This weekend the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Pocono Raceway for Sunday's Sunoco Red Cross 500. To help you make your fantasy racing picks, RacingOne brings you our weekly detailed look at some of the field for the 200-lap event.
Who's HOT at Pocono
• Tony Stewart won in June and has finished seventh or better in seven of his last eight starts.
• Defending race winner Carl Edwards led 103 laps in June.
• Jeff Gordon has four wins and leads all drivers with 879 laps led.
• Mark Martin leads all drivers with 31 top-10 finishes.
• Two-time winner Jimmie Johnson has finished in the top 10 in six of his last seven starts.
• Denny Hamlin has two wins and a 10.7 average finish in seven starts.
• Kasey Kahne has one win and a 7.7 average finish in his last three starts.
Keep an Eye on at Pocono
• Ryan Newman has one win and six top 10s at Pocono.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. will return in the same car that had a good run going at Indy before the engine expired.
• Brian Vickers has four top fives in 11 starts at Pocono.
• Juan Pablo Montoya will pilot the same car that led 116 laps at Indy.
• Marcos Ambrose finished sixth in his Pocono debut in June.
• Kurt Busch has the second-best driver rating at Pocono.
• David Reutimann will be driving the same car that has recorded three top 10s in 2009, including Pocono.
* - The best average finish is based off a driver who has competed in every race during that time span.
Pocono Loop Data Stat Leaders (2005-2009)
*Fastest Early in a Run
*Fastest Late in a Run
Avg. Running Position
1. Denny Hamlin
1. Denny Hamlin
1. Jimmie Johnson - 10.4
2. Jimmie Johnson
2. Mark Martin
2. Tony Stewart - 10.5
3. Kurt Busch
3. Kurt Busch
3. Mark Martin - 10.9
4. Tony Stewart
4. Tony Stewart
3. Ryan Newman - 10.9
5. Mark Martin
5. Matt Kenseth
5. Kurt Busch - 11.1
Laps in Top 15
*Quality Passes
*Driver Rating
1. Tony Stewart - 1362
1. Tony Stewart - 405
1. Denny Hamlin - 111.3
2. Mark Martin - 1350
2. Ryan Newman - 390
2. Kurt Busch - 105.0
3. Jimmie Johnson - 1327
3. Matt Kenseth - 386
3. Tony Stewart - 104.6
4. Ryan Newman - 1274
4. Jeff Gordon - 367
4. Jimmie Johnson - 102.5
5. Brian Vickers - 1244
5. Jimmie Johnson - 364
5. Carl Edwards - 100.4
*Fastest Early In a Run: Ranks each driver during the first 25 percent of laps run since a pit stop. *Fastest Late In a Run: Ranks each driver during last 25 percent of laps run since a pit stop. *Quality Passes: Passing a car running in the Top 15 while under a green flag. *Driver Rating: Formula combining the following categories: Wins, Finishes, Top-15 Finishes, Average Running Position While on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.
For a complete look at all the loop data statistics for Pocono Raceway Click Here to view RacingOne's Sunoco Red Cross 500 pre-race eBook.
Season Loop Data Leaders
*Fastest Early in a Run
*Fastest Late in a Run
Avg. Running Position
1. Jimmie Johnson
1. Mark Martin
1. Jimmie Johnson - 8.1
2. Mark Martin
2. Tony Stewart
2. Tony Stewart - 9.1
3. Kyle Busch
3. Jimmie Johnson
3. Kurt Busch - 11.0
4. Tony Stewart
4. Carl Edwards
4. Jeff Gordon - 11.6
5. Jeff Gordon
5. Denny Hamlin
5. Carl Edwards - 12.6
Laps in Top 15
*Quality Passes
*Driver Rating
1. Jimmie Johnson - 4722
1. Kurt Busch - 1144
1. Jimmie Johnson - 110.8
2. Tony Stewart - 4524
2. Jimmie Johnson - 1055
2. Tony Stewart - 106.4
3. Jeff Gordon - 4321
3. J.P. Montoya - 1013
3.
Jeff Gordon - 101.2
4. Kurt Busch - 4294
4. Matt Kenseth - 950
4. Kyle Busch - 99.3
5. Mark Martin - 4258
5. Denny Hamlin - 940
5. Kurt Busch - 98.6
*Fastest Early In a Run: Ranks each driver during the first 25 percent of laps run since a pit stop. *Fastest Late In a Run: Ranks each driver during last 25 percent of laps run since a pit stop. *Quality Passes: Passing a car running in the Top 15 while under a green flag. *Driver Rating: Formula combining the following categories: Wins, Finishes, Top-15 Finishes, Average Running Position While on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.
RacingOne Staff Picks
Jeff Wackerlin: Carl Edwards Pete Pistone: Tony Stewart Rachael West: Carl Edwards Kym Opalenik: Jeff Gordon
Top 30 Driver Notes - Ordered by Current Standings
(All stats/notes are in regards to Pocono unless noted)
1. Tony Stewart: Scored second win in June; Won the race in a back-up car and led 39 laps; Has finished seventh or better in seven of his last eight starts; Will race the same car (chassis No. 450) that went to Victory Lane last month.
2. Jimmie Johnson: Has finished in the top 10 in six of his last seven starts; Led 31 laps and finished seventh in June; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 504) he raced last month.
3. Jeff Gordon: Leads all active full-time drivers with four wins; Leader in laps led with 879; 10.1 average finish in 33 starts; Has finished in the top five in three of the last five races, including a win in 2007.
4. Kurt Busch: Posted one win and an average finish of 14.9 in seven starts with Penske; Also won in 2005 with Roush; Has led 354 laps and posted eight top 10s in 17 starts; Will race the same car (chassis No. 594) that dominated at Atlanta.
5. Carl Edwards: Defending event winner; Led 103 laps and finished second in June; Has finished in the top 10 in last three races; Also won the 2005 June race; Will race the same car (chassis No. 558) that he drove in June.
6. Denny Hamlin: Swept both races in 2006; Finished sixth or better in the next three events; Last two starts have resulted in an average finish of 30.5.
7. Ryan Newman: Finished fifth in June; Has posted seven top 10s in 15 starts; Has won two poles; Will race the same car (chassis No. 506) that he ran in June.
8. Kasey Kahne: Won the 2008 June race from the pole; Has posted an average finish of 16.5 in 11 starts; Seventh in this event last year was last of four top 10s.
9. Mark Martin: Posted a 7.6 average running position and finished 19th in June; Leads all drivers with 19 top fives and 31 top 10s; Will race the same car (chassis No. 550) that finished second last weekend at Indianapolis.
10. Juan Pablo Montoya: Finished eighth in June for first top 10 in five starts; Will race the same car (chassis No. 628) that led 116 laps last weekend at Indianapolis.
11. Greg Biffle: Posted second-best average running position (4.8) in June; Finished 11th in that event because of fuel mileage; Has captured five top 10s in 13 starts; Will race the same car (chassis No. 585) he drove in June.
12. Matt Kenseth: Finished 16th and held a 4.9 average running position in June; Has eight top 10s in 19 starts; Average finish of 14.3 is eighth amongst active drivers.
13. David Reutimann: Finished third in June for first top 10 in five starts; Will race the same car (chassis No. 628) that has recorded three top 10s in 2009, including Pocono.
14. Kyle Busch: Has posted an average finish of 33.7 in his last three starts; Finished 22nd in June; Only track where he has single digits (2) in laps led; Will debut a new chassis (No. 228).
15. Brian Vickers: Posted an average finish of 23.0 in five starts with Team Red Bull; Best finish (second) with the team came in the 2008 June race; Scored three top fives with Hendrick Motorsports in 2005-2006.
16. Clint Bowyer: Finished 12th in June; Has recorded three top 10s in seven starts; Best finish (sixth) came in this event in 2008; Will pilot the same car (chassis No. 268) that last finished 10th at Michigan.
17. Jeff Burton: Finished ninth in June; Was his 15th top 10 in 31 starts; Four of his top 10s have come with Richard Childress Racing; Will race the same car (chassis No. 271) that most recently competed at Pocono.
18. Marcos Ambrose: Finished sixth in first track start in June; Will debut a new car on Sunday.
19. Joey Logano: Started 23rd and finished 23rd in first track start in June.
20. Jamie McMurray: Has posted a 21.3 average finish in seven starts with Roush Fenway; Best finish (9th) with the team came in this event last year; Won the pole in 2005 with Ganassi; Will race the same car (chassis No. 594) that finished 15th at Atlanta.
21. Casey Mears: Finished 14th in June; That race marked first track start with Richard Childress Racing; Has posted three top 10s in 13 starts; Won the pole in 2004 with Ganassi; Will be back behind the wheel of the same car (chassis No. 261) that raced at Bristol.
22. Dale Earnhardt Jr: Finished 27th in June; Best finish in three starts with Hendrick is a fourth-place run; Won the pole in August 2007 and led eight laps before finishing second; Posted five top 10s in 16 starts with Dale Earnhardt Inc; Will race the same car (chassis No. 556) that raced inside the top 10 for a majority of the Brickyard 400 until an engine failure.
23. Kevin Harvick: Finished fourth in this event last year; Has finished in the top 10 five times in 17 starts; Will race the same car (chassis No. 281) that finished sixth at Indianapolis last weekend.
24. Martin Truex Jr: Has scored two top 10s in seven starts; Will race the same car (chassis No. 803) that finished 18th in June.
25. Elliott Sadler: Has posted an average finish of 27.8 in five starts with Gillett Evernham; Only top 10s in 21 starts came with Yates Racing; Will run the new Dodge R6P8 engine for the second time in 2009.
26. Reed Sorenson: Scored best finish (20th) in seven starts in June; Previous six starts came with Ganassi Racing; Started 10th and led five laps in 2007.
27. AJ Allmendinger: Ran out of gas on the final corner and finished 30th in June; Best finish (12th) in four starts came in 2004 with Team Red Bull; Has yet to lead a lap.
28. Bobby Labonte: Finished 28th in June; Scored three wins with Joe Gibbs Racing; Has nine top 10s in 33 starts; Will race the same car (chassis No. 609) he ran last month.
29. Sam Hornish Jr: Finished 10th in June; Has posted an average finish of 26.0 in three starts.
30. David Ragan: Only top 10 (fifth) in five starts came in this event last year; Will race the same car (chassis No. 620) that finished 26th in June.
