Six races is all that separates this weekend’s race and the last time the Monster Energy Cup Series cars roared through Long Pond, PA. It’s the Overton’s 400 at Pocono Raceway this Sunday as the Tricky Triangle plays host for the second time this season. Last August, Pocono was the site of Chris Buescher’s one and only win in his career, as his crew chief made a great call to stay out late in the race. Like the June races over the last six years, there have only been a handful of races with a driver leading 60+ laps, and only one in which a driver led 70+ with Joey Logano leading 97. Sunday will also make the second week in a row on a 2.5-mile layout, however while the distance, and banking is the same, the lack of a fourth turn is still tricky to figure out.

Track Breakdown

 Avg.Avg.     Laps  HighLow Avg.DifferenceLaps LedLaps Led
DriverStartFinishRacesWinsTop 5'sTop 10'sTop 20'sLedPolesFinishFinishDNFRatingPts.Pts.Pts./race
Kurt Busch7.211.4513444511370104.3-4.211.252.25
Matt Kenseth8.28.251145330117010108.251.65
Martin Truex Jr.7.216.6511241241138194.4-9.4316.20
Ryan Blaney127.3331123100111093.44.672.50.83
Chris Buescher231531112120125061831.00
Brad Keselowski65.8504452212170100.10.25.51.10
Kevin Harvick811.8503445802421104.4-3.814.52.90
Joey Logano717.8502231520437097.4-10.8387.60
Dale Earnhardt Jr.17.813.754022340238185.64.0510.25
Jimmie Johnson13.619.25012300336291.7-5.600.00
Chase Elliott15.315301225104330101.90.312.754.25
Erik Jones15310111200330112.71255.00
Kyle Larson16.28.850035590612098.47.414.752.95
Kyle Busch815.85003312329310102.4-7.830.756.15
Denny Hamlin10.2135002430722091.5-2.80.750.15
Jamie McMurray16.819.25001400737180-2.400.00
A.J. Allmendinger22.819.45001330738169.83.40.750.15
Kasey Kahne17.622.45001320643273.4-4.80.50.10
Clint Bowyer22.618.25001300826068.14.400.00
Austin Dillon11.61950004801337179.7-7.420.40
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.22.625.450003301142160.7-2.80.750.15
Ryan Newman12.82050003101239176.3-7.20.250.05
Danica Patrick2524.650002501637062.20.41.250.25
Ty Dillon281930002301821061.990.750.25
Trevor Bayne26.623.450002001340160.43.200.00
Paul Menard142650002001135065.1-1200.00
Aric Almirola22.33040002001843251.2-7.700.00
Daniel Suarez141510001101515077-10.250.25
David Ragan28.62450001101732053.14.60.250.05
Landon Cassill31.626.450001001436046.45.200.00
Michael McDowell2023.520000002324059.2-3.500.00
Corey LaJoie352810000002828040700.00
Gray Gaulding332910000002929033.3400.00
Cole Whitt35.429.250000002731240.76.200.00
Matt DiBenedetto33.632.250000002840237.21.400.00
Derrike Cope393310000003333027.5600.00
Jeffrey Earnhardt373410000003434130.7300.00

Top-15 Drivers at Pocono Raceway Historically

 Avg.Avg.     Laps HighLow DifferenceLaps LedLaps Led
DriverStartFinishRacesWinsTop 5'sTop 10'sTop 20'sLedPolesFinishFinishDNFPts.Pts.Pts./race
Denny Hamlin7.312.132349141867031432-4.83167.57.28
Kurt Busch10.214.1932314192253821405-3.99134.54.20
Jimmie Johnson10.111.3931311192773831423-1.29184.55.95
Dale Earnhardt Jr.14.915.1234211152418211432-0.2245.51.34
Kasey Kahne11.418.67272591521921435-7.2754.752.03
Ryan Newman1112.773119142618521393-1.7746.251.49
Brad Keselowski11.610.871517812162112300.7340.52.70
Matt Kenseth1714.913514142691013812.0922.750.65
Joey Logano10.416.94171461027521401-6.5468.754.04
Martin Truex Jr.16.216.042313817135113810.1633.751.47
Ryan Blaney127.333112310011104.672.50.83
Chris Buescher2315311121201250831.00
Kevin Harvick16.513.333309142868024233.17170.52
Kyle Busch1218.162504101418632435-6.1646.51.86
Clint Bowyer19.215.09230291891034104.1122.750.99

Top-15 Drivers at 2.5-mile Tracks (since Feb. 2015)

 Avg.Avg.     Laps HighLow  DifferenceLaps LedLaps Led
DriverStartFinishRacesWinsTop 5'sTop 10'sTop 20'sLedPolesFinishFinishDNFRatingPts.Pts.Pts./race
Kyle Busch6.414.388225537841341114.5-7.9894.511.81
Matt Kenseth126.888137854011701045.1213.51.69
Kurt Busch9.113.7581356451137197-4.6511.251.41
Martin Truex Jr.7.916812461321138299.1-8.1334.13
Kasey Kahne2019.3881125140143275.10.623.50.44
Ryan Blaney15.515.561124160136285.1040.67
Chris Buescher23.413.651124120125064.69.830.60
Brad Keselowski9.67.2580568771217099.32.3519.252.41
Kevin Harvick6.99.258047713302421108.6-2.3533.254.16
Joey Logano7.312.758045618602370100.6-5.4546.55.81
Denny Hamlin9.611.388024730422092.5-1.780.750.09
Jimmie Johnson12.117.638023500336390.6-5.5300.00
Dale Earnhardt Jr.15.318.836022340238278.7-3.5310.17
Kyle Larson15.110.7580157590528196.84.3514.751.84
Chase Elliott17.519.560124510439180.6-212.752.13

Drivers to watch this week:

Kevin Harvick: Harvick has been a solid play at Pocono over the last few years with three top-fives and four top-10s in that span with 58 laps led. He also finished second here in June as he just couldn’t get passed Ryan Blaney in the last few laps. Overall he has 14 top-10s in 33 career races with 68 laps led, so just 10 more than the last five races. Harvick managed to finish sixth in the demolition derby that was last Sunday’s race, which is an encouraging sign given the track similarities.

Kurt Busch: I know, I know I talked about Kurt in the June race’s track breakdown, but guess what, he’s arguably the best driver on the track this week. He has three career wins (tied-2nd), 14 top-fives (most), 19 top-10s (tied-most), and 538 laps led (third) in 32 career races here. Those numbers include a win, three top-fives and four top-10s in the last five races. Busch also ran fourth in June’s race.

Ryan Blaney: Blaney notched his first career win in MENCS here in June after holding off Kevin Harvick over the last few laps. He also has two top-10s in his three races run here and a low finish of 11th. With the news breaking earlier in the week that he will be heading to Penske in the 12-car next year, he may want to lock up a second win on the year.

Erik Jones: Jones has been fast on all the long tracks this year, including this one in June. He moved up 12 spots in the Axalta 400 to finish third and nearly pulled off the win. Jones led 20 laps in that race and has the highest driver rating in the field, though it is just for one race, at 112.7. He qualified ninth last week but crashed out in the craziness of the race. His speed should once again be on display Sunday.

Ty Dillon: Dillon is my sleeper pick this week given his solid history in the last three races at Pocono and his $6,600 price tag in Draft Kings. His +9 position differential mark is second best in the field, only to Jones and his one race showing, Dillon has two top-20s and has finished between 18th and 21st each time. For a guy that cheap, a potential top-15 finish is some great upside.