First Split Weekend on Tap at Pocono, Iowa
Roush Fenway Racing gets set for NASCAR’s first split weekend of the season as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) treks to Pocono for the second time in eight weeks, while the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) heads back to Iowa for the second time in 40 days. A Jack Roush Ford has visited victory lane at the two tracks a combined nine times, including five times at Iowa and four times at Pocono.
MENCS
Sunday, July 29, 2018 | 2:30 p.m. ET
NBCSN, MRN, Sirius 90
· Matt Kenseth, No. 6 Roush Performance Products Ford Fusion
· Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Ford Performance Fusion
NXS
Saturday, July 28, 2018 | 5 p.m. ET
NBCSN, MRN, Sirius 90
Ryan Reed, No. 16 Drive Down A1C Lilly Diabetes Ford Mustang
Chase Briscoe, No. 60 Ford Performance Mustang
It’s Tricky, it’s Tricky (Tricky) Tricky (Tricky)
Roush Fenway Racing has run 204 Cup races at the Tricky Triangle dating back to 1988, which slots the track eighth in terms of number of starts for RFR among active tracks. A Roush Fenway Ford has visited victory lane on four occasions in the Cup series, with the first coming in 2005 with Carl Edwards. Kurt Busch followed with a win in the July race of that same year, one of his three victories for Jack Roush in 2005. Three years later, Edwards found winners circle again in 2008, and Greg Biffle carded the organization’s most recent win at the 2.5-mile track back in 2010.
Tale of the Tape
Overall RFR has 72 top-10 and 45 top-five results at Pocono, along with three poles and four wins. Mark Martin earned back-to-back poles in 1990 and 1991, before capturing his third in 1996.
Runner-Up
Roush Fenway has finished in the second position 13 times at Pocono with six different drivers. All in all, Roush Fenway has finished first or second 17 times at the triangular track.
Is this Heaven? No, It’s Iowa
In 42 starts at Iowa Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Roush Fenway has recorded five wins, 10 top-five finishes, 19 top-10 finishes and has led 592 laps. 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series Champion Chris Buescher earned the organization’s most recent victory at the short track in May 2015.
It’s a Hat-Trick for Stenhouse
Roush Fenway driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. earned three consecutive victories at Iowa in 2011 and 2012, sweeping both races in 2011. The victories helped catapult Stenhouse to consecutive NASCAR Xfinity Series championships in 2011 and 2012.
Roush Fenway Golden Sombrero
Roush Fenway driver Trevor Bayne followed up teammate Stenhouse Jr.’s three-consecutive wins at Iowa with the victory in the June 2013 event by outdueling Austin Dillon in the closing laps.
An Extra Shot Across the Finish Line
The Aug. 2011 event at Iowa saw Stenhouse and former Roush Fenway teammate Edwards battle for the race lead for much of the evening. In the closing stages, Stenhouse began to pull away before losing an engine off of the final corner. Edwards, with nowhere to go, rear-ended Stenhouse and helped propel the No. 6 Mustang across the finish line to secure the victory and claim a one-two finish for Roush Fenway.
Buescher Gets the W
Roush Fenway driver Buescher led 94 laps en route to the win at Iowa in the May 2015 event. The victory, along with another two weeks later at Dover International Speedway, helped propel Buescher to the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship.
Point Standings Entering Pocono, Iowa
MENCS
After holding the advantage at one point during the race last weekend at New Hampshire, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. sits 28 points outside the final transfer spot in the playoffs, trailing Alex Bowman. The No. 88, No. 17 and No. 21 are separated by 29 points with four races remaining until the 2018 playoffs begin.
The No. 6, split between Trevor Bayne and Matt Kenseth, is 29th in owner points. Bayne is 31st in driver standings.
NXS
Ryan Reed checks in at 11th in the Xfinity series standings with five races remaining until the playoffs begin.
The No. 60 car, split between Austin Cindric, Chase Briscoe and Ty Majeski, is 23rd in owner points.
Roush Fenway Pocono Wins
2005-1 Edwards Cup
2005-2 Busch Cup
2008-2 Edwards Cup
2010-2 Biffle Cup
By the Numbers at Pocono Raceway
Race Win T5 T10 Pole Laps Led AvSt AvFn Miles
204 4 45 72 3 36768 1031 17.9 16.5 91920
4 0 0 0 0 291 0 23.0 18.5 727.5
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
208 4 45 72 3 37059 1031 20.4 17.5 92647.5
Roush Fenway Iowa Wins
2011-1 Stenhouse Xfinity
2011-2 Stenhouse Xfinity
2012-1 Stenhouse Xfinity
2013-1 Bayne Xfinity
2015-1 Buescher Xfinity
By the Numbers at Iowa Speedway
Race Win T5 T10 Pole Laps Led AvSt AvFn Miles
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
42 5 10 19 2 10189 592 13.0 13.0 8915.4
1 0 1 1 0 200 0 4.0 3.0 175
43 5 11 20 2 10389 592 12.8 12.5 9090.4
