NASCAR travels to Pocono Raceway for three days of racing action this weekend.
The ARCA Menards Series will kick things off Friday evening with the Camping World Truck Series and the Xfinity Series headlining Saturday’s events. Sunday afternoon the Cup Series will close out the weekend with the M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400.
There are six races left in the Cup Series regular season which has so far produced 14 different winners. That leaves only two available spots to make the Playoffs on points. Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney is currently ranked 15th followed by Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. in 16th.
Seven different Xfinity Series drivers have secured their place in the Playoffs this season with wins, leaving five remaining open spots. Ty Gibbs has won four times, followed by Justin Allgaier (three), AJ Allmendinger (two), Noah Gragson (two), Josh Berry (two), Austin Hill (two) and Brandon Jones (one).
It will be the final race of the regular season for the Camping World Truck Series. The Playoff field will be set and the Regular Season Champion will be crowned. Eight drivers including Zane Smith, John Hunter Nemechek, Chandler Smith, Stewart Friesen, Ben Rhodes, Ty Majeski, Christian Eckes and Carson Hocevar have already secured a place in the Playoffs, leaving two spots up for grabs.
You can watch Press Pass throughout the weekend for post-qualifying and post-race content along with various driver media availability sessions.
All times are Eastern.
Friday, July 22
2:45 p.m.: ARCA Practice – No TV 3:30 p.m.: ARCA Qualifying – No TV 4:30 p.m.: Truck Series Practice – FS1 – Canceled (Rain) 5 p.m.: Truck Series Qualifying – FS1 – Canceled (Rain) Lineup set by NASCAR Rule Book 6:30 p.m.: ARCA General Tire Delivers 200 race – FS1/MRN
Saturday, July 23
9:35 a.m.: Xfinity Series Practice – USA 10:05 a.m.: Xfinity Series Qualifying – USA
Noon: Truck Series CRC Brakleen 150 Distance: 150 miles (60 laps) Stage 1 ends on Lap 15, Stage 2 on Lap 30, Race ends on Lap 60 The Purse: $702,702 FOX/MRN/SiriusXM
2:35 p.m.: Cup Series Practice – USA/MRN/SiriusXM 3:20 p.m.: Cup Series Qualifying – USA/MRN/SiriusXM
5 p.m.: Xfinity Series Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 Distance: 225 miles (90 Laps) Stage 1 ends on Lap 20, Stage 2 on Lap 40, Race ends on Lap 90 The Purse: $1,337,905 USA/MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, July 24
3 p.m.: Cup Series M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400 – USA/MRN/SiriusXM Distance: 400 miles (160 Laps) Stage 1 ends on Lap 30, Stage 2 on Lap 95, Race ends on Lap 160 The Purse: $6,828,051 USA/MRN/SiriusXM
NASCAR heads to Pocono Raceway for a full weekend of racing featuring a Cup Series doubleheader. The Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series will also compete along with the ARCA Menards Series.
The ARCA Menards Series will have an open (optional) practice session Thursday at 9 a.m. with the final practice on Friday at 2:15 p.m. and qualifying at 4 p.m.
There will be no practice or qualifying sessions for the Cup, Xfinity or Truck Series events. The starting lineups will be determined by the following metrics formula, with one exception.
The lineup for Sunday’s Cup Series Pocono Mountains 350 will be set by an invert of the top 20 finishing positions from Race 1 while the remainder of the field (21-38) will be based on the metrics formula.
• 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race • 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race • 35 percent: Team owner points ranking • 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race
All times are Eastern.
Friday, June 25
6 p.m.: ARCA Menards Series General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200 (80 laps, 200 miles) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Saturday, June 26
12 p.m.: Truck Series CRC Brakleen 150 (Stages 15/30/60 laps = 150 miles) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Pole: Todd Gilliland
3 p.m.: Cup Series Pocono Organics CBD 325 (Race 1) – Stages 25/77/130 laps = 325 miles (NBCSN/TSN2/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) Pole: Kyle Larson
Sunday, June 27
12 p.m.: Xfinity Series Pocono Green 225 Recycled by J.P. Mascaro & Sons (Stages 20/40/90 laps = 225 miles) NBCSN/TSN3/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Pole: Harrison Burton
3:30 p.m.: Cup Series Explore the Pocono Mountains 350 (Stages 30/85/140 laps = 350 miles) NBCSN/TSN3/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Cup Series Notes:
Four active Cup Series drivers have wins at the Tricky Triangle led by Denny Hamlin with six and Kurt Busch with three. Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. have each won twice at Pocono.
Hendrick Motorsport’s drivers have been on a hot streak, winning the last five races. Alex Bowman won at Dover, Chase Elliott at COTA and Kyle Larson at Charlotte, Sonoma and Nashville. It’s the fourth time in the team’s history that they have won five or more consecutive races (twice in 2007 and once in 2014).
Xfinity Series Notes:
Saturday will mark only the sixth time that the Xfinity Series has competed at Pocono. There have been five different winners in each of those previous five races. Since none of those drivers are competing this weekend, we’ll see a different driver in Victory Lane Sunday afternoon.
The most experienced drivers include Justin Allgaier, Jeremy Clements, Ryan Sieg and Brandon Jones. They are the only full-time Xfinity drivers that have made every start at the track.
Truck Series Notes:
There have been 11 Truck Series races at Pocono and 10 different winners. Kyle Busch leads the series with two victories (2015, 2018).
There are only three races remaining until the Truck Series Playoffs begin. Four drivers have wins (John Hunter Nemechek, Ben Rhodes, Todd Gilliland and Sheldon Creed) and are locked in, leaving six open spots.
Pocono Raceway Data: Season Race #: 18 of 36 (06-26-21) & 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: 130 laps / 325 miles Stage 1 Length: 25 Laps Stage 2 Length: 52 Laps Final Stage: 53 Laps
Pocono Raceway NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying Information: 2020 Pocono-1 pole winner: Aric Almirola started from the first starting position (Starting Lineup was determined by Random Draw) 2020 Pocono-2 pole winner: Ryan Preece started from the first starting position (Starting Lineup was determined by Inverting the Field). Track qualifying record: Kyle Larson, Chevrolet (183.438 mph, 49.063 secs.) on August 1, 2014.
Kevin Harvick leads all active NCS drivers with 40 starts at Pocono Raceway.
Denny Hamlin leads all active series drivers in average starting position with a 7.400 in 32 starts.
12 of the 46 Pocono Raceway Cup Series pole winners are active this weekend. Kyle Busch (4), Denny Hamlin (3), Joey Logano (2), Kurt Busch (2), Ryan Newman (2), Brad Keselowski (1), Daniel Suarez (1), Kevin Harvick (1), Kyle Larson (1), Martin Truex Jr (1), Ryan Blaney (1), and William Byron (1).
Kyle Busch leads all active drivers at Pocono with four poles (Spring 2010, Fall 2015, 2017 sweep).
Eight different manufacturers have won a NCS pole at Pocono led by Chevrolet (34), followed by Ford (18), Toyota (9), Dodge (8), Pontiac (6), Buick (2), American Motors Company (1), and Oldsmobile (1).
Pocono Raceway NASCAR Cup Series Race Information: 2020 Pocono-1 race winner: Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing Ford on June 27, 2020 (134.467 mph, 2 Hrs, 25 Mins, 1 Sec.). 2020 Pocono-2 race winner: Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on June 28, 2020 (122.879 mph, 2 Hrs, 50 Mins, 54 Secs.). Track race record (200 laps): Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet (145.384 mph, 03:26:21) on June 12, 2011.
38 different NCS drivers have won at Pocono and 10 winners are entered this weekend. Denny Hamlin (6), Kyle Busch (3), Kurt Busch (3), Martin Truex Jr. (2), Kevin Harvick (1), Ryan Blaney (1), Chris Buescher (1), Joey Logano (1), Brad Keselowski (1), and Ryan Newman (1).
Joey Logano is the youngest Cup Series Pocono winner (June 10, 2012 – 22 years, 0 months, 17 days).
16 of the 86 (19%) NCS races at Pocono have been won from the pole (14) or first starting position (two); the most recent was Kyle Busch on July 30, 2017.
The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (16) than any other starting position at Pocono in the NCS at a 19% winning percentage.
Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Pocono with 17.
Eight different manufacturers have won in the NCS at Pocono. Led by Chevrolet (32), followed by Ford (24), Toyota (10), Dodge (7), Pontiac (6), Buick (4), Mercury (2) and Oldsmobile (1).
Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in laps led at Pocono with 785 laps led in 30 starts.
NASCAR Cup Series 2021 Top 16 in the Driver Standings at Pocono Raceway:
