In a stunning turn of events, Shane van Gisbergen made headlines last Sunday with a dominant victory in Mexico City, reshaping the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. As the series heads to Pocono Raceway this weekend, it's essential to analyze which drivers are poised to contend for victory in this challenging race. Scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m. ET, fans can catch all the action on Prime Video, MRN Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Pocono Raceway, often referred to as the "Tricky Triangle," has shown a pattern in its last 11 races, with winners consistently coming from drivers ranked sixth or better in the playoff standings. This trend emphasizes the importance of being in the top echelons of the standings as the series progresses.
Returning to the track is Denny Hamlin, the winningest driver in Pocono's history. After missing the inaugural event at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez due to the birth of his son, Hamlin is set to restart his consecutive starts streak. Known for his prowess at Pocono, he has ranked first in speed, long runs, and restarts since 2022. Remarkably, Hamlin has finished inside the top 15 in every race at this track since 2018, with the exception of the 2022 race where he faced disqualification.
William Byron, a two-time Daytona 500 winner, is another driver to watch this weekend. He leads the regular-season standings by 67 points over teammate Kyle Larson. Byron's ability to secure and maintain track position has been unparalleled this season, as evidenced by his impressive statistics: an average start of 9.3, an average finish of 10.4, and an average running position of 9.2. However, Pocono has proven tricky for him, with only one top-10 finish in his last four races at the venue.
Still searching for his first win of the 2025 season, Tyler Reddick from 23XI Racing is looking to turn his fortunes around. He has secured runner-up finishes in two of the last three races at Pocono and has consistently placed in the top 10 in his recent outings.
Chase Elliott, the pride of Dawsonville, Georgia, will be participating in double duty this weekend, racing in both the Cup Series and Xfinity Series. He was awarded the Pocono win in 2022 following the disqualifications of Hamlin and Kyle Busch and has recorded top-10 finishes in his last three races at this challenging circuit.
The No. 43 Toyota driver Erik Jones from Legacy Motor Club is gaining momentum as summer approaches. With an impressive record at Pocono, having finished in the top 10 in eight of his 13 starts, Jones has a strong chance to make an impact this weekend.
Coming off impressive top-10 finishes at Nashville and Michigan, Bubba Wallace is showing consistent performance. With a gritty 12th-place finish in Mexico, the No. 23 23XI team is trending upward, and Wallace has not finished worse than 11th in his last four races at Pocono.
Utilizing an advanced statistical formula that accounts for current track conditions, recent performances, and team data, Racing Insights has updated its projections as race day approaches. The following are the projected finishing positions for the upcoming race:
1. Denny Hamlin2. Tyler Reddick3. William Byron4. Kyle Larson5. Christopher Bell6. Chase Elliott7. Ty Gibbs8. Ryan Blaney9. Chris Buescher10. Bubba Wallace11. Brad Keselowski12. Joey Logano13. Erik Jones14. Chase Briscoe15. Alex Bowman16. Carson Hocevar17. Kyle Busch18. Daniel Suárez19. Ross Chastain20. Ryan Preece21. Austin Cindric22. Austin Dillon23. Michael McDowell24. AJ Allmendinger25. John H. Nemechek26. Cole Custer27. Noah Gragson28. Zane Smith29. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.30. Josh Berry31. Justin Haley32. Todd Gilliland33. Ty Dillon34. Shane van Gisbergen35. Riley Herbst36. Cody Ware37. Brennan PooleAs we gear up for the Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway, the competition promises to be fierce, with several talented drivers aiming for victory. Keep an eye on the track and witness how the drama unfolds this Sunday!
