After a date with the Magic Mile last weekend, drivers aim their eyes on the Tricky Triangle, Pocono Raceway for the Pocono 400. The 2.5-mile-long asphalt track has just as many wrecks as it does clutch memories for plenty of drivers throughout history. You think of the wrecks of Bubba Wallace and Kurt Busch, which effectively ended his full-time racing career. But then you also think of wins like Alex Bowman in 2021, being in the right place at the right time as Kyle Larson’s tire went flat on the last turn and Bowman snuck in for the victory. Or the fact that five of the last six races have been won by either Kyle Busch or Denny Hamlin.
It’s a race that all fans will be watching closely. I have five drivers for you that should be worth watching at the Pocono 400. So without further delay, let’s get this preview on the road.
#8 Kyle Busch
Embed from Getty ImagesLast week in Loudon, I cursed Kyle Busch. I had him in my preview and went up and down about how good he was historically at New Hampshire. Unfortunately, KFB wrecked his main car in qualifying and was the first to get a DNF on race day. But it’s harder to get a grasp on Pocono than other raceways, and Busch certainly has it. In 35 races he has four career wins and an additional six top-five finishes. Busch finished 36th in 2022, but he’s always a contender to rebound and be at the front lines. Keep an eye on the #8 this weekend.
#9 Chase Elliott
Embed from Getty ImagesHendrick Motorsports co-owner Jeff Gordon has essentially said it’s up to Elliott and Bowman to get their wins and get into the playoffs. HMS won’t be giving any additional attention to the two drivers without wins and outside the playoff bubble. Even though the fact that they aren’t in at least by points can’t be blamed on them. Elliott had a skiing accident that took him out of service for six weeks. Elliott in 2023 when he’s been on the track has been fine. In 13 races he’s got five top-five finishes and two more in the top 10. In the last five races, he’s finished inside the top-15, getting top-five finishes in the first three of this stretch.
Unfortunately, with all the time missed due to injury and suspension, Elliott is a long shot to get into the playoffs by points. He’ll need a win. At Pocono, he’s got one win in 13 races and three more finishes inside the top five. He’s a good enough driver to be a contender every weekend, but the Pocono 400 is a tough race to get a grip on. But he seems to have it down. He also has the advantage of running the #17 Hendrick Motorsports XFinity team on Saturday.
#11 Denny Hamlin
Embed from Getty ImagesAs we talked about earlier, Hamlin and Busch have won five of the last six races here at Pocono. In his career, Hamlin has six wins total at the track, more than anybody currently in the Cup Series. The Tricky Triangle isn’t so bad for the #11 team. He’s also finished inside the top 10 eight more times. He’s a well-deserved favorite at this track and will probably be at the front of the pack by the end of the night.
#17 Chris Buescher
Embed from Getty ImagesBuescher is certainly a sleeper here at this track, but you could do worse in that department because he does have a win here at Pocono in the cup series. Sure, it wasn’t in the #17 he drives today. All the way back in 2016 he took the victory in his #34 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang. In the last three years, Buescher has just one top-10 at the Pocono 400, but that’s more than a lot of people can say. In 2023 the #17 has finished inside the top-five three times and has an average finish of 13.95. If you’re looking for somebody who can sneak their way into victory lane, look no further than Buescher.
#48 Alex Bowman
Embed from Getty ImagesDid I mention that Alex Bowman has a win here? That it breaks up that trend of five of the last six set by Hamlin and Busch? Want me to show it to you? Okay, say no more.
RETWEET TO CONGRATULATE ALEX BOWMAN ON HIS NASCAR CUP SERIES WIN AT POCONO!
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 26, 2021
Wow. A flat tire for Larson … pic.twitter.com/3y28N0lkys
Sorry, had to get the fanboy moment out of the way. In all seriousness, Bowman faces a similar uphill battle as teammate Chase Elliott. He missed a month’s worth of races due to a fractured vertebra, and he’s dealing with a 60-point penalty that would almost certainly have him in the playoffs if it didn’t exist. But you take what you’re handed and make it work. Bowman at the Pocono 400 obviously has the win, but he’s also got some top-10 finishes to brag about too. It’s one of his better tracks, but obviously, he’s gotta prove that he doesn’t need a flat tire from Larson to win.
In 2023 Bowman has been alright, with three top-five finishes and three more inside the top 10. At his worst track in New Hampshire, he finished inside the top-15. So things could be looking up. We’ll see if Hendrick Motorsports can put another car into victory lane this weekend and sneak Bowman into the playoffs.
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