Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400
Pocono Raceway
By Richard Tix
NASCAR leaves the pavement of the Monster Mile behind like most years, with Jimmie Johnson as its winner in Victory Lane. We now head onto the "Tricky Triangle" of Pocono Raceway. Last week in the Dover preview I asked if anyone could beat JJ at the "Mile." Well, that proved to be too tough of a task.
So this week I will ask, will a first time 2015 winner please stand up? Some guys are getting really hunger for a win in 2015 and also a chance to lock in there Chase spot. So far, nine drivers have virtually locked in there spot to the Chase, but only two have more than one win (Kevin Harvick and Johnson).
So, what are the chances a guy like Ryan Newman, Martin Truex, Jeff Gordon, or Kyle Larson pulls off there first win of 2015 at Pocono Raceway? I think these four drivers (plus a few others without wins) have a real shot to pull off a Chase berth this weekend. But who will it be? Maybe the "Good" "Middle" and "Bad" section will help us this week.
The Good
- Jeff Gordon- Over his career (44 races), Gordon has one of the best average finishes of active drivers (9.9). In his last 9 starts he has 7 top 10's, 3 top 5's, and 2 wins. He also has three straight top 10's going on at Pocono right now.
- Ryan Newman- Newman might be underrated here at Pocono over his career. Maybe it is because he only has one win over 26 starts, but he is one of the most consistent drivers here (11.4 average finish). He currently holds a five race top 10 streak and has 7 in his last 8. He is also a safe bet, he hasn't finished outside the top 15 since 2008 (13 races) or outside the top 20 since 2005 (19 races).
- Kyle Larson- It is a very small sample size, but last year Larson finished 5th and 11th in his two starts at Pocono. He also won the Pole in the second Pocono race. Both races his average running position was around 12th or 13th, so he still has some work to do, but maybe this is the race he gets it all together?
The Middle
- Clint Bowyer- In 18 races he only has 8 top 10's and 2 top 5's, but he still has a good average finish of 14.2. Most of that is because he rarely has a terrible finish here. In those 18 races he has been outside the top 20 only 3 times and outside the top 15 only 5 times.
The Bad
- Danica Patrick- She figured out how to manuver around the Ricky, Mullet, and her triangle, but she hasn't figured out the "Tricky Triangle" yet. In her four starts here she has one finish better than 30 (29th).
- AJ Allmendinger- In 14 career races at Pocono AJ has a single top 10 (2010). The more concerning part he he only has 2 top 15's and 5 top 20's in that same amount of time. Worse yet, in his last five he only has one finish better than 31st.
- Aric Almirola- Aric has a short track record here at the Cup level (6 races), but they haven't been very flattering. He does find a way to finish in the top 25 most times, but he only has two top 20 finishes and no top 15's.
Track Stats
- Of current drivers, Jeff Gordon has the most wins (6). Followed by Denny Hamlin (4)
- Of current drivers Jeff Gordon also has the most top 5's (19). Followed by Tony Stewart (12)
- Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin have the most Pole's of current drivers (3)
- Jeff Gordon has the most career Pocono wins (6) followed by Bill Elliott (5)
- Mark Martin has the most career Pocono top 5's (20) followed by Gordon (19)
- Ricky Rudd has the most career Pocono starts (55) followed by Mark Martin (54)
- Of drivers with at least 10 Pocono starts, Davey Allison has the best average finish (9.8 in 13 starts).
- A Pocono race has been won from the Pole 15 times in 74 Cup races
- Chevy has won the last 5 races and 6 of the last 8. Including Dale Earnhardt Jr sweeping in 2014.
- The furthest back anyone has started and won was 29th in 2005 when Carl Edwards won in the first Pocono stop of the year
Track Info
- Surface: Asphalt
- Length: 2.5 Miles
- Banking
- Turn 1: 14 degrees
- Turn 2: 8 degrees
- Turn 3: 6 degrees
Pocono
Raceway
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Race
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Date
|
Cars
|
Winner(s)
|
St
|
Car
|
1974-20
|
8/4/1974
|
35
|
Richard Petty
|
3
|
'74 Dodge
|
1975-18
|
8/3/1975
|
35
|
David Pearson
|
2
|
'73 Mercury
|
1976-18
|
8/1/1976
|
40
|
Richard Petty
|
5
|
Dodge
|
1977-18
|
7/31/1977
|
35
|
Benny Parsons
|
4
|
Chevrolet
|
1978-18
|
7/30/1978
|
40
|
Darrell Waltrip
|
4
|
Chevrolet
|
1979-19
|
7/30/1979
|
39
|
Cale Yarborough
|
2
|
Chevrolet
|
1980-19
|
7/27/1980
|
40
|
Neil Bonnett
|
2
|
Mercury
|
1981-19
|
7/26/1981
|
35
|
Darrell Waltrip
|
1
|
Buick
|
1982-13
|
6/6/1982
|
37
|
Bobby Allison
|
3
|
Buick
|
1982-18
|
7/25/1982
|
36
|
Bobby Allison
|
4
|
Buick
|
1983-14
|
6/12/1983
|
38
|
Bobby Allison
|
7
|
Buick
|
1983-18
|
7/24/1983
|
40
|
Tim Richmond
|
1
|
Pontiac
|
1984-14
|
6/10/1984
|
39
|
Cale Yarborough
|
12
|
Chevrolet
|
1984-18
|
7/22/1984
|
40
|
Harry Gant
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
1985-13
|
6/9/1985
|
40
|
Bill Elliott
|
1
|
Ford
|
1985-16
|
7/21/1985
|
40
|
Bill Elliott
|
2
|
Ford
|
1986-13
|
6/8/1986
|
40
|
Tim Richmond
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
1986-16
|
7/20/1986
|
40
|
Tim Richmond
|
5
|
Chevrolet
|
1987-12
|
6/14/1987
|
40
|
Tim Richmond
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
1987-16
|
7/19/1987
|
40
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
16
|
Chevrolet
|
1988-13
|
6/19/1988
|
40
|
Geoffrey Bodine
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
1988-16
|
7/24/1988
|
40
|
Bill Elliott
|
2
|
Ford
|
1989-13
|
6/18/1989
|
38
|
Terry Labonte
|
23
|
Ford
|
1989-16
|
7/23/1989
|
40
|
Bill Elliott
|
14
|
Ford
|
1990-13
|
6/17/1990
|
40
|
Harry Gant
|
16
|
Oldsmobile
|
1990-16
|
7/22/1990
|
39
|
Geoffrey Bodine
|
4
|
Ford
|
1991-13
|
6/16/1991
|
37
|
Darrell Waltrip
|
13
|
Chevrolet
|
1991-16
|
7/21/1991
|
40
|
Rusty Wallace
|
10
|
Pontiac
|
1992-13
|
6/14/1992
|
40
|
Alan Kulwicki
|
6
|
Ford
|
1992-16
|
7/19/1992
|
40
|
Darrell Waltrip
|
8
|
Chevrolet
|
1993-13
|
6/13/1993
|
40
|
Kyle Petty
|
8
|
Pontiac
|
1993-17
|
7/18/1993
|
40
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
11
|
Chevrolet
|
1994-13
|
6/12/1994
|
42
|
Rusty Wallace
|
1
|
Ford
|
1994-17
|
7/17/1994
|
42
|
Geoffrey Bodine
|
1
|
Ford
|
1995-13
|
6/11/1995
|
42
|
Terry Labonte
|
27
|
Chevrolet
|
1995-17
|
7/16/1995
|
41
|
Dale Jarrett
|
15
|
Ford
|
1996-13
|
6/16/1996
|
41
|
Jeff Gordon
|
1
|
Chevrolet
|
1996-17
|
7/21/1996
|
41
|
Rusty Wallace
|
13
|
Ford
|
1997-13
|
6/8/1997
|
42
|
Jeff Gordon
|
11
|
Chevrolet
|
1997-18
|
7/20/1997
|
42
|
Dale Jarrett
|
4
|
Ford
|
1998-15
|
6/21/1998
|
43
|
Jeremy Mayfield
|
3
|
Ford
|
1998-18
|
7/26/1998
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
2
|
Chevrolet
|
1999-15
|
6/20/1999
|
43
|
Bobby Labonte
|
3
|
Pontiac
|
1999-19
|
7/25/1999
|
43
|
Bobby Labonte
|
4
|
Pontiac
|
2000-15
|
6/19/2000
|
43
|
Jeremy Mayfield
|
22
|
Ford
|
2000-19
|
7/23/2000
|
43
|
Rusty Wallace
|
2
|
Ford
|
2001-15
|
6/17/2001
|
43
|
Ricky Rudd
|
1
|
Ford
|
2001-20
|
7/29/2001
|
43
|
Bobby Labonte
|
11
|
Pontiac
|
2002-14
|
6/9/2002
|
43
|
Dale Jarrett
|
13
|
Ford
|
2002-20
|
7/28/2002
|
43
|
Bill Elliott
|
1
|
Dodge
|
2003-14
|
6/8/2003
|
43
|
Tony Stewart
|
4
|
Chevrolet
|
2003-20
|
7/27/2003
|
43
|
Ryan Newman
|
1
|
Dodge
|
2004-14
|
6/13/2004
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
5
|
Chevrolet
|
2004-20
|
8/1/2004
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
14
|
Chevrolet
|
2005-14
|
6/12/2005
|
43
|
Carl Edwards
|
29
|
Ford
|
2005-20
|
7/24/2005
|
43
|
Kurt Busch
|
2
|
Ford
|
2006-14
|
6/11/2006
|
43
|
Denny Hamlin
|
1
|
Chevrolet
|
2006-20
|
7/23/2006
|
43
|
Denny Hamlin
|
1
|
Chevrolet
|
2007-14
|
6/10/2007
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
18
|
Chevrolet
|
2007-21
|
8/5/2007
|
43
|
Kurt Busch
|
2
|
Dodge
|
2008-14
|
6/8/2008
|
43
|
Kasey Kahne
|
1
|
Dodge
|
2008-21
|
8/3/2008
|
43
|
Carl Edwards
|
15
|
Ford
|
2009-14
|
6/7/2009
|
43
|
Tony Stewart
|
1
|
Chevrolet
|
2009-21
|
8/3/2009
|
43
|
Denny Hamlin
|
6
|
Toyota
|
2010-14
|
6/6/2010
|
43
|
Denny Hamlin
|
5
|
Toyota
|
2010-21
|
8/1/2010
|
43
|
Greg Biffle
|
12
|
Ford
|
2011-14
|
6/12/2011
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
2011-21
|
8/7/2011
|
43
|
Brad Keselowski
|
13
|
Dodge
|
2012-14
|
6/10/2012
|
43
|
Joey Logano
|
1
|
Toyota
|
2012-21
|
8/5/2012
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
27
|
Chevrolet
|
2013-14
|
6/9/2013
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
1
|
Chevrolet
|
2013-21
|
8/4/2013
|
43
|
Kasey Kahne
|
18
|
Chevrolet
|
2014-14
|
6/8/2014
|
43
|
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
|
8
|
Chevrolet
|
2014-21
|
8/3/2014
|
43
|
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
|
9
|
Chevrolet
|
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