2016 NASCAR Pit Road Week 21: Pocono

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Pennsylvania 400

Photo: Joseph Ressler

By Richard Tix

Let's start out this weeks review with a huge shout out to NASCAR Cup rookie Chris Buescher and his first career Cup win on Sunday Monday. Everyday those guys on that Front Row team get up and work their butts off to put a car on the track for Chris. Day in and day out, long hours, all to just get to the track.

Well on any given Sunday Monday they are supposed to have a chance, right? Well, normally its tough for a small team to legitimately have a shot let alone a rookie on a small team, but after a rain out on Sunday and weather threats all day Monday the hard work by the team and strategic calls all payed off in a big way. Give it to this team and all the work they put in, they deserve a moment in the spotlight. 

You may not see it this way, but teams view any win as a win and in the same light. In racing win's come in every way including because of the weather. That team gambled and put themselves in a good spot at that moment. Was it luck? Was it strategy? Was it smart? Yes to all of the above, but so is any other win. When a driver dominates by 10 sec to a win some luck still plays a part because at any given time a lapped car could come down on that race winner and ruin his day. A cut tire. A debris caution late. Anything. A bit of luck always plays in, but that doesn't downplay how much work a team puts in weekly to get just one chance at a moment like yesterday. That No. 34 team put themselves in that spot and deserve that win.

Buescher now has a chance at making the 2016 Sprint Cup Chase (currently 6 points outside of 30th place). Before we move deeper into the win, lets also give a shout out to Regan Smith for being at the right place to end the race (finished 3rd) and notching his first top 5 of 2016.

I also think NASCAR deserves a huge shout out this week as well. This isn't a common theme, but when it is earned it needs to be noted. Sports have to deal with the weather dealt to them and NASCAR did a wonderful job. On Monday they had plenty of time to call the race early, but they stuck it out and gave fans a chance to see a full race (what we all watch and pay for). 

NASCAR and Pocono even gave out and advanced tornado warning (one wasn't even issued by the National Weather Service) so that fans could get to safety "if" severe weather popped up. It was a smart and safe call since they were trying to hold on as long as they could, yet making sure everyone makes it home. 

In the end it was inevitable they had to call the race. The fog didn't dissipate in time before the next set of heavy rain showers came in. So, we are left with an underdog winner with his first sweet trip to victory lane. I for one am looking forward to watching the battle he and his team have ahead of them to get into the top 30. It truly will make watching battles throughout the field more entertaining. 

Its also a battle worth watching for guys trying to get in on points like Elliott, Blaney, Larson, McMurray, Dillon, Newman, etc. If he can get into the top 30 and stay there then one more spot is picked from under them. It will also be interesting how Watkins Glen picks shakes out next weekend. If A.J. Allmendinger can pull off another heroic underdog win then it will really shakes things up in the Chase picture.

As if it wasn't already, next week will be must watch TV as well as the other four regular season races that remain after WG. The pressure will continue to mount week in and week out until the last ten races where everything changes.

Pit Road Power Rankings Week 21 (Week 20)

1. Kyle Busch (LW-1)- Kyle holds on this week because last week was just so dominate. It doesn't hurt he notched another top 10 this week at Pocono. Finish: 9th
2. Kevin Harvick (LW-2)- Harvick had a great car Monday but we will never know if it was a winning car because of the weather. Monday was his fourth straight top 10. Finish: 4th
3. Brad Keselowski (LW-4)- Would BK's fuel strategy he was on have been enough to win? Again, we will never know but if anyone knows how to stretch it it is the No. 2 team. Finish: 2nd
4. Joey Logano (LW-3)- One of the best cars on the day, JoLo had contact with the No. 24 when Chase got a little too aggressive and drove a bit over his head. He gets a break this week after looking like the winning car most of the day. Finish: 37th
5. Tony Stewart (LW-6)- This is a fun run. Boy I thought the first week I put Smoke on here it was for the "good ole times." Well, he has legitimately started a trend towards a Chase push. Finish: 5th
6. Matt Kenseth (LW-5)- After a hot three races run Pocono was disappointing for Kenseth. JGR is still the class of NASCAR at the moment so he shouldn't worry too much. Finish: 17th
7. Kyle Larson (LW-11)- How fun was Larson v Dillon while it lasted? Larson v Dillon, Larson v Elliott, those things have one thing in common, Larson. Larson is going to eventually collect some wins, he just has to finish off "all the ways Larson can lose a race," first. Finish: 6th
8. Kurt Busch (LW-7)- Rough to drop a spot after a top 10, but Kurt just hasn't been the same lately. Maybe they're saving something for the Chase? Maybe they're testing some for the Chase? Whatever it is they lost the consistency that got them on top of the standings. Finish: 10th
9. Carl Edwards (LW-9)- It doesn't feel like Carl has collected the 5th most points so far in 2016, but he has. On Monday he picked up his first top 10 in his last three races. Finish: 8th
10. Denny Hamlin (LW-10)- Hamlin was one of the three JGR cars to notched a top 10 on Monday. It was his third straight, but I just don't feel he is all the way there yet. Finish: 7th
11. Austin Dillon (LW-NR)- AD gets to jump back into the top 12 after his run at the front with Larson. He has five straight season's finishing 16th or better, four of those 13th or better, and two of those top 10's. Finish: 13th
12. Martin Truex Jr (LW-8)- Not a fun day for the No. 78 team on Monday after grabbing the weekend pole at a track Martin has run well at. The plus side? They got a head start out of town. Finish: 38th

Dropped Out: Jimmie Johnson (LW-12)

2016 NASCAR Week 21 Preview: Pocono

Pennsylvania 400

Pocono Raceway

By Richard Tix

Last time NASCAR took a trip to Pocono Raceway the weather forced them to move the rained out race to Monday. Coincidentally, I also started my new position at work that same Monday which meant I caught none of the race. Nothing. Not on TV, not on the radio, not on twitter, not on any racing app, nothing. 

But, sometimes weather and more importantly life gets in the way of our favorite hobby's and passions. These things tend to happen more and more over the Summer months or weekend Saturday night races for many fans.

The night race in NASCAR started as a nice switch up, it was something of a spectical for fans used to daytime NASCAR racing. A few spots on the calendar a year made it a special event worth tuning into. Just like when NASCAR was booming and added a bunch of 1.5 mile tracks during its heyday, the night race was over expanded and lost its luster. All of this being much the same as the luster of Indy has worn off, things need to be looked at to make night racing more significant again. Taking a few off the schedule might be the start of things. 

While I miss many Saturday night races, this weekend is a Sunday day race and I will be in Northern Minnesota. I will pop in and out to catch some of the race, but again life is going to get in the way of racing and I am ok with that. 

Hopefully you'all enjoy the race and this time around we don't get rained out. Unlike Indy, Pocono has made a nice comeback as of late and put on some good shows so this weekend I have an optimistic outlook. Pocono always has the possibility of being a fuel mileage ending, but it always seems to catch your attention (unless you're that fan that always has to complain unless its a win by less then 0.5 sec. Don't be that guy!). So, strap in and forget that we normally turn left four times, its the "Tricky Triangle."

**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

• Kyle Larson- Larson has already been running better in the second half of this 26 regular season stretch, now he gets one of his better tracks in Pocono. In his five starts he has one top 5, two top 10's, and average finish of 9.4, and no finishes higher then 12th. Could this weekend be his first NASCAR Cup win?
• Jeff Gordon- Welcome back to the review Gordon! Filling in for Dale Earnhardt Jr again this week, Gordon brings in a career of accomplishment at Pocono to the No. 88. Six wins, 20 top 5's, and 32 top 10's in 46 career starts.
• Brad Keselowski- I am not sure any current driver has been better then BK has at Pocono in the last few stops here without winning (he has one win here in 2011). He has come close (losing to Junior after running out of fuel late) but he hasn't closed. This weekend might finally be the time to get another Pocono win.

The Middle

• Denny Hamlin- Chance to be a front runner? Check. Chance to finish 15th-20th? Also check. Denny was much better at Pocono earlier in his career then he has been lately, but anything is possible with how strong JRG has been.

The Bad

• Kasey Kahne- Not many times does a driver with two wins at a specific track get on my "bad" list, but somehow bad luck follows Kahne at Pocono. Wrecking more often then winning in his last 14 races, Kahne is the dark horse in this group to pull out a top 5.
• Jamie McMurray- 27 career Pocono starts, zero top 5's and seven top 10's. Not numbers to go crazy over if you're a JMac fan this weekend.
• Paul Menard- Just like JMac Menard has yet to finish in the top 5 at Pocono in his career. 22 starts and only two top 10's means it could be another rough weekend for the No. 27.

About the Track: Pocono Raceway

Track Stats

• Of current drivers (full time), Denny Hamlin has the most wins (4). Gordon is filling in and has 6.
• Of current drivers (full time),  Kurt Busch has 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 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 8 races 8 of the last 11. 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

2016 Pocono NASCAR Schedule

Pennsylvania 400

By Richard Tix

**All Times are Eastern Time Zone (ET)**

Friday July 29, 2016

• 11 a.m.-12:25 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series first practice- NBCSN
• 12:30-1:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series first practice- FS1
• 3-3:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice- FS1
• 4:15 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying- NBCSN

Saturday July 30, 2016

• 9:05 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying- FS1
• 11 a.m.-12:20 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice- NBCSN
• 1 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Pocono Mountains 150 (60 laps)- FS1

Sunday July 31, 2016

• 1:30 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pennsylvania 400 (160 laps)- NBCSN