Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400
Pocono Raceway
By Richard Tix
Three turns? Why not! NASCAR heads to Pocono Raceway this weekend for the first time in 2016 after a dominating win by Martin Truex Jr at Charlotte. Last year this stop at Pocono was the exact time where Truex finally broke his long win-less streak and had a break through with Furniture Row Racing.
This time around he is locked into the Chase and will have a shot to win back to back races for the first time in his career. A win at Pocono would also mark the first time Truex would have multiple wins in a single season during his 13 year career.
Pocono has actually been won by nine different drivers in the last eleven races (Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jeff Gordon were multiple winners during that time). So, it is possible a new winner will be out there to compete with Truex and stop his run. Either that or a guy like Dale Earnhardt Jr could get his first win of 2016 or Brad Keselowski can add to his quality runs here at Pocono. Check out the 'Tricky Triangle' this week to see how it all plays out.
**This section is just a quick look at some of Cup drivers latest finishes. This is not a tool for fantasy purposes and NBTW only is looking at end results. No deep statistic's are involved, but rather it is just a quick way to get ready for the race and get caught up on who has finished well at each track**
The Good
- Jimmie Johnson- When it comes to consistenly good at Pocono JJ is your man. In 28 starts he has three wins, eleven top 5's, and nineteen top 10's. To go along with those stats he also has three poles.
- Brad Keselowski- Two years ago coming up short on fuel cost him a win and last year he just got beat out late by Matt Kenseth, but overall Pocono has been good to BK. He still has one win and two career runner up finishes in 12 starts here.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr- Speaking of running out of fuel, the recipient of that was Jr, who had a strong car that day but not the strongest. Dale won that race and then came back later in the season to sweep Pocono in 2014. Juniors Pocono success has been a recent thing as he used to struggle here, but he seems to have it down now.
The Middle
- Kevin Harvick- Harvick has run well here at Pocono, but just can't put the finishing touches on a win. In 30 races he has zero wins, seven top 5's, and eleven top 10's. He does have two runner up finishes in his last three starts here, though.
The Bad
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr- Stenhouse's first six races have been just a tad better then his girlfriends that follows (Danica Patrick), but that isn't saying much. He has four finishes of 26th or worse and the last two were in the 40's.
- Danica Patrick- Five of Danica's last six races have resulted in finishes of 29th or higher. She did finish a career best 16th last time here and also lead five laps.
- Paul Menard- In the last eight races here Menard has finished 30th or higher half the time. Five of the eight have been 26th or higher. However, he does have a top ten and two eleventh place finishes during that span.
About the Track: Pocono Raceway
Track Stats- Of current drivers, Denny Hamlin has the most wins (4)
- Of current drivers Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch have the most top 5's (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 75 Cup races
- Chevy has won the last 6 of 7 races 7 of the last 10. 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
- 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
|
Date
|
Cars
|
Winner(s)
|
St
|
Make / Model
|
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
|
2015-14
|
6/7/2015
|
43
|
Martin Truex, Jr.
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
2015-21
|
8/2/2015
|
43
|
Matt Kenseth
|
7
|
Toyota
|
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