Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, going into the doubleheader weekend that includes the Pocono Organics CBD 325 on Saturday, June 26 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and the Explore the Pocono Mountains 350 on Sunday, June 27 at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Pocono Raceway-1 Data
Season Race #: 18 of 36 (06-26-21)
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
Race Length: 130 laps / 325 miles
Stage 1 Length: 25 Laps
Stage 2 Length: 52 Laps
Final Stage: 53 Laps
Pocono-1 Qualifying/Race Data
2020 Pocono-1 pole winner:
None — Starting Lineup was determined by Random Draw. Aric Almirola started from the first starting position.
2020 Pocono-1 race winner:
Kevin Harvick
Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Average Speed: 134.467 mph,
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 25 Mins, 1 Sec.
June 27, 2020
Pocono Raceway-2 Data
Season Race #: 19 of 36 (06-27-21)
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
Race Length: 140 laps / 350 miles
Stage 1 Length: 30 Laps
Stage 2 Length: 55 Laps
Final Stage: 55 Laps
Pocono-2 Qualifying/Race Data
2020 Pocono-2 pole winner:
None — Starting Lineup was determined by Inverting The Field. Ryan Preece started from the first starting position.
2020 Pocono-2 race winner:
Denny Hamlin
Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Average Speed: 122.879 mph
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 50 Mins, 54 Secs.
June 28, 2020
Pocono Raceway Qualifying / Race Records
Track qualifying record:
Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
183.438 mph, 49.063 secs.
August 1, 2014
Track race record (200 laps):
Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet
145.384 mph, (03:26:21)
June 12, 2011
At Pocono Raceway:
HISTORY
Opened in 1968 as a three-quarter-mile track, Pocono Raceway held the first race on the 2.5-mile track in 1971.The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway was on August 4, 1974, and the event was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty (Dodge, 115.593 mph).The 2.5-mile track was repaved during the fall of 2011.2012 marked the first season the NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono were scheduled for 400 miles.Prior to 2012, all NASCAR Cup Series races were 500 miles at Pocono Raceway.There have been 86 NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway, one race from 1974 through 1981, and two per year since.2020 marked the first season the NASCAR Cup Series held a doubleheader weekend at Pocono Raceway.
STARTS
A total of 357 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway; 260 have competed in more than one Cup Series race at Pocono.Ricky Rudd leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Pocono Raceway with 55.Kevin Harvick leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with 40 starts at Pocono Raceway.A total of 34 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have made their series debut at Pocono Raceway.The most recent and only active drivers to make their series debut at Pocono are James Davison (June 27, 2020) and Bubba Wallace (June 11, 2017).David Pearson (six starts) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Pocono Raceway with a 4.667.Denny Hamlin (32 starts) leads all active series drivers in average starting position at Pocono with a 7.400.
Top 10 in Average Starting Position at Pocono Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversAvg StartRacesRankActive DriversAvg StartRaces1David Pearson4.66761Denny Hamlin7.400302Denny Hamlin7.400302Kurt Busch10.128393Cale Yarborough7.556183Brad Keselowski11.000224Alan Kulwicki7.769134Kyle Busch11.313325Benny Parsons8.667215Ryan Newman11.474386Neil Bonnett8.941176Joey Logano11.833247Mark Martin9.741547Ryan Blaney13.300108Bobby Allison9.857218Chase Elliott13.600109Tim Richmond9.857149Erik Jones14.625810Kurt Busch10.1283910Martin Truex Jr14.70030
POLES
A total of 46 different drivers have won the Busch Pole Award at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series.12 of the 46 Pocono Raceway Cup Series pole winners are active this weekend.RankActive Pole WinnersPoles1Kyle Busch42Denny Hamlin33Joey Logano24Kurt Busch25Ryan Newman26Brad Keselowski17Daniel Suarez18Kevin Harvick19Kyle Larson110Martin Truex Jr111Ryan Blaney112William Byron1NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott (1984, 1985 sweep, 1995 and 2002) and Ken Schrader (1989, 1992, 1993 sweep and 1995) lead the series in poles at Pocono Raceway with five each.Kyle Busch leads all active drivers at Pocono Raceway with four poles (Spring 2010, Fall 2015, 2017 sweep).Buddy Baker won the inaugural pole at Pocono Raceway in 1974 with a speed of 144.122 mph.Of the 46 pole winners at Pocono, only six have won consecutive poles: Bill Elliott (1984-85), Mark Martin (1990-91), Ken Schrader (1993 sweep), Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep), Joey Logano (fall 2011 and spring 2012) and Kyle Busch (2017 sweep).Bill Elliott holds the record for most consecutive poles at Pocono with three; fall 1984 and both races in 1985.Youngest Cup Series Pocono pole winner: Joey Logano (August 7, 2011 — 21 years, 2 months, 14 days).Oldest Cup Series Pocono pole winner: David Pearson (June 10, 1984 — 49 years, 5 months, 19 days).Four drivers have posted their first-career NASCAR Cup Series pole at Pocono Raceway: Harry Gant (1979), Casey Mears (2004), Kyle Larson (2014) and Daniel Suarez (2018).Eight different manufacturers have won a NASCAR Cup Series pole at Pocono Raceway; led by Chevrolet with 34, followed by Ford (18), Toyota (9), Dodge (8), Pontiac (6), Buick (2), American Motors Company and Oldsmobile (each have one).
WINS
A total of 38 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Pocono Raceway.10 of the 38 NASCAR Cup Series Pocono Raceway winners are entered this weekend.Pocono Active WinnersWinsSeasonsDenny Hamlin62020, 2019, 2010, 2009, 2006 sweepKyle Busch32019, 2018, 2017Kurt Busch32016, 2007, 2005Martin Truex Jr22018, 2015Kevin Harvick12020Ryan Blaney12017Chris Buescher12016Joey Logano12012Brad Keselowski12011Ryan Newman12003NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon (1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2011 and 2012) and Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep, 2009, 2010, 2019, 2020) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Pocono with six victories each.NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty won the first NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway in 1974.24 different drivers have multiple series wins at Pocono Raceway; including four active drivers: Denny Hamlin (six), Kurt Busch (three), Kyle Busch (three) and Martin Truex Jr. (two).Eight drivers have posted consecutive wins at Pocono Raceway:Bobby Allison (1982 sweep and Spring 1983)Bill Elliott (1985 sweep)Tim Richmond (1986 sweep and spring 1987)Bobby Labonte (1999 sweep)Jimmie Johnson (2004 sweep)Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep and 2009-2010)Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2014 sweep)Kyle Busch (2018-2019)Youngest Cup Series Pocono winner: Joey Logano (June 10, 2012 — 22 years, 0 months, 17 days).Oldest Cup Series Pocono winner: Harry Gant (June 17, 1990 — 50 years, 5 months, 7 days).A total of four NASCAR Cup Series drivers have posted their first career win at Pocono Raceway: Ryan Blaney (06/11/2017), Chris Buescher (08/01/16), Denny Hamlin (06/11/06) and Jeremy Mayfield (06/21/98).16 of the 86 (19%) NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway have been won from the pole (14) or first starting position (two); the most recent was Kyle Busch on July 30, 2017.The two NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono that were won from the first starting position after qualifying was cancelled were Tony Stewart (2009) and Jimmie Johnson (2013).The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (16) than any other starting position at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series — a 19% winning percentage.The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Pocono is 29th, by Carl Edwards in the spring of 2005.
NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Pocono Raceway
Starting PositionWinsWinning %Starting PositionWinsWinning %11618.60%1344.65%21011.63%1422.33%31011.63%1522.33%4910.47%1622.33%544.65%1822.33%622.33%1911.16%722.33%2222.33%833.49%2311.16%944.65%2722.33%1011.16%2811.16%1133.49%2911.16%1222.33%StatsWinning %WinsWinning from the First Starting Position:18.60%16Winning from the Front Row:30.23%26Winning from a Top-Five Starting Position:56.98%49Winning from a Top-10 Starting Position:70.93%61Winning After Starting Outside the Top 20:8.14%7Denny Hamlin (2006) is the only active driver to win at Pocono in his first appearance.Aric Almirola leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Cup Series starts at Pocono without visiting Victory Lane at 17.A total of 26 different organizations have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono Raceway.Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Pocono with 17: Jeff Gordon (six), Tim Richmond (three), Jimmie Johnson (three), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (two), Kasey Kahne (one), Geoff Bodine (one) and Terry Labonte (one).Eight different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono; led by Chevrolet with 32 victories; followed by Ford with 24, Toyota (10), Dodge (seven), Pontiac (six), Buick (four), Mercury (two) and Oldsmobile (one).
ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS
Runner-Up Finishes
A total of 38 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished runner-up at Pocono Raceway.NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin leads the series in runner-up finishes at Pocono with seven second-place finishes.Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick lead all active drivers in runner-up finishes at Pocono with five each.
Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Pocono Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversRunner-UpsRankActive DriversRunner-Ups1Mark Martin71Kevin Harvick52Jeff Gordon62Kurt Busch53Kevin Harvick53Brad Keselowski44Kurt Busch54Kyle Busch25Richard Petty55Daniel Suarez1Denny Hamlin1Erik Jones1Kyle Larson1Ryan Newman1
Top-Five Finishes
A total of 77 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-five at Pocono Raceway.NASCAR Hall of Famers Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon lead the series in top fives at Pocono with 20 each.Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top fives at Pocono with 14 each.Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Pocono Raceway (All-Time & Active)RankAll-Time DriversTop FivesRankActive DriversTop Fives1Jeff Gordon201Kevin Harvick14Mark Martin20Kurt Busch143Bill Elliott143Denny Hamlin13Harry Gant144Brad Keselowski10Kevin Harvick145Kyle Busch9Kurt Busch14Ryan Newman9
Top-10 Finishes
A total of 125 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-10 at Pocono Raceway.NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes at Pocono Raceway with 34 top 10s.Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with 20 top-10 finishes each at Pocono.
Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Pocono Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversTop 10sRankActive DriversTop 10s1Mark Martin341Denny Hamlin202Jeff Gordon32Kevin Harvick203Tony Stewart24Kurt Busch204Bill Elliott224Kyle Busch16Dale Earnhardt225Ryan Newman15Ricky Rudd22
Average Finish
William Byron leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Pocono with an 9.667 in six starts.
Top 10 in Average Finishing Positions at Pocono Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriverAvg FinishRacesRankActive DriverAvg FinishRaces1William Byron9.66761William Byron9.66762Davey Allison9.769132Brad Keselowski10.955223Tim Richmond9.857143Denny Hamlin11.267304Daniel Hemric10.00024Erik Jones11.37585Skip Manning10.00025Kevin Harvick12.025406Jeff Gordon10.170476Kyle Larson12.417127Brad Keselowski10.955227Ryan Blaney12.600108Denny Hamlin11.267308Ryan Newman13.316389Mark Martin11.352549Chase Elliott14.3001010Erik Jones11.375810Kurt Busch14.46239
LAP LEADERS
A total of 128 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have led at least one lap at Pocono Raceway.
Top 10 Lap Leaders at Pocono Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time Lap LeadersLedCompleted% LedRaces1Jeff Gordon1,0408,53512.2%472Geoff Bodine8096,79911.9%423Denny Hamlin7854,87216.1%304Rusty Wallace7547,51010.0%445Jimmie Johnson7436,38111.6%386Darrell Waltrip6187,4048.3%457Kurt Busch5846,6398.8%398Dale Jarrett5247,4817.0%429Richard Petty4974,97110.0%3010Kyle Busch4624,9869.3%32RankActive Lap LeadersLedCompleted% LedRaces1Denny Hamlin7854,87216.1%302Kurt Busch5846,6398.8%393Kyle Busch4624,9869.3%324Joey Logano2863,9167.3%245Kevin Harvick2776,7224.1%406Martin Truex Jr2164,9214.4%307Ryan Newman1986,5713.0%388Brad Keselowski1963,5135.6%229Kyle Larson1011,8925.3%1210Aric Almirola672,2523.0%17Chase Elliott671,4504.6%10NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the series in laps led with 1,040 laps led in 47 starts.Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in laps led at Pocono Raceway with 785 laps led in 30 starts.Most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway by the race winner was 175 of 200 scheduled laps (87.5%) on August 5, 2007, by race winner Kurt Busch.Most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway by a driver that did not win the race was 154 of the scheduled 200 laps (77%) on June 9, 1985, by Geoff Bodine; he finished fourth.The fewest laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway by the race winner is just two laps led on August 2, 2015, by Matt Kenseth; he started the race from the seventh starting position. Kenseth led one lap (88) earlier in the race and took the lead on the final lap to win the event.
TRACK SPECIFIC STATS
Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway is the July 23, 2000 race, that was won by Rusty Wallace over Jeff Burton with a margin of victory of 0.126 second.
Top 10 Closest Margins of Victory at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series
RankMargin of VictoryWinnerRunner-UpDate10.126Rusty WallaceJeff BurtonSunday, July 23, 200020.139Ryan BlaneyKevin HarvickSunday, June 11, 201730.190Dale JarrettJeff GordonSunday, July 16, 199540.228Dale Earnhardt JrKevin HarvickSunday, August 3, 201450.280Rusty WallaceDale EarnhardtSunday, June 12, 199460.300Rusty WallaceRicky RuddSunday, July 21, 199670.307Ryan NewmanKurt BuschSunday, July 27, 200380.340Bobby LabonteJeff GordonSunday, June 20, 199990.340Jeremy MayfieldJeff GordonSunday, June 21, 1998100.341Denny HamlinErik JonesSunday, July 28, 2019Since the advent of electronic scoring the largest margin of victory (MOV) in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway is the August 2, 2015 race, that was won by Matt Kenseth over Brad Keselowski with a margin of victory of 9.012 seconds.There have been four NASCAR Cup Series races resulting with NASCAR Overtime at Pocono.
NASCAR Overtime Races at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series
Scheduled LapsActual LapsNASCAR OvertimeWinnerDate1601633Denny HamlinSunday, July 28, 20191601644Kyle BuschSunday, July 29, 20182002044Denny HamlinSunday, June 6, 20102002033Kurt BuschSunday, July 24, 20052002011Carl EdwardsSunday, June 12, 2005Seven of the 84 series races at Pocono Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions.
Weather Shortened Races at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series
Scheduled DateScheduled LapsActual LapsNo. of Fewer LapsWinnersSunday, July 31, 2016160138-22Chris BuescherSunday, August 5, 201216098-62Jeff GordonSunday, June 10, 2007200106-94Jeff GordonSunday, July 28, 2002200175-25Bill ElliottSunday, July 21, 1991200179-21Rusty WallaceSunday, July 20, 1986200150-50Tim RichmondSunday, August 4, 1974200192-8Richard PettyQualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono Raceway six times; twice the driver who started first after qualifying was cancelled won the event.
NASCAR Cup Series Races with Qualifying Cancelled at Pocono Raceway
DateStarted First Due To Qualifying CancelledFinishing PositionJune 9, 2013Jimmie Johnson1June 9, 2002Sterling Marlin4June 6, 1982Terry Labonte5June 7, 2009Tony Stewart1August 3, 2009Tony Stewart10
FEMALE COMPETITOR STATS
Two female drivers have competed at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick.
Female Competitor Stats at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series
DriverStarting PositionFinishing PositionDateDanica Patrick22157/30/2017Danica Patrick24166/11/2017Danica Patrick26228/1/2016Danica Patrick33326/6/2016Danica Patrick20168/2/2015Danica Patrick22376/7/2015Danica Patrick10308/3/2014Danica Patrick16376/8/2014Danica Patrick34358/4/2013Danica Patrick30296/9/2013Averages23.726.9DriverStarting PositionFinishing PositionDateJanet Guthrie21287/27/1980Janet Guthrie22317/30/1978Janet Guthrie10117/31/1977Averages17.723.3
NASCAR IN PENNSYLVANIA
There have been 159 NASCAR national series races among 10 tracks in the state of Pennsylvania.Among the 10 tracks in Pennsylvania, Pocono Raceway has hosted the most NASCAR national series events.The first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Pennsylvania was the NASCAR Cup Series event held on September 11, 1949 at Langhorne Speedway and won by Curtis Turner (Oldsmobile).The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway was on August 4, 1974, and the event was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty (Dodge, 115.593 mph).
NASCAR Tracks in Pennsylvania
Track NameCityCupXfinityTruckTotalsFirst YearPocono RacewayLong Pond865111021974Nazareth SpeedwayNazareth0176231988Langhorne SpeedwayLanghorne1700171949Lincoln SpeedwayNew Oxford70071958Heidelberg RacewayPittsburgh40041951Reading FairgroundsReading20021958Bloomsburg FairgroundsBloomsburg10011953New Bradford SpeedwayBradford10011958Pine Grove SpeedwayShippenville10011951Williams Grove SpeedwayMechanicsburg10011954Totals1202217159
PENNSYLVANIA DRIVERS IN NASCAR
A total of 149 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Pennsylvania.Three of the 149 Pennsylvania drivers have won in NASCAR‘s premiere series.
Pennsylvania Winners in NASCAR
DriverCup WinsXfinity WinsGander Truck WinsCombinedDick Linder3003Jimmy Spencer212115Mark Donohue1001Totals612119
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