Pocono 101: Doubleheader details, tire info, ‘tricky’ turns

Two races in two days? Count us in. The NASCAR Cup Series travels to the "Tricky Triangle" this weekend for a doubleheader at Pocono Raceway. The action begins with the Pocono Organics CBD 325 on Saturday (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports Live, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) and continues with the Explore the Pocono Mountains 350 on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports Live, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.) With two races on the docket, let’s take a look at how teams will navigate the second consecutive set of races in the hills of northeastern Pennsylvania. WHO’S STARTING WHERE? By virtue of the typical matrix formula that has been used throughout the 2021 season, Kyle Larson will lead the field to the green flag for Saturday’s event with Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron next to him on the front row. Behind them in Row 2 will be Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano. RELATED: See starting lineup for Saturday's race | Full schedule for Pocono The lineup for Sunday’s race, however, is entirely dependent upon the results of Saturday’s event. The top 20 finishers from Saturday’s 325-mile, 130-lap race will be inverted to begin Sunday’s Explore the Pocono Mountains 350, meaning the Saturday winner will start 20th on Sunday, while Saturday’s 20th-place finisher starts from the pole Sunday for the 140-lap contest. As a reminder, teams will be required to use the same vehicle in both races this weekend. If a team determines its car is too damaged Saturday to be used Sunday and needs to utilize a backup car, that team will start Sunday’s race from the rear. FAN ATTENDANCE Fans will be welcomed back to Pocono Raceway in full capacity for the first time since 2019 as the COVID-19 pandemic barred spectators from entry last year. Camping spots have already sold out for the venue, while tickets still remain available at www.poconoraceway.com/tickets. Fans who are fully vaccinated will not be required to wear masks, and the facility will operate without social distancing. More information can be found via the track’s website. RELATED: 10 things to pack for camping at a NASCAR race RULES PACKAGE Cup Series teams will utilize the high-downforce, 550-horsepower package in the Pocono Mountains this weekend. This package features a taller spoiler and longer splitter to increase downforce around the racetrack. POCONO HISTORY — Pocono Raceway is celebrating 50 years of hosting races on its 2.5-mile triangular layout. The facility opened with a USAC open-wheel race in 1971 before welcoming the Cup Series in 1974. — Denny Hamlin’s win in the race No. 2 in the 2020 doubleheader was his sixth Pocono victory, tying him with Jeff Gordon for the most wins all-time at Pocono. — Hendrick Motorsports is the most successful team in the track’s history with 17 wins, 71 top fives and 129 top 10s in 253 combined starts. The organization has led an astounding 3,270 laps. Joe Gibbs Racing has led the next most with 1,721 laps led. — Despite its historic Pocono success, Hendrick Motorsports is 0-12 in its last 12 Pocono tries. Hendrick had won six of its prior 12 starts at the Tricky Triangle. — Joe Gibbs Racing has picked up where Hendrick left off, winning five of the last seven Pocono races (and Toyota has wins in six of the last seven). Denny Hamlin has won two of the last three. Source: Racing Insights GOODYEAR TIRES Teams will work with a new tire combination this weekend at Pocono, utilizing the left-side tire previously used at Darlington Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway in addition to the multi-zone tread right-side tire previously used at Auto Club Speedway. Bringing the left-side tire from Darlington and Homestead should provide more grip on the very flat Pocono surface as drivers navigate three unique turns, all of different degrees of banking. The multi-zone tread on the right side provide a two-inch compound designed for heat resistance and a 10-inch compound meant for more grip. “Pocono is as unique a track as we have on the NASCAR circuit,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “It’s flat, it’s fast, and every turn and straightaway is different from the last. The one advantage Cup teams will have is that while they will have no practice this weekend, with a doubleheader of races, they will be able to tune on their setups over the two days and figure out what works and what is fast.” INSIDE THE TURNS Why is Pocono Raceway called the "Tricky Triangle?" That's because of its unique, triangular shape with three very different corners. Turn 1: 14 degrees and modeled after Trenton Speedway Turn 2: 8 degrees and modeled after Indianapolis Motor Speedway Turn 3: 6 degrees and modeled after Milwaukee Speedway The front straight of 3,740 feet at the 2.5-mile track is the longest and widest in the Cup Series. BET ON IT Kyle Larson has never won at Pocono Raceway, but given his outstanding streak of three wins in a row — four if you include the NASCAR All-Star Race — the oddsmakers are still considering Larson the favorite by a wide margin. BetMGM lists Larson at 21-10 odds, while Denny Hamlin is next best at 7-1. Others to keep an eye on include Chase Elliott (8-1), Kyle Busch (8-1), Kevin Harvick (9-1) and William Byron (10-1). Looking for a sleeper? Consider Aric Almirola (50-1). While he’s had a miserable start to the season, Almirola enters off his best weekend of the year at Nashville Superspeedway where he won the pole and finished fourth. Almirola netted the most points in last year’s doubleheader by finishing third on Saturday and fifth Sunday. He’ll roll off 11th to begin Saturday’s race. RELATED: See the odds for Saturday's Pocono race POCONO STORY LINES — In the inaugural iteration of the Pocono doubleheader, Kevin Harvick claimed his first win at the Tricky Triangle on Saturday with Denny Hamlin in second. On Sunday, Hamlin won while Harvick was second. — William Byron currently holds the best average finish of any driver at Pocono with more than one start at 9.67 with six starts under his belt. — Just two of the 16 stage winners at Pocono have gone on to win the race. — Nine of the last 14 Pocono winners led their first laps of the race past halfway. — Kyle Larson is aiming for his fourth consecutive points-paying win. He would be the first driver to achieve the feat since Jimmie Johnson did so in 2007 and would become only the ninth driver in NASCAR history to accomplish it. — Corey LaJoie carries recent momentum into Pocono on the heels of four straight top-20 finishes, already setting a career-best for LaJoie. The No. 7 team finished 15th at Nashville. — Hendrick Motorsports is the only team in the sport’s modern era to win five races in a row and have done so four times, including the five-race win streak it’s currently on. Hendrick won six races in a row in 2007 and can tie that number with a win on Saturday. Source: Racing Insights FANTASY LIVE Want to manage a team and race your way to the top of the leaderboards? Check out NASCAR Fantasy Live. The free-to-play game lets you choose your drivers each week and show off your crew-chief instincts. It’s not too late to join in on the competition. The 2021 Fantasy Live points leaders are Denny Hamlin (682), Kyle Larson (662) and William Byron (596). ALSO ON NASCAR.COM Get additional camera views by logging on to NASCAR Drive, where each week a select number of in-car cameras will be available — as well as a battle cam and an overhead look. New for this season, NASCAR has partnered with LiveLike to add fan engagement in the NASCAR Mobile App. Log in to the mobile app during the race for polls, quizzes, the cheer meter and more — and see instant results from NASCAR fans like you.