It takes skill to just survive racing at Pocono Raceway let alone having a shot at winning NASCAR‘s Pocono 400 on the “Tricky Triangle.”
If you have been following NASCAR for at least a little while you know about Pocono. If you are new to the sport you may not know why the track is called the “Tricky Triangle.” Pocono Raceway is unique on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series circuit in that the track has only three turns and none of them is like each other.
That triangular configuration with two straights that measure over 3,000 feet long results in a track that races like both an oval track and a road course. That requires every skill set a driver has to traverse the track without losing control of the car and either hitting the wall or another car on the track.
The three distinctive turns also poses a challenge for crew chiefs and pit crews. They have to try to set-up and adjust the cars for all the different turns and leave enough power and speed in the settings that the drivers can rocket down the straights and make passes.
Here is a look at the track and race specifics that the crews and drivers will be dealing with.
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
Pocono 400 Data
Season Race #: 14 of 36 (06-03-18)
Race Length: 160 laps / 400 miles
Stage 1 and 2 Length: 50 Laps (each)
Final Stage: 60 Laps
Which drivers have done well in their careers in NASCAR’s top division on the “Tricky Triangle”? Here’s a look…
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Pocono
Erik Jones………………………….. 106.5
Denny Hamlin……………………… 105.0
Kurt Busch…………………………. 104.5
Jimmie Johnson…………………… 101.6
Chase Elliott…………………………. 99.3
Kevin Harvick……………………….. 95.3
Brad Keselowski……………………. 94.8
Kyle Larson………………………….. 94.7
Ryan Newman………………………. 91.1
Kyle Busch…………………………… 90.3
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2017 races (26 total) among active drivers at Pocono Raceway.
Denny Hamlin is second in the driver ratings, but he is first among active drivers in the cup series on the career wins list. Denny has made four trips to Victory Lane at Pocono.
Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch are just behind with three wins apiece at the “Tricky Triangle.” Kasey Kahne is the only other active driver with multiple Pocono wins on his racing resume with a total of two wins.
There are eight active drivers that have a single win at Pocono. Kyle Busch finally got a win at the track in the 2017 July Pocono race. Ryan Blaney also got his first Pocono win last year which was also his first career win in the cup series when he won this race in 2017.
Chris Buescher, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano are the other active drivers with a single Pocono winner’s trophy at home.
Will it be a repeat Pocono winner, a first time winner on the “Tricky Triangle,” a repeat 2018 winner or a driver getting the first win of the season and punching their ticket to the playoffs this weekend? We will find out when the green flag waives to start the Pocono 400 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania Sunday, June 3rd at 1 PM central time (2 PM eastern time).
By: Buck Stevens
