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Bubble Watch: Where drivers closest to cutline stand before Pocono
By Staff Report | Published: July 21, 2022 12
James Gilbert | Getty Images
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James Gilbert | Getty Images
With only two open spots, the playoff pressure ramps up as we enter the final stretch of six regular-season races. See where drivers sit before Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway (3 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN, SiriusXM), with stats and ratings provided by Racing Insights.
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Tim Nwachukwu | Getty Images
Ryan Blaney
Points above cutline: 105 | Full standings
Trending -- Warm: Blaney has one top-five finish in the last three races. At New Hampshire last weekend, he was running in the top 20 and ultimately finished in 18th.
Pocono outlook -- Hot: Blaney has two straight finishes of sixth or better at Pocono. His one win at the "Tricky Triangle" came in 2017.
Points above cutline: 105 | Full standings
Trending -- Warm: Blaney has one top-five finish in the last three races. At New Hampshire last weekend, he was running in the top 20 and ultimately finished in 18th.
Pocono outlook -- Hot: Blaney has two straight finishes of sixth or better at Pocono. His one win at the "Tricky Triangle" came in 2017.
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Logan Riely | Getty Images
Martin Truex Jr.
Points above cutline: 68 | Full standings
Trending -- Hot: At New Hampshire, Truex started first and finished first in Stage 1 and Stage 2. He finished the race in fourth, breaking his streak of four straight finishes of 11th or worse.
Pocono outlook -- Warm: Truex Jr, has two stage wins at Pocono, and last season at Pocono, he finished 18th and 11th.
Points above cutline: 68 | Full standings
Trending -- Hot: At New Hampshire, Truex started first and finished first in Stage 1 and Stage 2. He finished the race in fourth, breaking his streak of four straight finishes of 11th or worse.
Pocono outlook -- Warm: Truex Jr, has two stage wins at Pocono, and last season at Pocono, he finished 18th and 11th.
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Logan Riely | Getty Images
Kevin Harvick
Points below cutline: 68 | Full standings
Trending -- Warm: Harvick has four top-10 finishes in the last five races and was running toward the front last weekend at New Hampshire before finishing fifth.
Pocono outlook -- Hot: Harvick has five straight finishes of eighth place or better at Pocono, including his one career win there in the June 2020 race.
Points below cutline: 68 | Full standings
Trending -- Warm: Harvick has four top-10 finishes in the last five races and was running toward the front last weekend at New Hampshire before finishing fifth.
Pocono outlook -- Hot: Harvick has five straight finishes of eighth place or better at Pocono, including his one career win there in the June 2020 race.
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Chris Graythen | Getty Images
Aric Almirola
Points below cutline: 129 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: Almirola has 14 finishes of 11th or worse in the past 17 races. For the entire season, he has led only six laps in 20 starts.
Pocono outlook -- Cold: In the last six Pocono races, Almirola had three finishes of 12th or worse. In both races last season, he finished 16th.
Points below cutline: 129 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: Almirola has 14 finishes of 11th or worse in the past 17 races. For the entire season, he has led only six laps in 20 starts.
Pocono outlook -- Cold: In the last six Pocono races, Almirola had three finishes of 12th or worse. In both races last season, he finished 16th.
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Meg Oliphant | Getty Images
Erik Jones
Points below cutline: 154 | Full standings
Trending -- Warm: In the last 15 races, Jones has had five top-10 finishes.
Pocono outlook -- Cold: Best career Pocono finish was second place in July 2019. In three of the last four Pocono races, he has finished 22nd or worse (with one DNF).
Points below cutline: 154 | Full standings
Trending -- Warm: In the last 15 races, Jones has had five top-10 finishes.
Pocono outlook -- Cold: Best career Pocono finish was second place in July 2019. In three of the last four Pocono races, he has finished 22nd or worse (with one DNF).
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Chris Graythen | Getty Images
Austin Dillon
Points below cutline: 198 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: Last week at New Hampshire, Dillon started 30th and finished 23rd. In the last 12 races, Dillon has two top 10s and 10 finishes of 11th or worse (four DNFs).
Pocono outlook -- Cold: Dillon has never finished better than 12th in his 16 career Pocono starts. He finished 21st and 13th in two Pocono races last season and received a speeding penalty in Race 1.
Points below cutline: 198 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: Last week at New Hampshire, Dillon started 30th and finished 23rd. In the last 12 races, Dillon has two top 10s and 10 finishes of 11th or worse (four DNFs).
Pocono outlook -- Cold: Dillon has never finished better than 12th in his 16 career Pocono starts. He finished 21st and 13th in two Pocono races last season and received a speeding penalty in Race 1.
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Chris Graythen | Getty Images
Michael McDowell
Points below cutline: 204 | Full standings
Trending -- Warm: At New Hampshire, McDowell started 15th and finished 28th after being involved in a multi-car wreck on Lap 89. In the last 12 races, McDowell has six top 10s.
Pocono outlook -- Cold: At Pocono, McDowell has three straight finishes of 17th or worse (one DNF). In 19 career Pocono starts, he has 18 finishes of 16th or worse.
Points below cutline: 204 | Full standings
Trending -- Warm: At New Hampshire, McDowell started 15th and finished 28th after being involved in a multi-car wreck on Lap 89. In the last 12 races, McDowell has six top 10s.
Pocono outlook -- Cold: At Pocono, McDowell has three straight finishes of 17th or worse (one DNF). In 19 career Pocono starts, he has 18 finishes of 16th or worse.
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Meg Oliphant | Getty Images
Justin Haley
Points below cutline: 228 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: In three of the last four races, Haley has finished 20th or worse.
Pocono -- Cold: Haley only has one Pocono race under his belt. In 2018, Haley started 34th and finished 27th.
Points below cutline: 228 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: In three of the last four races, Haley has finished 20th or worse.
Pocono -- Cold: Haley only has one Pocono race under his belt. In 2018, Haley started 34th and finished 27th.
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James Gilbert | Getty Images
Bubba Wallace
Points below cutline: 230 | Full standings
Trending -- Warm: New Hampshire snapped Wallace's streak of six straight finishes of 12th or worse (three DNFs).
Pocono outlook -- Cold: Best career Pocono finish is fifth in June 2021, the second race. Before that, Wallace had eight straight finishes of 14th or worse.
Points below cutline: 230 | Full standings
Trending -- Warm: New Hampshire snapped Wallace's streak of six straight finishes of 12th or worse (three DNFs).
Pocono outlook -- Cold: Best career Pocono finish is fifth in June 2021, the second race. Before that, Wallace had eight straight finishes of 14th or worse.
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Sean Gardner | Getty Images
Chris Buescher
Points below cutline: 239 | Full standings
Trending -- Warm: In the last five races, Buescher has two finishes of sixth or better and three finishes of 17th or worse (one DNF).
Pocono outlook -- Cold: Buescher has three straight finishes of 19th or worse at Pocono but one career Pocono win from the race in August 2016.
Points below cutline: 239 | Full standings
Trending -- Warm: In the last five races, Buescher has two finishes of sixth or better and three finishes of 17th or worse (one DNF).
Pocono outlook -- Cold: Buescher has three straight finishes of 19th or worse at Pocono but one career Pocono win from the race in August 2016.
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Torey Fox | NASCAR Digital Media
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Points below the cutline: 271 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: In the last five races, Stenhouse has finishes of 16th or worse.
Pocono outlook -- Cold: Last season in the Pocono races, Stenhouse's starting positions were seventh and sixth, but he finished 15th and 38th.
Points below the cutline: 271 | Full standings
Trending -- Cold: In the last five races, Stenhouse has finishes of 16th or worse.
Pocono outlook -- Cold: Last season in the Pocono races, Stenhouse's starting positions were seventh and sixth, but he finished 15th and 38th.