This week’s number is 13.
The Pocono 500 marks 13 races down and 13 to go in NASCAR’s regular season, which consists of 26 races prior to the 10-race Chase for the Championship.
Sunday kicks off the second half of the schedule at the track known as the Tricky Triangle - Pocono Raceway. With its three unique corners and three straights of varying lengths, it’s not exactly a superspeedway, but it’s not really a road course. Pocono is one of the most challenging tracks on the circuit and no one has shown a better ability to step up to that challenge than this week’s favorite, Carl Edwards.
Edwards is in the midst of a career-best season and comes into Pocono leading the championship standings by 40 points - the largest lead all season. And he’s well aware that while leading the points will get him into the Chase, in just 13 races all that will really matter are wins. Edwards has two wins here, his first coming in his first career start and he has finished in the Top 3 in three of the last five races.
“I really like racing at Pocono,” Edwards told reporters. “The first time I ran there I won so it’s been a favorite ever since. It is a very difficult track, both mentally and physically, and it taxes every part of the car as well. We’re going into Pocono with a big point lead so we are definitely going for the win. With a cushion in the points we are able to gamble a bit more and I can drive more aggressively to go for the win.”
Don’t count Denny Hamlin out of the mix, though. After being off everyone’s radar for most of the season, Hamlin has been showing steady improvement including a second-place finish at Kansas last week. He heads to Pocono with a ton of confidence and with four wins here - the most of any active driver. He’s the defending winner of this race and would like nothing more than getting back in the win column.
Like Hamlin, Tony Stewart has been uncharacteristically quiet this season. But he also heads to Pocono with a record that can’t be ignored. In the last five races here, Stewart has finished inside the Top 3 in four events, including a win two short years ago. Stewart could easily step up to the plate and steal the spotlight Sunday.
Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick make up this week’s prime-time matchup. Sure Johnson has two wins here but those came seven years ago when he completed a season sweep in 2004. Although he could run up front Sunday, his recent stats don’t bode well for the No. 48 car. Harvick on the other hand has never won at Pocono but has been surprising at Pocono on more than one occasion. With two Top-5 finishes here last season, Harvick gets the nod in this matchup.
Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth have never won at Pocono either, but both are having stellar seasons and hope to continue that trend this weekend. However, neither have records at Pocono that make them favorites for a checkered flag. While Kenseth has put together some great runs this season, Busch should come out ahead in this matchup.
Bottom line: The June 2005 race was won by Carl Edwards from the 29th starting position, which is the deepest a race winner has started in the field.
Favorites:
Carl Edwards (+700)
Denny Hamlin (+400)
Spoiler:Tony Stewart (+1,000)
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