TRACK: Pocono Raceway (2.5-oval) DISTANCE: 160 Laps — STAGE 1: 50 Laps, STAGE 2: 50 Laps, FINAL STAGE: 60 Laps, MILES (400-Miles)

TRACK HISTORY/TRENDS

A track shaped as a triangle. The best opportunities for passing are at the end of the straightaways. Pretty straight forward race though with this being a very hard track to actually pass on. Short pitting sometimes gains you track position later, but depending on cautions, could bite you too depending on tire life. Some drivers will elect to pit before the end of stages and give up stage points to restart up front at the next stage. Definitely a track position circuit for sure.

The last 2 years were doubleheader formats but this season, Pocono moves back to a single race on a single weekend. The difference? For the first time since 1981, there’s just one race on the Tricky Triangle.

Chevy has just 1 win (last year) in the last 11 Pocono races. Toyota however, has won 7 of the last 9.

Live In Race Betting Trends To Watch
• 5 of the last 6 Stage 1’s at Pocono, the eventual race winner didn’t even score stage points. Keep that in mind as you live bet. May be best to look at drivers who finished 11th on back in Stage 1.
• 6 of the last 7 Stage 2’s at Pocono, the eventual race winner did score stage points but finished 5th or worse each time. For this stage, the winner likely comes from 6th-10th.
• Also, the eventual race winner failed to lead the most laps in 6 of the last 9 races at Pocono including 3 straight. 5 of the last 6 race winners on the season didn’t lead a single lap in the first 2 stages either.

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TRACK COMPARISONS

The closest comparison would be the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval since both tracks have long straights with long sweeping corners. However, we don’t run the 2.5-mile oval anymore.

Prime Sports NASCAR Pocono Preview Show Here

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Favorites

Kyle Larson

He was ninth but should have won the first race last year and runner-up in the second. He was fifth in 2020 and runner-up in June of 2019.

Kyle Busch

Busch has nine top 10 finishes in his last 10 Pocono including four of his last nine being wins at that. He was second and first respectively last year.

Martin Truex Jr. 

He won this race in 2015 and 2018. Furthermore, he has five top six finishes in his last 10 tries on the Tricky Triangle.

Kevin Harvick

He won the Saturday race of 2020 and was second in the Sunday one. Harvick, has nine top six finishes, eight of which being in the top four, his last 11 Pocono starts. Also, he has five runner-ups in 16 starts at Pocono with SHR but none prior.

Denny Hamlin

Pocono has been his playground. Hamlin, has six wins there including two in the last five. He was runner-up in another for six top sixes in his last seven Pocono tries.

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Sleepers

Ryan Blaney

He’s a past winner and was fifth and sixth respectively last year.

Alex Bowman

A win and seventh place finishes last year to go along with a ninth in Race 2 of 2020 gives him three straight top 10’s.

William Byron

He has five top 10’s in his last seven Pocono starts including three of which being in the top six.

Tyler Reddick

He was 11th and ninth last year.

Aric Almirola

He has four top 10’s in his last eight starts there including a pair of top fives in 2020.

Kurt Busch

Busch has 11 top 10’s in his last 20 Pocono starts including eight of which being in the top five.

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Who To Fade?

Chase Elliott

No finishes better than 4th and 4 of his last 5 have seen him finish 12th or worse at that.

Christopher Bell

He was fourth in his first Pocono start but 39th, 17th and 32nd respectively since.

Austin Dillon

He’s 0-for-16 for top 10’s at Pocono.

Cole Custer

16th, 17th, 38th and 24th are his Pocono finishes.

Chase Briscoe

He was only 24th and 21st a year ago.

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Key Stat

Only 1 of the last 7 Pocono races have seen the winner come from the top 4 Rows.