

Both Friesen’s finish (second) and laps-led (93) were career highs for the Sunoco Rookie. He was disappointed that he didn’t capture the win, but was proud of his team and their effort.

"We didn’t come here to run second that’s for damn sure, but I’m proud of these guys. They worked hard to get this truck dialed in. We had a great truck, he (Crafton) just got rolling on the top, it cleaned up, I was so committed to the bottom and go there in the middle and he just found a line and got us. It burns."

Sunoco Rookie Race Going The Distance

The heat is on for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award as Chase Briscoe and Grant Enfinger continue to keep it a tight race.

Through 11 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races this season, Briscoe leads Enfinger by two points heading into the Overton’s 150 Pocono Raceway.

Even though both drivers scored top-five finishes at Eldora Speedway, Briscoe walked away with the two-point lead in the Sunoco Rookie standings – but Enfinger won the Sunoco Rookie of the Race award.

Over the past five races, the lead has volleyed between the two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookies. Below shows the point battle for the lead over the last five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.

Winstaronlinegaming.com 400 at Texas Motor Speedway
Enfinger – 88
Briscoe – 84

Drivin’ For Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park
Briscoe – 104
Enfinger – 104

M&M’s 200 at Iowa Speedway
Enfinger – 122
Briscoe – 117

Buckle Up In Your Truck 225 at Kentucky Speedway
Briscoe – 125
Enfinger – 125

Eldora Dirt Derby at Eldora Speedway
Briscoe – 143
Enfinger – 141

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff Countdown: Five Races

As the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Pocono Raceway Saturday for the Overton’s 150 (1 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), it’s a good time to remind you there are five races until the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs begin at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Christopher Bell (three wins), John Hunter Nemechek (two wins), Johnny Sauter (one win), Matt Crafton (one win) and Kaz Grala (one win) are all virtually locked in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs thanks to their wins this season.

This leaves three potential NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs spots up for grabs over the next five races.

Below are six drivers right on the playoff bubble who could use wins to solidify their playoff path.

Chase Briscoe:  In the current playoff standings, Chase Briscoe sits sixth and has earned one playoff point this season thanks to his stage win. The Sunoco Rookie has had a blazing season so far with five top fives, six top 10s and 105 laps led. He’s also added two Keystone Light Pole Awards.

Grant Enfinger: ThorSport Racing Sunoco Rookie Grant Enfinger sits seventh in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs standings after 11 races. He has five top fives and seven top 10s and has finished outside the top-16 just once.

Ben Rhodes: Poor luck has pushed Ben Rhodes to eighth in the current NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoff picture. He’s wrecked in back-to-back races, but prior to that had yet to finish outside the top-23. He’s led 121 laps this season and could use a "W" to verify his playoff aspirations.

Ryan Truex: Currently sitting right outside the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoff cutoff at ninth, Ryan Truex is looking for any way to get back into the top eight. He’s finished top-25 or better in 10 of 11 races this season, and has led 47 laps.

Noah Gragson: Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Noah Gragson has run extremely well as of late and is looking to carry that right into the playoffs. He’s finished top-10 or better in eight of the last nine races. He’s led 61 laps this season and is currently 10th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points standings.

Austin Cindric: Brad Keselowski Racing driver Austin Cindric is also making a charge of his own right towards the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs. He’s finished top-11 or better in five of his last six races this season. If Cindric keeps this up over his next five races, he could be in sooner rather than later.

First Timers At The Tricky Triangle

There are nine Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders making their track debut at Pocono Raceway in Saturday’s Overton’s 150 (1 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). They include: Chase Briscoe, Wendell Chavous, Austin Cindric, Cody Coughlin, Grant Enfinger, Stewart Friesen, Noah Gragson, Kaz Grala and Justin Haley.

Other NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers making their track debut at Pocono Raceway this weekend include: Bryan Dauzat, Justin Fontaine, Matt Mills, Camden Murphy, Josh Reasume, Regan Smith, Ryan Truex and Cody Ware.

In seven NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races at Pocono Raceway, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson is the only driver who has won his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pole at Pocono (08/02/2014).

Joey Coulter is the only driver to win his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Pocono Raceway (08/04/2012).

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Etc.:
Kyle Busch Trucking At The Tricky Triangle: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch will be running the Overton’s 150 in the No. 51 Toyota Tundra this weekend. Busch has two career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at Pocono Raceway and has finishes of first (2015) and second (2011).

Owner Standings Update: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner standings have become a tight race as the back end of the 2017 season begins. GMS Racing’s No. 21 Chevrolet Silverado retains a small seven-point lead over the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota. Brad Keselowski Racing’s No. 29 Ford F-150 (-47), and ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 Toyota Tundra (-51) and No. 98 Toyota Tundra (-122) make up the top five.

Manufacturer Standings Update: Through 11 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races this season, Toyota leads Chevrolet by a slim four-point margin in the manufacturer championship standings. Toyota has six NASCAR Camping World Truck Series wins to Toyota’s five. Ford is in third place in the manufacturer championship standings, and has yet to win in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season.

NXS Race Preview: U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa

NASCAR XFINITY Series
Next Race: U.S. Cellular 250
The Place: Iowa Speedway
The Date: Saturday, July 29
The Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBC, 3 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 218.75 miles (250 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 60),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 120), Final Stage (Ends on lap 250)

NXS Quick Facts:

Races: 15
Pole Winners: 9
Youngest Pole Winner: Trevor Bayne (07/31/2010 - 19 years, 5 months, 12 days)
Oldest Pole Winner: Elliott Sadler (08/04/2012 - 37 years, 3 months, 5 days)
Race Winners: 10
Youngest Winner: William Byron (06/24/2017 - 19 years, 5 months, 26 days)
Oldest Winner: Elliott Sadler (08/04/2012 - 37 years, 3 months, 5 days)
Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): 1
Last Race Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): Elliott Sadler (08/04/2012)
Race Record: Elliott Sadler 115.622mph (08/04/2012)
Qualifying Record: Austin Dillon 136.737mph (06/09/2013)

NXS News & Notes:

JR Motorsport’s Rising Star William Byron Returns To Iowa Looking For The Sweep

JR Motorsport’s William Byron is quickly becoming one of the most popular rising stars in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, and this weekend the young juggernaut returns to Iowa Speedway looking to become just the second driver in series history to sweep both Iowa Speedway races in a single season; joining former series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (who won three straight - 2011 sweep and 2012 June race).

Byron broke into the win column for the first time in his NASCAR XFINITY Series career when he first visited Iowa back in June. Since then the 19-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina has added two more wins to his resume – at Daytona International Speedway (July race) and last weekend’s victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"I haven’t seen a driver win in everything he gets in like (William) Byron is doing right now since Jeff Gordon," said NBC analyst and former driver Kyle Petty following Byron’s victory at Indianapolis.

The high praise isn’t surprising considering the Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender has posted one pole, three wins, seven top fives, 12 top 10s and an average finish of 9.5 in 18 NASCAR XFINITY Series starts this season. But to put his ascension into success in even more perspective, consider this: In 42 NASCAR national series starts he has 10 wins (three NXS, seven NCWTS) – a 23.8% winning percentage (tied with Greg Biffle for the ninth-most wins all-time in a driver’s first 42 NASCAR national series starts).

Byron is not only exceptional on track, he also understands what it took to get where he is. 

"Great people," said Byron. "You have got to have good people around you, and Rudy Fugle (Byron’s crew chief last season in the NCWTS) is a pretty awesome guy, and he taught me a lot last year. We had a really good combination, and we took what we learned and applied it to this year and Dave (Elenz, this season’s NXS crew chief) is excellent. Dave is a great engineer and great crew chief that makes excellent pit strategy calls. I feel like we are starting to get that confidence up between the two of us, and that is starting to lead to a lot of success," Byron said.   

This weekend will be Byron’s second series start at Iowa Speedway, in his series track debut earlier this season on the 0.875-mile track, he started sixth, led 78 laps and won with a driver rating of 131.2.

If Byron pulls off the sweep this weekend at Iowa, he will be one win closer to the series’ rookie season record for wins of five; held by Greg Biffle (2001), Carl Edwards (2005) and Kyle Busch (2004). Erik Jones posted four wins in his rookie season last year.

NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs Are Inching Ever Closer

Another weekend in the books, and now the NASCAR XFINITY Series turns to Iowa Speedway for the U.S. Cellular 250 Presented by American Ethanol (Saturday, July 29 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio); which means just eight races are left for the championship contending drivers to guarantee themselves a spot in the post-season.

Rk	Driver	Points	Race Wins	Playoff Pts	Pts from Cutoff
1	William Byron	625	3	17	311
2	Justin Allgaier	532	1	7	218
3	Ryan Reed	408	1	5	94
4	Elliott Sadler	665	0	5	351
5	Brennan Poole	473	0	0	159
6	Daniel Hemric	458	0	1	144
7	Cole Custer	435	0	0	121
8	Matt Tifft	414	0	0	100
9	Dakoda Armstrong	368	0	0	54
10	Michael Annett	367	0	0	53
11	Blake Koch	344	0	1	30
12	Brendan Gaughan	329	0	1	15
13	Ryan Sieg	314	0	0	-15

Regular Season Winners

Three series contenders have posted wins this season. Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender William Byron has tallied three victories (Iowa-1, Daytona-2 and Indianapolis) this season, and currently holds the No. 1 seed in the NASCAR XFINITY Series playoffs.

Byron’s JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier (won at Phoenix) and Roush Fenway Racing’s Ryan Reed (season-opening victory at Daytona) are the other two title contenders with regular season wins this season. 

Earlier this season at Iowa Speedway (July) - Byron won, Allgaier finished ninth and Reed finished 19th.

Winless Playoff Contenders

Elliott Sadler leads the cavalcade of nine drivers who are currently winless in the 2017 regular season, but are trying to hang on to their playoff contention with their driver standings points.  All nine drivers are looking for their first win of the season this weekend at Iowa Speedway. Of the nine, Sadler is the only former Iowa winner (2012 from the pole). 

·         Elliott Sadler (No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) currently has the largest sum of points (351) separating himself and the playoff cutoff (13th position in the points). Sadler has made 13 starts at Iowa, posting three poles, one win (2012), seven top fives and 13 top 10s. His average finish on the 0.875-mile track is a stellar 5.4.

·         Brennan Poole (No. 48 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet) has the second biggest points cushion (159) ahead of 13th in the driver standings following Indianapolis. Poole has made five starts at Iowa, posting one top five and two top 10s.

·         Daniel Hemric (No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) currently sits 144 points ahead of 13th in the driver standings following Indianapolis. Hemric made his series track debut at Iowa earlier this season; starting 11th and finishing 21st.

·         Cole Custer (No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford) is currently 121 points ahead of 13th in the driver standings after the 18th race of the season. Custer made his series track debut earlier this season at Iowa starting 24th and finishing 24th. 

·         Matt Tifft (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) has a 100-point cushion over 13th in the driver standings following Indianapolis. Tifft also made his series track debut at Iowa earlier this season, starting ninth and finishing 22nd.

·         Dakoda Armstrong (No. 28 JGL Racing Toyota) is just 54 points ahead of 13th in the driver standings following Indianapolis. Armstrong has made seven series starts at Iowa posting two top fives and an average finish of 15.1.

·         Michael Annett (No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) is just 53 points ahead of 13th in the driver standings following Indianapolis. Annett has made nine series starts at Iowa posting one top five, three top 10s and an average finish of 12.1. 

·         Blake Koch (No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet) is a mere 30 points ahead of 13th in the driver standings following Indianapolis. Koch has made 12 series starts at Iowa posting an average finish of 26.7.

·         Brendan Gaughan (No. 62 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) currently holds the final playoff spot by just 15 points over Ryan Sieg in the 13th position. Gaughan has made 11 starts at Iowa, posting one top five, three top 10s and an average finish of 15.4.

Quick Facts: NASCAR And Iowa

This weekend’s U.S. Cellular 250 Presented by American Ethanol (Saturday, July 29 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will be the 16th running of the event at Iowa Speedway. The state of Iowa has been very welcoming to NASCAR, and here are some of the highlights and quick facts about the two over the years.

In total, there have been 27 NASCAR national series races held in the state of Iowa (MENCS 1, NXS 15 and NCWTS 11).

The very first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Iowa was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race on August 2, 1953 at Davenport Speedway in Davenport, Iowa. The 200-lap race was won by Herb Thomas in a Hudson. The event still is the only Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held in the state of Iowa.

The first of 15 NASCAR XFINITY Series races held in the state of Iowa was on August 1, 2009 at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. Brad Keselowski won the inaugural event driving for JR Motorsports (Chevrolet).  Every NASCAR XFINITY Series event held in the state of Iowa has been at Iowa Speedway.

Iowan Drivers In NASCAR

A total of 30 drivers that have made at least one start in a NASCAR national series have their home state recorded as Iowa. 25 of the 30 (83.3%) Iowan drivers have made at least one start in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.  Only eight of the 30 Iowan drivers have made a start in the NASCAR XFINITY Series; led by Michael Annett with 181 starts. Seven of the 30 Iowan drivers have competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Of the 30 drivers, only three have won in NASCAR national series competition; none in the NASCAR XFINITY Series – Dick Hutcherson from Keokuk, Iowa has 14 MENCS wins; Johnny Beauchamp from Harlan, Iowa has one MENCS win and Brett Moffitt from Grimes, Iowa has one NCWTS win.

Three Iowa natives will be attempting to compete this weekend: Michael Annett (Des Moines), Brett Moffit (Grimes) and Joey Gase (Cedar Rapids) are entered in Saturday’s race.

Iowa Speedway Is The Perfect Stage For A Series Part-Timer

Several series part-timers will try their hand at taking the checkered flag in Iowa.

Richard Childress Racing:
Brian Scott returns from a six-month retirement to make his season series debut in the No. 3 RCR Chevrolet with crew chief Matt Swiderski this weekend at Iowa. Scott’s last NASCAR XFINITY Series start was at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2015; where he started, and finished, fourth. He has made 11 series starts at Iowa, posting two top fives, five top 10s and an average finish of 12.6.  

Ben Kennedy, great-grandson of Bill France Sr. and grandson to Bill France Jr., will be making his 10th start of the season this weekend at Iowa and his fifth for Richard Childress Racing in 2017. Kennedy has made two career series starts at Iowa posting one top 10 and an average finish 15.0.  Kennedy started 21st and finished 20th at Iowa for RCR earlier this season. Kennedy will be strapping into the No. 3 RCR Chevrolet this weekend at Iowa with crew chief Randall Burnett. 

Joe Gibbs Racing:
Ryan Preece returns to the series for his second start of the season for Joe Gibbs Racing. Preece’s series season debut at New Hampshire a few weeks ago was quite impressive, as he started sixth and finished runner-up to the series wins leader Kyle Busch. Preece has two series starts at Iowa driving for Johnny Davis, but both resulted in incidents relegating him to finishes outside the top 30. Preece will be in the No. 20 JGR Toyota with crew chief Chris Gabehart this weekend.

Kyle Benjamin is also back, hoping to get a solid finish this weekend as his first three results don’t show how well the young talent has been running this season. With an average starting position of 1.7, but an average finish of 26.3, Benjamin is looking for his first good finish and is hoping Iowa Speedway will give it to him.  Earlier this season, Benjamin qualified second at Iowa, but was caught in an accident that put him nine laps down and ultimately relegated him to a 31st-place finish. Benjamin will be in the No. 18 JGR Toyota with crew chief Eric Phillips this weekend.

Team Penske:
Sam Hornish Jr. heads to Iowa with the best chance of winning amongst the series part-timers this weekend. Hornish has made 10 series starts at Iowa, posting two wins (2014, 2016), six top fives, seven top 10s and an average finish of 9.4. He will be in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford with crew chief Greg Erwin this weekend.

Chip Ganassi Racing:
Tyler Reddick has made 10 starts this season, posting one top five and three top 10s driving the No. 42 CGR Chevrolet. Reddick made his series track debut at Iowa earlier this season and, in impressive fashion, drove from a 15th starting position to a third-place finish (his only top-five finish of 2017). Reddick will be working with crew chief Mike Shiplett this weekend.

Roush Fenway Racing:
Ty Majeski will be making his second start of the season for Roush Fenway Racing at Iowa Speedway this weekend. Majeski made his series debut at Iowa earlier this season in the No. 60 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, starting 10th but was caught in an accident that forced him finish 34th. Majeski will be working with Seth Barbour as crew chief. 

MENCS Race Preview: Overton's 400 at Pocono

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Overton’s 400
The Place: Pocono Raceway
The Date: Sunday, July 30
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN, 2:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 400 miles (160 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 50),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 100), Final Stage (Ends on lap 160)

MENCS Pocono Quick Facts:

Races: 79
Pole Winners: 42
Youngest Pole Winner: Joey Logano (08/07/2011 - 21 years, 2 months, 14 days)
Oldest Pole Winner: David Pearson (06/10/1984 - 49 years, 5 months, 19 days)
Race Winners: 36
Youngest Winner: Joey Logano (06/10/2012 - 22 years, 0 months, 17 days)
Oldest Winner: Harry Gant (06/17/1990 - 50 years, 5 months, 7 days)
Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): 15
Last Race Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): Jimmie Johnson (06/09/2013)
Race Record: Jeff Gordon 145.384mph (06/12/2011)
Qualifying Record: Kyle Larson 183.438mph (08/03/2014)

MENCS News & Notes:

Dude. Sweep. Blaney Hopes To Find Pocono Victory Lane For Second Time This Season

A month after he notched his first career win at Pocono, Ryan Blaney will attempt to visit Victory Lane once again when the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series returns to the Tricky Triangle on Sunday for the Overton’s 400 (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Blaney will attempt to become the eighth driver to complete the Pocono sweep, joining: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2014), Denny Hamlin (2006), Jimmie Johnson (2004), Bobby Labonte (1999), Tim Richmond (1986), Bill Elliott (1985) and Bobby Allison (1982).

Blaney has struggled since his win, with just two top-10 finishes in six starts. In addition to his victory, he has three top fives, seven top 10s and an 18.8 average finish on the season. His eight playoff points rank tied with Kevin Harvick for sixth in the series.

Kahne And Able: Kasey Kahne Earns First Win In 102 Starts At Brickyard

Kasey Kahne snapped a 102-race winless streak by beating out Brad Keselowski on a restart in NASCAR overtime to win the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports driver is now virtually guaranteed a spot in the playoffs.

Additionally, the win marked Kahne’s first top-10 finish since his fifth-place showing at Talladega in May. The victory was the first for his crew chief, Keith Rodden.

Kahne became the 13th different winner in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this season.

He will attempt to continue his momentum in Sunday’s Overton’s 400 at Pocono Raceway – a track where he’s experienced success in the past. In 27 starts at the Tricky Triangle, Kahne claims two wins five top fives and nine top 10s.

Can Dale Jr. Punch Playoff Ticket At Pocono?

Time is running out for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to earn a playoff spot in his final full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. He only has six races left to achieve the feat.

Pocono Raceway might be his best remaining bet to get the win that ensures him a playoff berth.

In 34 career starts at the Tricky Triangle, Earnhardt owns two victories (both in 2014), 11 top fives, 15 top 10s and a 15.1 average finish. He has finished fifth or better in six of his last eight races there.

Six To Go: Playoff Pressure Heightens

The pressure is on to make the playoffs after Kasey Kahne stole a berth with his win at Indy.

The following drivers would get in if the season ended today: Martin Truex Jr. (three wins, 29 playoff points), Jimmie Johnson (three, 16), Kyle Larson (two, 13), Brad Keselowski (two, 13), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (two, 10), Kevin Harvick (one, eight), Ryan Blaney (one, eight), Denny Hamlin (one, seven), Kurt Busch (one, five), Ryan Newman (one, five), Austin Dillon (one, five), Kasey Kahne (one, five), Kyle Busch (140 points above Clint Bowyer on the cutoff line, seven playoff points), Jamie McMurray (+84),  Chase Elliott (+73, two), Matt Kenseth (+51, two).

The first four out would be: Bowyer (33 points below Kenseth on the cutoff line), Joey Logano (-51, one playoff point), Erik Jones (-126), Daniel Suarez (-132) and Trevor Bayne (-180).

Remember a victory virtually guarantees a driver a playoff berth. Below is a list of winless drivers who have taken a checkered flag at the remaining six regular-season tracks

Pocono: Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chris Buescher
Watkins Glen: Ky. Busch, AJ Allmendinger
Michigan: Ky. Busch, Earnhardt Jr., Kenseth
Bristol: Ky. Busch, Kenseth, Earnhardt Jr.
Darlington: Ky. Busch, Kenseth
Richmond: Ky. Busch, Kenseth, Bowyer, Earnhardt Jr.

Kyle Busch Tries For First Pocono Win

Kyle Busch has won at 21 of the 23 active Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series tracks. The only two places where Busch has never visited Victory Lane are Charlotte and Pocono – the site of Sunday’s Overton’s 400.

Busch won the Coors Light Pole at the Pennsylvania track in June and led 100 of 160 laps on his way to a ninth-place finish. In 25 career Pocono starts, he claims four top fives, 10 tops 10s and an 18.2 average finish. He’s finished runner-up at Pocono twice (2010-June; 2011-August).

Although he is fourth in the points standings (107 markers behind leader Martin Truex Jr.) and second in stage wins (seven), Busch has yet to win a race this season.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.
Kids Drive NASCAR Launches: The NASCAR industry is celebrating the next generation of fans with Kids Drive NASCAR beginning this weekend (thru Michigan). Look out for the Kids vs. Drivers challenges on AccelerationNation.com, and be part of the conversation by using #KidsDriveNASCAR on social media. NASCAR and participating tracks will host children as honorary race officials, green-flag wavers and reporters, in addition to hosting a variety of youth-focused events and activities for families. Pocono will host its 10th annual Lehigh Valley Children’s Hospital Kids Day on Saturday. Free activities include: face painting, bounce houses and photo booths.

Fantasy Sleepers and Value Picks –Pocono Raceway (Overton’s 400)

Joey Logano has one win, 4 Top-5's, 6 Top-10's and
275 laps led in his career at Pocono.

Sleepers:

Erik Jones: Justifying Erik Jones as a sleeper pick this season has been tough due to his risk. The Sunoco Rookie has wrecked in six of his 20 starts this season but carries heavy upside this weekend at Pocono. In one career start there earlier this season, Jones finished third – his best finish this season – after starting 15th. His driver rating in that race was a 112.7 – which ranks him second amongst active drivers in driver rating at Pocono with at least one start. He ran 93.8 percent of his laps completed in the top 15. He’s a solid buy this week.

Ryan Blaney: Ryan Blaney has been a quality sleeper play this season and continues that trend this weekend at Pocono. He had an elite performance there in June – starting fourth and going on to win the race, his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory. In three career starts at Pocono, Blaney owns a place differential of +4.7, with an average finish of 7.3. He’s run 68.1 percent of his laps in the top 15 at the Tricky Triangle. Blaney currently sits 17th in fantasy points averaged over his last three races.

Joey Logano: Due to an uncharacteristically up-and-down season for Joey Logano, his salary across most leagues has dipped into sleeper territory. Right now is the chance to buy. Logano only has six races left to make it into the playoffs, and when his back is against the wall is usually when he performs. He currently sits 19th in fantasy points averaged over his last three races. In 17 career starts at Pocono, Logano has one win (2012), four top fives, six top 10s and 275 laps led. He owns an average finish at Pocono of 16.9.

Kasey Kahne: Coming off his first win since 2014, Kasey Kahne should be considered across all leagues as a sleeper play this week. In 27 career starts at Pocono, Kahne has two wins (July-2013 and June-2008), five top fives and nine top 10s, with 219 laps led. Since 2015, Kahne has +1.3 place differential at Pocono and has run 67.5 percent of his laps in the top 15 there. Since 2012, in the second Pocono race, Kahne has finishes of second (2012), first (2013), 10th (2014), wreck/ 43rd (2015) and 15th (2016).

Value Plays:

AJ Allmendinger: AJ Allmendinger is beginning to heat up at exactly the right time. He has two top-10 finishes in his last four races and in that four-race span has yet to finish outside the top-21. He currently sits eighth in fantasy points averaged over his last three races. On the season, he owns an average finish of 21, with an average place differential of +3.2. In his last four Pocono races, Dinger has yet to finish outside the top-22. Given Allmendinger’s asking price and production, he remains a strong value play at the Tricky Triangle.

Chris Buescher: If there was an award for the best bang for your buck #FantasyNASCAR value play, Chris Buescher would win it. On the season, Buescher owns an average finish of 21.6, with an average place differential of +5.2. Last week at Indy, Buescher showed exactly why he’s so valuable. He started 26th and finished ninth. Let’s get to Pocono numbers, shall we? Let’s start with he won this race last season... In three career starts there, he owns an average finish of 15.0 at Pocono, with an average place differential of +8.0

David Ragan: Struggling from a race-finishing perspective as of late, David Ragan still deserves a look as a value play at Pocono. On the season, Ragan owns an average finish of 25.0, with an average place differential of +4.8. Ragan’s best offering is his place differential and his Pocono numbers back that up. In 21 career starts at Pocono, Ragan owns an average finish of 23.7, with an average place differential of +4.7. In seven of his last eight Pocono starts, Ragan has positive place differential finishes.

Danica Patrick: Danica Patrick maybe onto to something. Her last four finishes? 25th (Daytona), 15th (Kentucky), 13th (New Hampshire) and most recently, 11th (Indianapolis). In three of those four races, Patrick has positive place differential of +5 or better. In that span, Patrick sits seventh in fantasy points averaged over her last three races. Given her last few race finishes, Patrick deserves a look as a value play at Pocono. She has three top-22 or better finishes there in her last four races, and in that span – owns a finish of 23.3.

Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Overton's 400

Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Overton’s 400

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Top 30 in the 2017 Driver Standings     Rank Driver Points Race Wins Playoff Points   1 Martin Truex Jr. 780 3 29   2 Kyle Larson 732 2 13   3 Kevin Harvick 683 1 8   4 Kyle Busch 673 0 7   5 Denny Hamlin 612 1 7   6 Brad Keselowski 601 2 13   7 Jamie McMurray 599 0 0   8 Chase Elliott 588 0 2   9 Matt Kenseth 566 0 2   10 Jimmie Johnson 564 3 16   11 Clint Bowyer 533 0 0   12 Ryan Blaney 516 1 8   13 Joey Logano 515 1 1   14 Kurt Busch 463 1 5   15 Ryan Newman 462 1 5   16 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 443 2 10   17 Erik Jones  440 0 0   18 Daniel Suarez  434 0 0   19 Trevor Bayne 386 0 0   20 Kasey Kahne 383 1 5   21 Austin Dillon 379 1 5   22 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 353 0 0   23 Paul Menard 345 0 0   24 Ty Dillon  340 0 0   25 Chris Buescher 311 0 0   26 Michael McDowell 305 0 0   27 AJ Allmendinger 302 0 0   28 Danica Patrick 280 0 0   29 David Ragan 251 0 0   30 Matt DiBenedetto 232 0 0

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Pocono Raceway in Pocono, Pennsylvania going into the Overton’s 400 on July 30 (on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 at 3 p.m. ET). 

POCONO-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Ryan Blaney (No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Fusion)

·        One win, one top five, two top 10s

·        Average finish of 7.333, second-best

·        Average Running Position of 13.122, eighth-best

·        Driver Rating of 93.4, ninth-best

·        10 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 162.702, 12th-fastest

·        312 Laps in the Top 15 (68.1), eighth-most

·        94 Quality Passes, 12th-most

Kurt Busch (No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Fusion)

·        Three wins, 14 top fives, 19 top 10s; two poles

·        Average finish of 12.208, seventh-best

·        Average Running Position of 10.735, third-best

·        Driver Rating of 105.6, second-best

·        365 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 163.838, third-fastest

·        3223 Laps in the Top 15 (76.2), fifth-most

·        945 Quality Passes, fourth-most

2017 Monster Energy Playoff Outlook Rank Driver Race Wins Playoff Pts Pts Pts from Cutoff 1 Martin Truex Jr. 3 29 In On Wins 2 Jimmie Johnson 3 16 3 Kyle Larson 2 13 4 Brad Keselowski 2 13 5 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 2 10 6 Kevin Harvick 1 8 7 Ryan Blaney 1 8 8 Denny Hamlin 1 7 9 Kurt Busch 1 5 10 Ryan Newman 1 5 11 Kasey Kahne 1 5 12 Austin Dillon 1 5 13 Kyle Busch 0 7 673 140 14 Jamie McMurray 0 0 599 66 15 Chase Elliott 0 2 588 55 16 Matt Kenseth 0 2 566 33 17 Clint Bowyer 0 0 533 -33 18 Joey Logano 1* 1 515 -51 19 Erik Jones  0 0 440 -126 20 Daniel Suarez  0 0 434 -132 21 Trevor Bayne 0 0 386 -180 22 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 0 0 353 -213 23 Paul Menard 0 0 345 -221 24 Ty Dillon  0 0 340 -226 25 Chris Buescher 0 0 311 -255 26 Michael McDowell 0 0 305 -261 27 AJ Allmendinger 0 0 302 -264 28 Danica Patrick 0 0 280 -286 29 David Ragan 0 0 251 -315 30 Matt DiBenedetto 0 0 232 -334 Green - In the playoffs due to wins, not locked in Yellow - In the playoffs due to points, not locked in Red - Outside the playoff cutoff * - Dictates the win was encumbered,  and can't be used for entry to the playoffs

Dale Earnhardt Jr (No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS)

·        Two wins, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 15.542, 11th-best

·        Average Running Position of 14.436, 13th-best

·        Driver Rating of 91.5, 10th-best

·        114 Fastest Laps Run, third-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 163.474, fifth-fastest

·        2652 Laps in the Top 15 (62.4), 10th-most

·        831 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Chase Elliott (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS)

·        One top five, two top 10s

·        Average finish of 15.000, 10th-best

·        Average Running Position of 9.794, second-best

·        Driver Rating of 101.9, fifth-best

·        36 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 163.016, 11th-fastest

·        394 Laps in the Top 15 (86.0), second-most

·        122 Quality Passes, 11th-most

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry)

·        Four wins, nine top fives, 14 top 10s; three poles

·        Average finish of 12.130, sixth-best

·        Average Running Position of 10.908, fourth-best

·        Driver Rating of 104.7, third-best

·        449 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 163.853, second-fastest

·        3121 Laps in the Top 15 (78.3), fourth-most

·        853 Quality Passes, sixth-most

  

Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Fusion)

·        Nine top fives, 14 top 10s

·        Average finish of 10.840, fourth-best

·        Average Running Position of 13.574, 11th-best

·        Driver Rating of 94.4, seventh-best

·        173 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 163.801, fourth-fastest

·        2859 Laps in the Top 15 (65.1), ninth-most

·        988 Quality Passes, third-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS)

·        Three wins, 11 top fives, 19 top 10s; three poles

·        Average finish of 12.240, eighth-best

·        Average Running Position of 11.363, sixth-best

·        Driver Rating of 103.9, fourth-best

·        287 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 163.973, series-fastest

·        3234 Laps in the Top 15 (73.7), sixth-most

·        1004 Quality Passes, second-most

Erik Jones (No. 77 Furniture Row Racing Toyota Camry)

·        One top five, one top 10

·        Average finish of 3.000, series-best

·        Average Running Position of 6.212, series-best

·        Driver Rating of 112.7, series-best

·        14 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 162.344, 13th-fastest

·        150 Laps in the Top 15 (93.8), series-most

·        45 Quality Passes, 13th-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry)

·        One win, four top fives, 14 top 10s

·        Average finish of 15.800, 12th-best

·        Average Running Position of 13.480, 10th-best

·        Driver Rating of 89.6, 13th-best

·        78 Fastest Laps Run, second-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 163.283, seventh-fastest

·        2702 Laps in the Top 15 (61.5), 11th-most

·        927 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Team Penske Ford Fusion)

·        One win, seven top fives, eight top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 10.867, fifth-best

·        Average Running Position of 13.666, 12th-best

·        Driver Rating of 93.9, eighth-best

·        128 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 163.145, 10th-fastest

·        1428 Laps in the Top 15 (57.6), 13th-most

·        480 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Kyle Larson (No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet SS)

·        One top five, four top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 8.571, third-best

·        Average Running Position of 11.144, fifth-best

·        Driver Rating of 97.6, sixth-best

·        14 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 163.193, ninth-fastest

·        880 Laps in the Top 15 (80.1), third-most

·        295 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Joey Logano (No. 22 Team Penske Ford Fusion)

·        One win, four top fives, six top 10s; two poles

·        Average finish of 16.941, 13th-best

·        Average Running Position of 13.392, ninth-best

·        Driver Rating of 91.4, 12th-best

·        106 Fastest Laps Run, series-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 163.383, sixth-fastest

·        1693 Laps in the Top 15 (58.8), 12th-most

·        606 Quality Passes, eighth-most

Ryan Newman (No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet SS)

·        One win, nine top fives, 14 top 10s; two poles

·        Average finish of 12.400, ninth-best

·        Average Running Position of 12.323, seventh-best

·        Driver Rating of 91.5, 11th-best

·        38 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 163.263, eighth-fastest

·        3100 Laps in the Top 15 (70.6), seventh-most

·        1008 Quality Passes, series-most

 The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2017 Top 16 at Pocono Raceway

Rank	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
1	Martin Truex Jr	23	1	1	3	8	1	16	83.5
2	Kyle Larson	7	1	0	1	4	0	8.6	97.6
3	Kevin Harvick	33	0	0	9	14	3	13.3	94.4
4	Kyle Busch	25	3	0	4	10	5	18.2	88.2
5	Denny Hamlin	23	3	4	9	14	2	12.1	104.7
6	Brad Keselowski	15	1	1	7	8	0	10.9	93.9
7	Jamie McMurray	29	1	0	0	7	4	19.7	74.5
8	Chase Elliott	3	0	0	1	2	0	15	101.9
9	Matt Kenseth	35	0	1	4	14	1	14.9	89.6
10	Jimmie Johnson	31	3	3	11	19	3	11.4	103.9
11	Clint Bowyer	23	0	0	2	9	0	15.1	79.6
12	Ryan Blaney	3	0	1	1	2	0	7.3	93.4
13	Joey Logano	17	2	1	4	6	1	16.9	91.4
14	Kurt Busch	32	2	3	14	19	5	14.2	105.6
15	Ryan Newman	31	2	1	9	14	3	12.8	91.5
16	Ricky Stenhouse Jr	9	0	0	0	0	1	24.4	59.1

* – Based on last 25 races at Pocono Raceway (2005 – 2017).

2017 Stage Winners / Drivers with Playoff Points

Track	Stage 1 Winner	Stage 2 Winner	Stage 3 Winner	Race Winner		Following Race #20
Daytona	Kyle Busch	Kevin Harvick	N/A	Kurt Busch		Drivers	Pts
Atlanta	Kevin Harvick	Kevin Harvick	N/A	Brad Keselowski		Martin Truex Jr.	29
Las Vegas	Martin Truex Jr.	Martin Truex Jr.	N/A	Martin Truex Jr.		Jimmie Johnson	16
Phoenix	Joey Logano	Chase Elliott	N/A	Ryan Newman		Kyle Larson	13
Auto Club	Kyle Larson	Martin Truex Jr.	N/A	Kyle Larson		Brad Keselowski	13
Martinsville	Martin Truex Jr.	Chase Elliott	N/A	Brad Keselowski		Ricky Stenhouse Jr	10
Texas	Ryan Blaney	Ryan Blaney	N/A	Jimmie Johnson		Ryan Blaney	8
Bristol	Kyle Larson	Martin Truex Jr.	N/A	Jimmie Johnson		Kevin Harvick	8
Richmond	Matt Kenseth	Brad Keselowski	N/A	Joey Logano		Denny Hamlin	7
Talladega	Brad Keselowski	Denny Hamlin	N/A	Ricky Stenhouse Jr		Kyle Busch	7
Kansas	Kyle Busch	Ryan Blaney	N/A	Martin Truex Jr.		Ryan Newman	5
Charlotte	Kyle Busch	Martin Truex Jr.	Denny Hamlin	Austin Dillon		Kurt Busch	5
Dover	Martin Truex Jr.	Martin Truex Jr.	N/A	Jimmie Johnson		Austin Dillon	5
Pocono	Kyle Busch	Kyle Larson	N/A	Ryan Blaney		Kasey Kahne	5
Michigan	Martin Truex Jr.	Martin Truex Jr.	N/A	Kyle Larson		Chase Elliott	2
Sonoma	Martin Truex Jr.	Jimmie Johnson	N/A	Kevin Harvick		Matt Kenseth	2
Daytona	Brad Keselowski	Matt Kenseth	N/A	Ricky Stenhouse Jr		Joey Logano	1
Kentucky	Martin Truex Jr.	Martin Truex Jr.	N/A	Martin Truex Jr.
New Hampshire	Martin Truex Jr.	Kyle Busch	N/A	Denny Hamlin
Indianapolis	Kyle Busch	Kyle Busch	N/A	Kasey Kahne

Pocono Raceway Data Season Race #: 21 of 36 (07-30-17) Track Size: 2.5-miles Banking/Turn 1: 14 degrees Banking/Turn 2: 8 degrees Banking/Turn 3: 6 degrees Frontstretch Length:  3,740 feet Backstretch Length:  3,055 feet Shortstretch Length:  1,780 feet Race Length: 160 laps / 400 miles Stage 1 and 2 Length: 50 Laps (each) Final Stage: 60 Laps Top 10 Driver Ratings at Pocono Erik Jones................................ 112.7 Kurt Busch............................... 105.6 Denny Hamlin........................... 104.7 Jimmie Johnson........................ 103.9 Chase Elliott............................. 101.9 Kyle Larson................................ 97.6 Kevin Harvick............................. 94.4 Brad Keselowski......................... 93.9 Ryan Blaney............................... 93.4 Ryan Newman............................ 91.5 Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2017 races (25 total) among active drivers at Pocono Raceway. Qualifying/Race Data 2016 pole winner:  Martin Truex Jr., Toyota 179.244 mph, 50.211 secs, 07-30-16 2016 race winner:  Chris Buescher, Ford 127.581 mph, (02:42:15), 08-01-16 Track qualifying record: Kyle Larson, Chevrolet 183.438 mph, 49.610 secs, 08-03-14 Track race record: Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet 145.384 mph, (03:26:21), 06-12-11

At Pocono Raceway:

History

·        Opened in 1968 as a three-quarter-mile track, Pocono Raceway held the first race on the 2.5-mile track in 1971.

·        The first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race was in 1974 – won by Richard Petty, Dodge, 115.593 mph, 08/04/1974.

·        The 2.5-mile track was repaved during the fall of 2011.

·        2012 marked the first season the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono were scheduled for 400 miles.

·        Prior to 2012 all Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races were 500 miles at Pocono Raceway. 

·        There have been 79 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup races at Pocono Raceway, one race from 1974 through 1981, and two per year since.

Starts

·        338 drivers have competed in at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway; 238 in more than one. 

·        Ricky Rudd leads the series in starts at Pocono with 55.

·        Matt Kenseth leads all active drivers with 35 starts; followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. with 34.

·        David Pearson (six starts) leads the series in average starting position at Pocono with a 4.667.

·        Denny Hamlin (23 starts) leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Pocono with a 7.348. 

·        A total of 33 drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series made their series debut at Pocono Raceway, the most recent was Darrell Wallace Jr. (06/11/2017). 

Poles

·        42 drivers have posted Coors Light poles at Pocono, led by Bill Elliott and Ken Schrader with five each. 

·        Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin lead all active drivers at Pocono with three Coors Light poles each. 

·        Buddy Baker won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Pocono in 1974 with a speed of 144.122 mph.  

·        Of the 42 Pocono pole winners, only five have won consecutive Coors Light poles: Bill Elliott (1984-85), Mark Martin (1990-91), Ken Schrader (1993 sweep), Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep) and Joey Logano (fall 2011 and spring 2012).

·        Bill Elliott holds the record for most consecutive poles at Pocono with three; fall 1984 and both races in 1985.

·        Youngest Pocono pole winner: Joey Logano (08/07/2011 – 21 years, 2 months, 14 days). 

·        Oldest Pocono pole winner: David Pearson (06/10/1984 – 49 years, 5 months, 19 days). 

·        Three drivers have posted their first-career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light pole at Pocono Raceway: Harry Gant (1979), Casey Mears (2004) and Kyle Larson (2014).  

·        Eight different manufacturers have won a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series pole at Pocono; led by Chevrolet with 33, followed by Ford (16), Dodge (8), Toyota (7), Pontiac (6), Buick (2), American Motors Company and Oldsmobile (each have one).  

Wins

·        36 different MENCS drivers have won at Pocono Raceway, led by Jeff Gordon with six wins.

·        Denny Hamlin leads all active series drivers in wins at Pocono with four. 

·        Five active drivers have multiple wins at Pocono: Denny Hamlin (four), Jimmie Johnson (three), Kurt Busch (three), Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (each have two).   

·        Seven drivers have posted consecutive wins at Pocono Raceway, including three consecutive by Bobby Allison(1982 sweep and spring 1983) and Tim Richmond (1986 sweep and spring 1987).

·        Three of the seven drivers to win consecutive races at Pocono are active: Jimmie Johnson (2004 sweep); Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep and 2009 fall and 2010 spring races) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2014 sweep).

·        Youngest Pocono winner: Joey Logano (06/10/2012 – 22 years, 0 months, 17 days). 

·        Oldest Pocono winner: Harry Gant (06/17/1990 – 50 years, 5 months, 7 days). 

·        Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Pocono with 17: Jeff Gordon (six), Tim Richmond (three), Jimmie Johnson (three), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (two), Kasey Kahne (one), Geoff Bodine (one) and Terry Labonte (one). 

·        Eight different manufacturers have won in the MENCS at Pocono; led by Chevrolet with 32 victories; followed by Ford with 23, Dodge (seven), Pontiac (six), Buick (four) Toyota (four), Mercury (two) and Oldsmobile (one). 

·        13 of the 79 (16.5%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Joey Logano (June, 2012). 

·        Two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from the first starting position due to Qualifying being cancelled; Tony Stewart (2009) and the most recent was Jimmie Johnson (2013).

·        The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (15) than any other starting position at Pocono Raceway.    

·        24 of the 79 (30.4%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from the front row: 15 from the first starting position and nine from second starting position.

·        56 of the 79 (70.9%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup races at Pocono have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·        Six of the 79 (7.6%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from a starting position outside the top 20 – most recent Chris Buescher (Aug., 2016).

·        The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Pocono is 29th, by Carl Edwards in the spring of 2005.

·        A total of four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers have posted his first career win at Pocono Raceway: Ryan Blaney (06/11/2017), Chris Buescher (08/01/16), Denny Hamlin (06/11/06) and Jeremy Mayfield (06/21/98). 

·        Denny Hamlin (2006) and Carl Edwards (2005) are the only two active drivers to win at Pocono in their first appearances.  

·        Kevin Harvick leads the series among active drivers with the most Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Pocono without visiting Victory Lane at 33; followed by Jamie McMurray with 29.

·        Seven drivers in series history have swept Pocono in a single season - Bobby Allison (1982), Bill Elliott (1985), Tim Richmond (1986), Bobby Labonte (1999), Jimmie Johnson (2004), Denny Hamlin (2006) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2014). 

  

Additional Finishing Position Stats

·        Mark Martin leads the series in runner-up finishes at Pocono with seven; Kurt Busch leads all active drivers with five; followed by Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr.  with three each.

·        Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon lead the series in top-five finishes at Pocono with 20 each. Kurt Busch leads all active drivers with 14 top fives. 

·        Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes at Pocono with 34; Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch leads all active drivers with 19 each.

·        Kyle Larson leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Pocono with an 8.571.

Track Specific Stats

·        Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono Raceway is the race on July 23, 2000 that was won by Rusty Wallace over Jeff Burton with a MOV of 0.126 second.

·        There have been three Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races resulting with NASCAR Overtime at Pocono Raceway:

Scheduled No. Of Laps	Actual No. Of Laps	NASCAR Overtime Laps	Winner	Date
200	204	4	Denny Hamlin	6/6/2010
200	203	3	Kurt Busch	7/24/2005
200	201	1	Carl Edwards	6/12/2005

·        Seven of the 79 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions:

Scheduled Date	Scheduled No. Of Laps	Actual No. Of Laps	No. of Fewer Laps	Winners
7/31/2016	160	138	-22	Chris Buescher
8/5/2012	160	98	-62	Jeff Gordon
6/10/2007	200	106	-94	Jeff Gordon
7/28/2002	200	175	-25	Bill Elliott
7/21/1991	200	179	-21	Rusty Wallace
7/20/1986	200	150	-50	Tim Richmond
8/4/1974	200	192	-8	Richard Petty

   

·        Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono Raceway six times:

Date

6/6/1982

6/10/1984

6/9/2002

6/7/2009

8/3/2009

6/9/2013

·        A total of 121 different Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver have led at least one lap at Pocono; Jeff Gordon leads the series in laps led with 1,040 laps led in 46 starts. Below are the all-time top five lap leaders at Pocono Raceway. 

Driver	Laps Led	Laps Completed	% of Laps Led
Jeff Gordon	1040	8535	12.2%
Geoff Bodine	809	6799	11.9%
Rusty Wallace	754	7510	10.0%
Jimmie Johnson	738	5407	13.6%
Denny Hamlin	670	3809	17.6%

10-10-10-10

STATISTICAL ADVANCE

Female Competitor Stats

·        Two female drivers have competed at Pocono Raceway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick. 

Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date
Danica Patrick	24	16	6/11/2017
Danica Patrick	26	22	8/1/2016
Danica Patrick	33	32	6/6/2016
Danica Patrick	20	16	8/2/2015
Danica Patrick	22	37	6/7/2015
Danica Patrick	10	30	8/3/2014
Danica Patrick	16	37	6/8/2014
Danica Patrick	34	35	8/4/2013
Danica Patrick	30	29	6/9/2013
Averages	23.9	28.2
Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date
Janet Guthrie	21	28	7/27/1980
Janet Guthrie	22	31	7/30/1978
Janet Guthrie	10	11	7/31/1977
Averages	17.7	23.3

NASCAR in Pennsylvania

·        There have been 144 NASCAR national series races among 10 tracks in the state of Pennsylvania.

Track Name	City	MENCS	NXS	NCWTS	Total Races
Pocono Raceway	Long Pond	79	1	7	87
Nazareth Speedway	Nazareth	0	17	6	23
Langhorne Speedway	Langhorne	17	0	0	17
Lincoln Speedway	New Oxford	7	0	0	7
Heidelberg Raceway	Pittsburgh	4	0	0	4
Reading Fairgrounds	Reading	2	0	0	2
Bloomsburg Fairgrounds	Bloomsburg	1	0	0	1
New Bradford Speedway	Bradford	1	0	0	1
Pine Grove Speedway	Shippenville	1	0	0	1
Williams Grove Speedway	Mechanicsburg	1	0	0	1
Totals		113	18	13	144

·        The first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Pennsylvania was the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event held on September 11, 1949 at Langhorne Speedway and won by Curtis Turner (Oldsmobile).  

Pennsylvania Drivers In NASCAR

·        141 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Pennsylvania.

·        Three of the 141 have won in NASCAR’s premiere series. 

Driver	MENCS	NXS	NCWTS
Dick Linder	3	0	0
Jimmy Spencer	2	12	1
Mark Donohue	1	0	0

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Milestones
Drivers	Has	Needs	Milestones
Danica Patrick	174	1	To become the 148th series driver to start 175 or more MENCS races - first female
Ryan Blaney	74	1	To become the 232nd driver to make 75 or more series starts
Jimmie Johnson	83	1	Tie Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for fourth on MENCS all-time wins list
Kyle Busch	38	1	Tie Tim Flock (39) for 18th on all-time MENCS wins list
Matt Kenseth	38	1	Tie Tim Flock (39) for 18th on all-time MENCS wins list
Kevin Harvick	36	1	Tie Bobby Isaac (37) for 21st on MENCS all-time wins list
Denny Hamlin	30	2	Tie Dale Jarrett (32) for 24th on all-time MENCS wins list
Kurt Busch	29	1	Tie Denny Hamlin (30) for 25th on all-time MENCS wins list
Brad Keselowski	23	2	Tie Joe Weatherly, Jim Paschal (25) for 31st on all-time MENCS wins list
Ryan Newman	51	3	Tie Bill Elliott for eighth on the all-time MENCS poles list
Jimmie Johnson	35	1	Tie Rusty Wallace and Rex White for 17th on all-time MENCS poles list
Kasey Kahne	27	1	Break the tie with Terry Labonte to become solely 25th on all-time MENCS poles list
Denny Hamlin	24	1	Break the tie with Alan Kulwicki to become solely 28th on all-time MENCS poles list
Kyle Busch	23	1	Tie Denny Hamlin & Alan Kulwicki (24) for 28th on all-time MENCS poles list
Kevin Harvick	49	1	Become the 10th MENCS driver to post 50 or more second-place finishes
Jimmie Johnson	46	2	Tie Lee Petty for 11th on all-time MENCS second-place finishes list
Matt Kenseth	29	1	Tie Ricky Rudd for 25th on all-time MENCS second-place finishes list
Dale Earnhardt Jr	149	1	To become the 24th driver to post 150 or more MENCS top-five finishes
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	24	1	To post his 25th career MENCS top-10 finish
Austin Dillon	24	1	To post his 25th career MENCS top-10 finish
Jimmie Johnson	18,634	366	To become the ninth driver in series history to lead 19,000 or more laps
Kyle Busch	13,397	603	To become the 10th driver in series history to lead 14,000 or more laps
Matt Kenseth	11,544	456	To become the 15th MENCS driver all-time to lead 12,000 or more laps
Kevin Harvick	10,786	221	To become 17th MENCS driver all-time to lead 11,000 or more laps
Kurt Busch	8,867	133	To become 20th MENCS driver all-time to lead 9,000 or more laps
Denny Hamlin	8,365	635	To become 20th MENCS driver all-time to lead 9,000 or more laps
Dale Earnhardt Jr	8,210	790	To become 20th MENCS driver all-time to lead 9,000 or more laps