The NASCAR drivers will have one less turn to deal with this week when they race at Pocono Raceway in the Gander Outdoors 400. However, that does not mean things will be easier on the track nicknamed the “Tricky Triangle.” In fact, as the nickname suggests, racing at Pocono is quite “tricky.”
The track may be missing the fourth turn that most tracks on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series circuit have, other than the road courses that have more than four turns. The tricky part is that none of the three turns that Pocono Raceway has are the same. This makes setting the car up a challenge for the crews and racing through the turns difficult for the drivers. Getting the car to handle well through one turn could make it handle terribly through another turn.
The three straights are long with plenty of room to pass three or even four wide. The issue comes when the cars approach the turns. Racing through the turns can be done two wide, but would be best in a single file. Rarely have drivers made it through the turns at the “Tricky Triangle” three or more wide.
Let’s look at the data for the track and this week’s race.
Pocono Raceway Data
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
Gander Outdoors 400 Data
Season Race #: 21 of 36 (07-29-18)
Race Length: 160 laps / 400 miles
Stage 1 and 2 Length: 50 Laps (each)
Final Stage: 60 Laps
Which active drivers have a good resume racing at the “Tricky Triangle,” here is a look at the ten best.
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Pocono
Denny Hamlin……………………… 104.0
Kurt Busch…………………………. 103.3
Jimmie Johnson…………………… 101.3
Chase Elliott…………………………. 99.7
Kevin Harvick……………………….. 97.0
Kyle Larson………………………….. 96.3
Brad Keselowski……………………. 95.1
Erik Jones……………………………. 95.0
Kyle Busch…………………………… 91.4
Ryan Blaney…………………………. 91.1
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2018 races (27 total) among active drivers at Pocono Raceway.
Denny Hamlin has added the most trophies to his mantel racing at Pocono Raceway in NASCAR’s top division with four wins at the track on his resume.
Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch have each won three races at the track.
Martin Truex Jr. scored his second win at Pocono earlier this year in the June race on the ‘”Tricky Triangle” to tie Kasey Kahne as the only other active drivers with multiple wins at the track.
Kyle Busch won both the pole and the checkered flag in this race last year, his only Pocono victory in the cup series to date. Brad Keselowski, Chris Buescher, Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Blaney and Ryan Newman all have a single Pocono win as well.
Counting this weekend’s race there are six regular season races remaining before NASCAR’s playoffs begin. There are nine slots on the 2018 Chase Grid not filled by drivers with at least one win. For many drivers getting that win is the only way they will go into the post-season with a shot at winning the championship. Below is a look at the Chase Grid as we head to the Pocono race this week.
Will somebody get that win to move into the playoff picture? Will a driver already locked in the playoffs score the win to get more playoff points for his championship run? Will a driver currently on the Chase Grid based on points alone lock his name on the grid by winning the race?
I have no doubt that there will be many storylines that will unfold when the green flag waives to start the Gander Outdoors 400 at Pocono Raceway Sunday, July 29th starting at 1:30 PM central time (2:30 PM eastern time).
By: Buck Stevens
