2017 NASCAR Week 21: Pocono

Overton's 400

Pocono Raceway

By Richard Tix

What to Watch For?

Same Day Qualifying and Racing

• This has to be the biggest thing to watch for this weekend in my opinion. For the first time in a long time NASCAR is running Cup Qualifying prior to the race on a Sunday. Yes, both on Sunday (Weekend Schedule here). I am not sure how it will all work out but I am interested to see it unfold on Sunday. I know some race fans love their long drawn out weekend while staying at the track and soaking it all in, but for me I wouldn't mind seeing it condensed down into two days (for Cup). Fans still get Friday truck action, but starting the Cup series on Saturday and ending on Sunday with Qualifying and the Race on Sunday helps those who want more bang for there buck and can only make it a day or two days tops. It may or may not work, but I am glad someone is trying it out, for the fans, drivers, teams, and crew, a shorter weekend could be a good thing (or backfire).

Can a Win-Less 2017 Driver Win at Pocono?

• Just like IMS, Pocono is a track that has opened itself up to surprise winners and young guns. Earlier this year Ryan Blaney won his first career Cup race at Pocono and Chris Buescher won on a fuel mileage/weather call the year before. On top of that Erik Jones and Kyle Larson have both done very well here in their short sample sizes (same with Blaney). Twelve current drivers have at least one win here, but seven of them were their only win here. So, you can win one random one here and never win again, but either way it will get you into the Playoffs.

Kasey Kahne Watch

• With his ride for 2018 potentially looming on a small thread, KK won last weekend at IMS in dramatic fashion. The first question? Does that mean he is going to still be in the No. 5 in 2018? Kahne is under contract next year, but with sponsor woah's hitting him and HMS rumors have been flying around on if he will be back with HMS. I still think he will be in the seat one more year and then William Byron will move up and take the fourth HMS car, but it will be interesting to watch going forward including Pocono. Pocono is a track he has won at before in 2008 and 2013 and it would be a good sign for him and his sponsors if he had a strong showing just one week after his IMS win.

The Next Step in Silly Season

• We now know that Alex Bowman will fill the 88, Erik Jones will leave the 77 for the No. 20, and Brad Keselowski will stay with the No. 2 team (as will Paul Wolfe). The big moves peopled rumored have been squashed so far (Kenseth and BK to the 88). Now that those moves are in place, what is the next pawn to fall? My guess is pieces start moving soon so a ton of focus maybe on 2018 already this weekend at Pocono. Will Kahne be back with HMS? Will Kenseth be forced to retire without a competitive ride? Where will Paul Menard and Jamie McMurray end up? Will the 77 get enough sponsorship to field a car (Maybe Kenseth?). I doubt anything as shocking as Carl Edwards stepping away will happen, but I do think some interesting things that pertain to charters and team structure will break soon.
• Edit: After this was writen but before it was released the next set of Silly Season News broke. Paul Menard is heading to the Wood Brothers No. 21 and Ryan Blaney will be joining Team Penske in a third car, the No. 12. 

**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

• Kevin Harvick- In the last six races at Pocono Harvick has finished runner up 50% of the time. Yup, 2nd three times in six races without a win. Harvick actually has never won at Pocono, but with those types of numbers it's hard to count him out for his first.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr- Junior needs a strong run and a win this weekend at Pocono. In the last six he has two wins and a runner up finish.
• Kyle Larson- Small sample size alert, but Larson has never finished worse than 12th in his seven career starts at Pocono and has four top tens.

The Middle

• Clint Bowyer- Since 2008, Bowyer has finished outside of 18th just twice (18 total races in that time). He also has only seven top tens in that time, which puts him right in the middle of things.

The Bad

• Paul Menard- First, congrats to Paul on the No. 21 ride in 2018. However, that can't hide the fact that he has just two top 10's in 21 races at Pocono and only six top 15's.
• Jamie McMurray- JMac only has seven top tens in his 29 career starts here with the last one coming five races ago. In the last four races he only has one top 15.
• Joey Logano- JoLo has a win here and has produced in the past, but in his last four he has one top 5 and only two top 20's. I would bet he turns it around, but his recent struggles needed to be noted.

About the Track: Pocono Raceway

Track Stats

• Of current drivers (full time), Denny Hamlin has the most wins (4)
• Of current drivers (full time),  Kurt Busch has the most top 5's (14)
• Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, 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 and Jeff Gordon have the most career Pocono top 5's (20)
• 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 76 Cup races
• Chevy has won the last 7 of 10 races 8 of the last 13. 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