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Jeb Burton scores first career victory in WinStar World Casino 400

By
SM Staff
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Photo Credit: Chris Greythen/Getty Images for NASCAR

After taking the lead on a restart with 24 laps to go, Jeb Burton would hold on to lead the final laps and beat Ty Dillon to the line to win the WinStar World Casino 400 at Texas Motor Speedway. It’s the marks the victory of the 20-year-olds career.

“It’s freaking awesome,” he said in victory lane. “I’m just a little old country boy from South Boston living a dream. Just have an awesome team behind me. These guys right here, damn, that’s the best team I have ever had the privilege to drive for.”

Burton has been strong so far this season, though has come up short each weekend – till now.

“It’s huge,” Burton continued. “I’ve been telling everybody that once we get one, they’re going to start stacking up. I’m ready for Kentucky in a couple weeks. It’s been a lot of blood and tears to get here so it means a lot.”

Burton is the son of 2002 Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton, who said this is the biggest day he has ever experienced in racing.

“We got so many people to think,” Ward Burton said. “Can’t say enough about them all. Steve Turner and Harry Scott – they’re providing awesome resources for my son. Mike Hilman Jr. is guiding him, helping him. The Burton family is really lucky.”

Ward Burton was up on the spotter stand for the race and noted that he wished he had a parachute to get to victory lane quicker.

For crew chief Mile Hilman Jr., it marks his first win with Turner-Scott Motorsports and first win with a driver other than Todd Bodine. Hilman Jr. scored his 19 previous wins with Bodine.

“Everybody works hard at Turner-Scott Motorsports day in and day out,” Hilman Jr. said. “It’s nice to get them back to victory lane where they belong.”

Ty Dillon would lead much of the race at Texas, though fell up short as he finished second.

“One more lap, one more turn is all I needed,” Dillon said afterwards. “We shouldn’t had that at the end. We were the dominant truck and should have had it. We’re going to win a lot of races this year. I wanted to win this race at Texas – I’m a little heartbroken.

“I just didn’t have the help on the restart. Crafton was shoving the 4 (Burton) on the restart and they just went by on the backstretch.”

NASCAR Mexico Series Champion German Quiroga would score his best career truck finish with a third.

“I want to thank the whole team, Red Horse Racing,” Quiroga said. “The truck was great. I knew we were fast. We just need to work on pit tragedy; I just need to get better. I’m very proud of the team and everybody in the shop.”

Running up front, Quiroga noted that he earned respect and had fun racing Crafton in the final laps.

“He was giving me room,” Quiroga noted. “I want to thank him for that. it was good for us. They had a lot of respect and I appreciate that.”

Crafton would finish fourth to keep the points lead, now 23 points ahead of Burton.

“We just missed it a little bit,” Crafton commented. “We just didn’t have the speed on the short run – we were just decent. But man those guys would just drive away on the restart. We finished top five. Definitely not what we wanted, disappointed a little bit with it.”

Brendan Gaughan would round out the top five in fifth after leading the middle portion of the event.

“The track freed up too much in the end and we just didn’t adjust enough to it,” Gaughan noted. “I got behind our teammate, trying to give him a push and lost the nose and Buescher got a run there and took advantage.”

Darrell Wallace Jr. finished sixth, followed by pole sitter Johnny Sauter, Ryan Blaney, James Buescher and Miguel Paludo.

Besides Wallace’s top 10 finish, the Kyle Busch Motorsports truck would find trouble in Texas.

Making his first start for KBM, ARCA standout Chad Hackenbracht would wreck on the backstretch on lap 42 after getting loose while trying to split Jennifer Jo Cobb and Ty Dillon.

“Not what I wanted,” Hackenbracht tweeted. “The @KBMteam guys worked way too hard for that. Waited too late to get around the lapper.”

Then 12 laps later, his teammate Joey Coulter would spin in the corner and back the truck into the wall.

“I was doing good, pointed in the right direction and then suddenly pointed in the wrong direction,” Coulter said. “Can’t tell whether a shock or not. It just happened so quick. I heard something break and it just came around and that was it.

“I hate it for these 18 guys. We had a really good truck and thought we could work our way through there. We’ll get it back together and go and get some points and win the championship at the end of the year.”

There would only be three cautions during the event with the third caution coming on lap 138 when Brad Keselowski Racing driver Ross Chastain got into the wall.

The trucks will have most of the month off before heading to Kentucky Speedway on June 27th.

Marco Andretti off to a solid start this year so far in 2013

By
SM Staff
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Photo Credit: Chris Jones/IndyCar.com

“I think he (Marco) is at a point that he can definitely carry the team to a championship. I’m positive of that.” – Mario Andretti

 

To say that Marco Andretti is off to a good start this year would be a solid statement. Following Detriot, the driver of the No. 25 RC Coca DW12 Chassis for Andretti Autosport sits at the top of the point standings tied with Helio Castroneves for the points lead.

The key to Andretti’s season so far has been consistancy as he has only finished outside of the top seven once this year – last Saturday in Detroit after getting into the wall.

“Consistency is what I’ve worked on in the off season; I just want to be consistently better,” he said earlier today in Texas. “I think we have been knocking on the door and like hanging and lingering around the top six, a couple of podiums.

During the off-season, Andretti spent time with a driver coach to improve his street course performances.

He said that there’s also a new word that’s part of his vocabulary as a driver – finesse.

“I think that was costing me,” he commented. “I think that could have helped me at Indy just be a little more patient. Having looked back at it now I would have probably went for the most laps led, but we were just kind of watching fuel and being more patient than I probably would have been in the past at Indy. That is probably the only difference.”

The change in Andretti’s attitude is noticed by others, including his grandfather Mario.

“You can see obviously that I think he has buckled down and I think focused a little more on somewhat he really needs to work on,” Mario Andretti said. “Again, now of course by having the responsibility to be up there in the points… what they gone six races or so in the series a long way to go for sure, but at least right now he has something to protect and go for. He has got the team behind him and he has the experience now I think to carry it.”

Though even if with the success this year, Andretti says there’s unfinished business as one column remains empty thus far this year.

“I want to start stringing some wins together to hopefully generate even more interest,” he said. “It’s been a decent start to the season, but we’ve got to keep going.”

Andretti added that they need to keep working at their program as he’s not exactly where he wants to be quite yet.

“I think I’m a lot closer at where I was weak last year, so that is helping, but like I said not where I want to be right now,” he commented. “If we come out of here with a win then we could start some big momentum that will be the goal.”

This weekend at Texas Motor Speedway could bring Andretti that win as he led the opening practice session and qualified second behind Will Power.

Lap by Lap: WinStar World Casino 400 won by Jeb Burton

By
SM Staff
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Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway

After grabbing the lead on a late race restart, Jeb Burton would hold Ty Dillon off for his first ever Camping World Truck Series victory.

 

Green flag. Johnny Sauter pulls ahead of Ty Dillon into turn one.

Lap 3 Sauter leads Dillon Blaney Burton Paludo Gaughan Peters Crafton Chastain Quiroga

Lap 5 Paludo passes Burton; Chastain passes Crafton

Lap 6 Gaughan passes Burton

Lap 10 Sauter leads Dillon Blaney Paludo Gaughan Burton Peters Chastain Crafton Quiroga

Lap 12 Dillon takes the lead from Sauter for the lead after some slight contact

Lap 13 Blaney passes Sauter for second

Lap 15 Gaughan passes Sauter for third

Lap 25 Dillon leads Blaney Gaughan Sauter Paludo Burton Chastain Peters Crafton Coulter

Lap 31 Quiroga passes Coulter back for 10th

Lap 37 Gaughan tries to make a pass on Blaney for second, but gets really sideways

Lap 39 Dillon leads Blaney Gaughan Sauter Paludo Burton Chastan Peters Quiroga Crafton

Lap 40 Gaughan passes Blaney for second

Caution Lap 42 Chad Hackenbracht wrecks on the backstretch. Tried to split Cobb and Dillon and gets loose and gets into the outside wall, followed by the inside wall. Blaney stalled on pit road. Ty Dillon wins the race off of pit road.

Restart lap 49 Dillon and Gaughan are side-by-side for the lead

Lap 51 Dillon clears Gaughan for the lead

Caution lap 54 Joey Coulter spins suddenly in the corner and backs into the wall. “It just freaking came around.” He added it felt like an axle broke or shock broke.

Restart lap 59 Gaughan Dillon are side-by-side for the lead

Lap 60 Dillon grabs the lead once again as Gaughan and Crafton are side-by-side for second

Lap 62 Dillon leads Gaughan Crafton Burton Hornaday Quiroga Buescher Sauter Paludo Peters

Lap 65 Hornaday passes Burton; Buescher passes Quiroga

Lap 67 Paludo passe Sauter

Lap 79 Dillon leads Gaughan Crafton Burton Buescher Hornaday Quiroga Paludo Sauter Peters…..Gaughan passes Dillon for the lead in turns three and four

Lap 91 Peters pits

Lap 95 Townley pits

Lap 97 Gaughan leads Dillon Burton Crafton Quiroga Buescher Hornaday Paludo Chastain Sauter

Lap 98 Dillon pits out of second

Lap 99 Gaughan pits from the lead, handing the lead to Burton. Wallace Jr. and Crafton also pit.

Lap 101 Burton and Buescher pit.

Lap 102 Sauter and Hornaday pit

Lap 103 Paludo pits

Lap 104 Blaney pits

Lap 106 David Starr to the lead as he can stay out there a little longer.

Lap 114 Starr pits, handing the lead back to Brendan Gaughan. Peters pits unscheduled with a tire going flat.

50 to go Gaughan leads Dillon Crafton Burton Quiroga Buescher Paludo Wallace Chastain Sauter

46 to go Burton passes Crafton for third

39 to go Gaughan leads Dillon Burton Crafton Quiroga Buescher Paludo Wallace Chastain Sauter

34 to go Dillon passes Gaughan for the lead down the backstretch

Lap 138 Caution as Chastain gets into the wall. Leaders head down pit road. Dillon leads Burton Crafton Gaughan Quiroga Buescher off pit road.

Restart 24 to go Burton pulls ahead of Dillon on the restart off of turn two

23 to go Burton leads Crafton Dilllon Wallace Buescher Quiroga Gaughan Hornaday Sauter Paludo

22 to go Quiroga and Gaughan pass Buescher

21 to go Gaughan passes Quiroga

19 to go Burton leads Crafton Dillon Wallace Gaughan Quiroga Hornaday Buescher Sauter Blaney….Gaughan passes Wallace for fourth

18 to go Dillon passes Crafton for second; Quiroga passes Wallace

17 to go Qurigoa passes Gaughan

16 to go Burton leads Dillon Crafton Quiroga Gaughan Wallace Hornaday Sauter Blaney Buescher

9 to go Sauter passes Hornaday

8 to go Blaney passes Hornaday

6 to go Buescher passes Hornaday

Jeb Burton wins his first race! Dillon Quiroga Crafton Gaughan Wallace Sauter Blaney Buescher Paludo

Jimmie Johnson wins pole as Pocono Qualifying is rained out

By
SM Staff
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Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

Qualifying would be rained out at Pocono Raceway with a steady rain throughout the day, causing the field to be set by owner’s points.

As a result, Jimmie Johnson would get the pole and will lead the field to the Party in the Poconos 400 at Pocono Raceway.

“There are a lot of good benefits from starting on the pole, from track position to pit road picks,” Johnson said. “We’ll take it. The great season that we’ve had so far and the quick start, it’s nice to have that. It’s one of the benefits (as the point leader) when things rain out. So we certainly earned this first starting spot, and we’ll try to take advantage of it on Sunday.”

Johnson has two wins, nine top fives and 15 top 10s in 22 starts on the tricky triangle.

Carl Edwards would get second, followed by Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start sixth, followed by Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, Paul Menard and Brad Keselowski.

Denny Hamlin, who is trying to make the chase after missing some races this year and has been strong in the past, will start 17th. Last week’s race winner Tony Stewart will start from the 19th position.

Teams will get a chance to work on their cars tomorrow afternoon before the race on Sunday.

Will Power Scores Verizon Pole For Firestone 550 at Texas Motor Speedway

By
SM Staff
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Photo Credit: Chris Jones/IndyCar.com

For the 31st time in his career, the driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car would win the Verizone Pole Award. Will Power had a two-lap average speed of 219.182 mph to win the pole for the Firestone 550 at Texas Motor Speedway, which will run on Saturday night.

“The race car has been pretty good,” Power said. “We were wide open, trimmed out enough, the gears were right. Last year we thought we should have been on the pole but we got it right this time. It’s going to be an interesting race.”

Power started fifth and would come home with an eighth place finish last June.

Marco Andretti would qualify second with a two lap average of 217.553 mph. Andretti led the first practice session of the day.

“The car was pretty good,” Andretti said. “I’m pleased with our front row (start).  Good job by the guys because our focus wasn’t even on qualifying. I’m pleased just like I was at Indy because it was the same focus at Indy.   The first lap, I think we had an overboost, so we lost a mile-per-hour, which I was hoping it wasn’t going to cost me more than it did. Will (Power) went for it, and he got benefited for it so good job to him.”

Following Detroit, he currently sits at the top of the points standings, tied with Helio Castroneves. Castroneves qualified sixth.

Andretti’s teammate and reigning series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay qualified third, followed by Dario Franchitti and E.J. Viso.

Detroit race No. 2 winner Simon Pagenaud qualified 14th.

“We have a faster car than we showed in qualifying, but we had a mis-shift which cost us a lot,” Pagenaud commented. “It didn’t go our way today but we have a long race tomorrow. The nature of the racing here is to have low downforce for good racing. It will be very important to have a stable car set-up so that we can be consistent in the race.”

INDYCAR officials had a practice following qualifying, in which was led by Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan. Kanaan qualified 15th for Saturday night’s race. James Hinchcliffe was second in practice (qualified 13th), followed by Power, Scott Dixon and James Jakes.

Danica Patrick Acknowledges Learning Curve Continues at Pocono

By
SM Staff
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Photo Credit: David Yeazell

As Danica Patrick approaches her first race ever at Pocono Raceway, she absolutely acknowledges that she is still very much in learning curve mode. In fact, the rookie Patrick is just the second woman to race at Pocono, following in the steps of Janet Guthrie.

“I think that people have been really understanding to the fact that this is a learning curve and coming from IndyCar is a totally different place,” Patrick said. “I feel that’s been actually very publicized that there is going to be time needed to see that through.”

“That doesn’t stop me from getting mad or wanting more,” Patrick continued. “I think that’s just the nature of someone competitive.”

“There are a lot of times that my crew chief wants to remind me that I’m doing a good job and that this is the first year, not only in Cup, but my second full-time in stock cars,” Patrick said. “But I have high expectation levels.”

“It keeps me pushing,” Patrick continued. “I think the media has done a good job of education maybe the more casual fan that it’s a big transition.”

Patrick is definitely in learning mode at Pocono and expressed her gratitude for at least being able to test there recently. She was, however, disappointed not only that practice was rained out but qualifying as well.

“It’s a good thing we came last week and tested, that’s for sure,” Patrick said. “Obviously it doesn’t look like we’ll get out on the track (because of the rain).”

“Unfortunately that will leave it up to points to qualify,” Patrick continued. “Oh well, I’ve qualified worse than that on my own.”

“It’s not in the very back,” Patrick said of her qualifying position in P30. “It will just kind of leave it up to race runs tomorrow, which is not a bad thing when you’re coming to a track for the first time.”

“To some degree, you just have to learn for yourself what’s going to happen and ultimately what you need,” Patrick continued. “I definitely have good resources with my teammates and am talking with my crew chief about what to expect and what we need to be looking for and what tends to happen in the race here.”

“So, I’ll be asking those questions.”

While Patrick expressed her admiration for her boss Tony Stewart, owner/driver for Stewart Haas Racing, she does not necessarily lean on him for advice about the race track, even at one where she has never been like the Tricky Triangle.

“I don’t necessarily even really talk to Tony or anybody about how to drive it,” Patrick said. “I think that it’s very hard for someone to say well, you need to really carry a lot of speed.”

“What does that mean?” Patrick continued. “I have to get out on the track and feel what it means and then have a very specific question that I need answered.”

“Everyone drives differently, so it’s not like someone can just tell you how to drive the track.”

“I find that I have a lot better results through questions once I’ve actually done something and had a taste of what it is I’m doing,” Patrick said. “It’s very difficult to come to a place that you’ve never seen and ask the right questions.”

While Patrick may not rely on her boss for tips on how to master the three turns of Pocono, she does want to learn just how he masters the media.

“I just wish I could do an interview like him,” Patrick said. “He does such a great job.”

“It’s so funny,” Patrick continued. “He’s not afraid to say what he really thinks at all; even more than me.”

“And he is much more funny about it,” Patrick said. “He’s so much more adorable about it.”

“He has a huge drive to be fast and make the team better and make his car better and you feel that, for sure,” Patrick continued. “You also feel that passion.”

“I love him.”

One arena that Patrick does not consult in her NASCAR learning curve is the media itself. And she has learned some interesting lessons, especially through social media.

“Do I read the press?” Patrick was asked. “Only if a have a good weekend.”

“If I don’t, I don’t,” Patrick continued. “I read it too if there are a lot of pictures; pictures are my favorite.”

“Social media has given everyone a platform to speak their minds,” Patrick said. “But what that’s done is kind of put your finger on the pulse of what’s going to be written about.”

“If people don’t like me, they can at least respect my honesty.”

Most of all, Patrick continues her learning curve in the sport with the support of her incredible fan base. And as she makes her Pocono debut, she is most appreciative of the young ones, both boys and girls, who look up to her and her role in the sport.

“That’s sometimes the best part of your day is to hear a little kid say that they look up to you,” Patrick admitted. “I never, ever get sick of that.”

“Some of the kids are very open and they feel like they know you and they come and hug you,” Patrick continued. “It’s a nice feeling.”

“It makes it all feel kind of worthwhile on days that aren’t good,” Patrick said. “It helps to understand that it’s just one day and that it will pass and they like you because they’ve seen you do well and that they enjoy you as a competitor.”

“I’m learning about that perspective and it can really brighten up your day.”

Jimmie Johnson and Juan Pablo Montoya Still Jawing About Restarts

By
SM Staff
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Photo Credit: Brad Keppel

While most have the race at the Monster Mile in their rear view mirrors, with the focus moving to the Tricky Triangle of Pocono, competitors Jimmie Johnson and Juan Pablo Montoya are still jawing about that pesky restart at Dover last weekend.

In fact, the five-time champion announced during his media availability that he is going to use some of the rain delay time at Pocono to sit down with NASCAR and talk about it some more. And here is what Johnson advised that he wanted to share.

“I feel that in NASCAR and auto racing there are very few moments where maybe a penalty could be drawn or a foul could be drawn like we would see in the NBA Finals where there is flopping going on,” Johnson said. “I really believe that in the restart zone to the start-finish line that Juan (Pablo Montoya) just didn’t go.”

“I think he was smart in letting me get out ahead of him and letting NASCAR make the call on me to keep me from having the lead and winning the race.”

For Johnson, this was all about NASCAR enforcing the restart rules in his opinion.

“I think we can look at enforcing it differently,” Johnson said. “I think everybody looking at it afterwards can see that Juan just didn’t go.”

Johnson also opined that these types of calls just should not happen anymore, especially with the data and technology now available.

“We have the tools to maybe make a better decision,” Johnson said. “The race had been taken away from us, the championship bonus points are gone, and it’s very difficult at that point to do the right thing.”

“But in today’s world of technology, I hope that we can figure out exactly how does that rule read.”

Johnson continued to also look at the whole situation as a Juan Pablo Montoya flop.

“I kind of get it, but from the restart zone to the start-finish line, if a guy breaks or has trouble NASCAR has the ability to make the call and say that they had trouble and it’s fine to go,” Johnson said. “Someone flops, what then?

“Essentially Juan found a loophole in the officiating and worked it to his advantage,” Johnson continued. “I took the bait clearly.”

Johnson advised that he was not in favor of getting rid of the restart zone but clearly expressed his desire for further clarification from the sanctioning body.

“I’m cool with whatever it is, I just want it to be crystal clear what we can and cannot do,” Johnson said. “I’m fine with whatever; I just need to better understand the rule.”

“If we want the leader to have full advantage, let’s really give them the opportunity to take that restart and if not, then let’s enforce it properly the other way.”

Johnson said that he bore no ill will against Montoya but remained clearly aggravated about the whole restart situation.

“I really don’t have anything against Juan for doing it,” Johnson said. “As racers, we need to work any and every angle we can to win a race.”

“That’s what we do, we race,” Johnson continued. “Sure I’m mad I didn’t win the race, but I’m not mad at him.”

“I think we need to look at how we officiate and how we can regulate that and keep that from happening again.”

Johnson also advised that other drivers have come up to him and shared that they too thought there were issues with that restart.

“All these guys have talked to me and I just saw Clint (Bowyer) and he was like ‘Dude, I was on the brakes, like I stomped on the brakes to stop because I knew you were in trouble.’

“It is what it is,” Johnson said. “I can’t change it and I can’t do anything about it.”

“But moving forward, I think we can prevent that situation from happening again.”

So, what was Juan Pablo Montoya’s take on the restart situation?

“If I did that on the restart, why only Jimmie passed me in his lane?” Montoya asked.  “Even if I had a bad start and he beat me by a bumper, NASCAR would not have said anything.”

“But it was Jimmie…….and then the field.”

“I’m OK with it,” Montoya continued. “He didn’t even want to line up next to me when we came to the cones.”

“He wanted to dime it and he just mistimed it.”

While Johnson may need more clarity about the rule, Montoya felt that it was crystal clear, at least from his perspective. And he clarified that he was not taking advantage of any loophole in his opinion.

“The loophole is that you have to start between the cones and the leader is in charge,” Montoya said. “And that’s what I did.”

“What’s so hard about that?”

“I’m the leader,” JPM continued. “I know you (Johnson) dominated the race, but we came to a pit stop and we did a better job than you guys.”

“We’re the leader not you.”

For Montoya, the ultimate irony was that Johnson was indeed dominant and most likely would have passed him back had he not received the restart penalty.

“If he would have backed off and let me go, he would have passed me again,” JPM said. “It would have been all good.”

“He wanted to time it really well where he didn’t have to deal with me but he mistimed it.”

“That’s it,” Montoya said. “No drama.”

What seemed to seal the deal for Montoya in his argument about being right on the restart was that Johnson was the only one that seemed to have gotten snookered.

“I normally do a good job on restarts,” JPM said. “If I would have restarted and Jimmie passed me and four cars followed Jimmie, I think NASCAR would have said the 42 had a bad start.”

“But how is it that only Jimmie went away?” Montoya continued. “I don’t know.”

“He’s probably that good.”

Previewing the Party In the Poconos 400 at Pocono Raceway

By
SM Staff
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After an unpredictable day in Dover, NASCAR heads to the Tricky Triangle for the 14th event on the schedule. This unique 3-turned track is notorious for long runs and bad weather. Qualifying was washed out for this weekend’s race and the field will be set by owner’s points putting Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards on the front row. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with wins at Pocono (6) with his most recent being last August. Jeff needs a win badly after a dismal start to the season and this may be the place he gets it if all goes well Sunday.

Besides Jeff Gordon, who else will be tough to beat this weekend? His name is Denny Hamlin and he is desperate for a victory. Hamlin has won at Pocono four times and his first two Cup wins came at this very track. After a rough week at Dover, he knows that he has to go hard this weekend if he wants to salvage his season and make the chase. After Denny’s back injury, he came back guns loaded ripping off two top 5’s and two poles in his last three starts. Another Toyota that will certainly be strong at Pocono is the No.55 of Mark Martin. He has never won at Pocono but he’s finished 2nd seven times! His most recent close call with victory lane was last year when young Joey Logano booted him out of the way with just four laps remaining. The only thing that may keep these two out of contention is the TRD engine issues that are looming over the JGR and MWR camps.

This next driver wrecked while leading this race last August opening up the door for his teammate Jeff Gordon to steal the win. It’s Jimmie Johnson and he is fired up after the restart controversy that stopped him from winning for a record setting 8th time at Dover. In 22 starts at Pocono, he’s only finished outside the top 15 once and has finished inside the top five nine times. He will definitely be up front and I expect him to be in the mix as the race winds down. Tony Stewart is another driver that has a good record at Pocono winning twice and holding an average finish of 11.3; the 5th best among active drivers. In his 28 starts, he’s almost always inside the top 10 with 71% of his results being 10th or better. He has a lot of momentum after his surprise Dover win which is historically one of his worst tracks so don’t make the mistake of counting him out this weekend.

Jamie McMurray and Paul Menard are having great seasons so far but don’t be surprised if they lose some ground after this race. In 22 combined starts at Pocono, they don’t have a top five between them and just six top 10’s.Their average finishes are awful and 18 of those 22 combined starts have been finishes of 20th or worse. They come into this race 9th and 19th in points and I expect them to give up a couple spots unfortunately. McMurray’s teammate Juan Pablo Montoya on the other hand has had a decent record here so look for JPM to have a solid weekend. Kyle Busch has had a tough time finding success at Pocono as well. He seems to either be right up in the front of the pack or way down leader board if not parked in the garage. Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle don’t have a stellar results at this track either despite each of them winning here once.

You can expect fuel to be a factor at the end of this race and many long green flag runs. Since this is Pocono, you can never count rain out as being a possible factor in determining the outcome of the race either. Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin and Mark Martin are the drivers to beat in my opinion while guys such as McMurray, Menard and Kyle Busch will most likely have a rough race. You can see my final predictions for the race below and feel free to give me your thoughts on who you believe will take the checkered flag Sunday!

Race Favorite: Denny Hamlin

Dark Horse: Mark Martin

Possible Upset: Juan Pablo Montoya (Although I’m finding it increasingly difficult to look at him as a “upset” with how well he’s performed in 2013…)

CHEVY NSCS AT POCONO ONE: Johnson on Pole at Pocono

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SM Archive
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CHEVY NSCS AT POCONO ONE: Jeff Gordon Press Conf. Transcript

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