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Mark Martin has 32 lead-lap finishes at Pocono, the most of any driver.By the Numbers: Pocono
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As a rookie Denny Hamlin went to Pocono this time last year, qualified on the pole, led 83 laps and won the race, his first in Nextel Cup. A few weeks later he returned there, started from the pole, led 151 laps and won again.
On the other end of the spectrum Mark Martin has never won at Pocono. His 40 starts there are the second-most of his career at any one track without having a victory. Martin is 0-for-44 at Daytona, where in February he came agonizingly close to winning the 500 only to have Kevin Harvick streak past him at the finish line.
Will Martin be able to climb the mountain in Pocono? His career numbers state a pretty good case for the part-time veteran.
Predicating Martin's track record at Pocono on wins is misleading, much in the same manner as basing the four-time series runner-up's career on championships would be.
At no track does Martin have more top-fives or top-10s than at Pocono. His 19 top-fives are a career-high, matched only at Dover; his 27 top-10s are a feat equaled only at Michigan. He has won four times each at Dover and Michigan, but his 10.9 average finish at Pocono is better than at both of two tracks. In fact, at only four of the 26 tracks at which he has started in a Cup race does Martin have a better career average finish.
Interesting Fact
2Green-white-checkered finishes in the 58-race history of Pocono. Both came in 2005, with Carl Edwards and Kurt Busch winning under caution.
Fun Fact
3Turns at Pocono's "roval," each having been patterned after other tracks. Turn 1 is similar to the former Trenton Speedway, Turn 2's tunnel was taken from Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Turn 3 is modeled after the Milwaukee Mile. Although mainly referred to as a tri-oval the sharp turns on this unique layout play more to a road course than an oval, thus the name "roval."
All the Facts
0Career Nextel Cup starts for NCTS driver Chad McCumbee, who will replace Kyle Petty in the No. 45 this week at Pocono.
0Laps led at Pocono by Kyle Busch, in four career starts. Pocono is the only non-road course at which Busch has failed to lead a lap.
1Drivers currently in the top 12 in points without a top-10 finish at Pocono: Clint Bowyer has a 31.0 average finish in two starts there.
1Wins at Pocono by Alan Kulwicki. His victory in the 1992 Champion Spark Plug 500 was the last of Kulwicki's career.
3Drivers to win at Pocono on their first try: Richard Petty (1974); Carl Edwards (2005); Denny Hamlin (2006).
3Most consecutive wins at Ponoco, accomplished by two drivers: Bobby Allison (1982-83); Tim Richmond (1986-87).
3Consecutive top-five finishes at Pocono for Kurt Busch, who won in July 2005 in the No. 97 Ford and was second both times last year, his first driving the No. 2 Dodge.
4Finishes of 25th or worse in the past five races at Pocono for Dale Earnhardt Jr. His last top-10 there was in the 2004 Pocono 500 (sixth place).
4Top-10 finishes in 12 career starts at Pocono for Kevin Harvick. Three have come in the past four races.
5Victories at Pocono by Bill Elliott, most of any driver.
6Drivers to finish in the top 10 in both Pocono races in 2006: Denny Hamlin (1,1); Kurt Busch (2,2); Tony Stewart (3,7); Brian Vickers (4,4); Jeff Burton (9,9); Jimmie Johnson (10,6).
6Top-10 starts in as many races at Pocono for Brian Vickers. His average start is 4.5; his average finish is 8.5, with three top-fives.
6Drivers to sweep the season at Pocono: Bobby Allison (1982); Bill Elliott (1985); Tim Richmond (1986); Bobby Labonte (1999); Jimmie Johnson (2004); Denny Hamlin (2006).
8.1Average place of finish at Pocono for Jimmie Johnson. In 10 career starts, Johnson has never finished worse than 15th.
11Races at Pocono won from the pole: Darrell Waltrip (1981); Tim Richmond (1983); Bill Elliott (1985, 2002); Rusty Wallace (1994); Geoffrey Bodine (1994); Jeff Gordon (1996); Ricky Rudd (2001); Ryan Newman (2003); Denny Hamlin (2006, both races).
18.8Margin of victory, in seconds, in the first race at Pocono in 1974 won by Richard Petty.
26Laps led in 14 career starts at Pocono by Matt Kenseth, the fewest of any track where he has double-digit starts.
29Starting position of 2005 Pocono 500 champion Carl Edwards, the farthest back in the grid any winner has started there.
49Career starts at Pocono for Kyle Petty, third-most of any driver. Petty, who won the 1993 Champion Spark Plug 500 (now the Pocono 500) will call the race this weekend for TNT.
810Laps led at Pocono by Geoffrey Bodine, second only to Jeff Gordon (844).
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Pocono Raceway
Winners
| Year | Driver | Driver |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Richard Petty | No race |
| 1975 | David Pearson | No race |
| 1976 | Richard Petty | No race |
| 1977 | Benny Parsons | No race |
| 1978 | Darrell Waltrip | No race |
| 1979 | Cale Yarborough | No race |
| 1980 | Neil Bonnett | No race |
| 1981 | Darrell Waltrip | No race |
| 1982 | Bobby Allison | Bobby Allison |
| 1983 | Bobby Allison | Tim Richmond |
| 1984 | Cale Yarborough | Harry Gant |
| 1985 | Bill Elliott | Bill Elliott |
| 1986 | Tim Richmond | Tim Richmond |
| 1987 | Tim Richmond | Dale Earnhardt |
| 1988 | Geoffrey Bodine | Bill Elliott |
| 1989 | Terry Labonte | Bill Elliott |
| 1990 | Harry Gant | Geoffrey Bodine |
| 1991 | Darrell Waltrip | Rusty Wallace |
| 1992 | Alan Kurwicki | Darrell Waltrip |
| 1993 | Kyle Petty | Dale Earnhardt |
| 1994 | Rusty Wallace | Geoffrey Bodine |
| 1995 | Terry Labonte | Dale Jarrett |
| 1996 | Jeff Gordon | Rusty Wallace |
| 1997 | Jeff Gordon | Dale Jarrett |
| 1998 | Jeremy Mayfield | Jeff Gordon |
| 1999 | Bobby Labonte | Bobby Labonte |
| 2000 | Jeremy Mayfield | Rusty Wallace |
| 2001 | Ricky Rudd | Bobby Labonte |
| 2002 | Dale Jarrett | Bill Elliott |
| 2003 | Tony Stewart | Ryan Newman |
| 2004 | Jimmie Johnson | Jimmie Johnson |
| 2005 | Carl Edwards | Kurt Busch |
| 2006 | Denny Hamlin | Denny Hamlin |
• Pocono: Track Page | Shop Talk
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