Brad Keselowski hits jackman at Dover

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Staff Report

Cole Whitt’s No. 35 team crew member is OK after contact

Brad Keselowski hit the jackman for the No. 35 Front Row Motorsports team during Sunday’s FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway. Cole Whitt was coming in for service right behind the No. 2 Team Penske Ford, leading to the collision.

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After finishing 12th at Dover, Keselowski took to Twitter on Monday to both acknowledge the accident and compliment jackman Nick Keller on his resilience.

The day at Dover was a long one for Whitt, who finished 26th after having power steering problems.

Long day at the monster mile today. Makes it really really long when the power steering is on and off through the corners… Glad it’s over

— Cole Whitt (@ColeWhitt) May 31, 2015

Keselowski checked in on Keller on Monday and was relieved the jackman was doing well.

Pit road is dangerous. Glad this guy is ok. pic.twitter.com/JtdvYOCnP3

— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) June 1, 2015

Very impressive athleticism. Just spoke with him on the phone. Can’t believe he’s ok. https://t.co/Itc8lSZoD9

— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) June 1, 2015

The incident was captured by pit road cameras, and Pittalks.com posted them, showing the agility and competitive spirit that Keselowski was complimenting. Keller held onto his jack and immediately went to work on Whitt’s car.

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Staff Report

Darrell Wallace Jr. glad for week off after tussle with teammate

Two days after Darrell Wallace Jr. lost a shot at his first NASCAR XFINITY Series win and $100,000 Dash 4 Cash prize at Dover International Speedway, he was still upset over the actions of Roush Fenway Racing teammate Chris Buescher.

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On Lap 191 of 200, Buescher made contact with Wallace’s left front tire in a battle for the lead of the Buckle Up 200 presented by Click It or Ticket. The action sent Wallace to pit road, and he limped to a 17th-place finish while Buescher scored his second win in three starts, extending his points lead over Ty Dillon to 15 points.

"There’s always two sides to every story," Wallace told FOX Sports 1’s "NASCAR Race Hub" on Monday. "Three sides I guess.

"Just good thing there’s a week off. Got time to settle down and refocus back on the big picture."

When asked whether Wallace and Buescher shook hands on Monday, Wallace said, "No, we’re not shaking hands yet."

The NASCAR Next and Drive for Diversity alum who won the Coors Light Pole Award at Dover sits fifth in points, 49 behind Buescher as one of four RFR drivers in the top eight in the XFINITY Series.

The series heads next to team owner Jack Roush’s home track, Michigan International Speedway, for the Great Clips 250 benefiting Paralyzed Veterans of America on June 13 (1:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM).

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Staff Report

Appeal will be heard on Tuesday, June 9

MORE: Johnson stands by appeal decision | ‘Six-Time’ scores 10th Dover win

NASCAR competition officials announced Monday that the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 team’s appeal of P1-level penalties will be heard on Tuesday, June 9.

The proceedings are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. ET at the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, North Carolina.

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NASCAR officials announced P1-grade penalties last Wednesday after an accumulation of written warnings for minor infractions during two weekends of racing for the Sprint Cup Series last month at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Officials punished the No. 48 team by removing its ability to choose its own pit stall, but the organization indicated Thursday that it would appeal.

The appeal prevented the penalty from going into effect last weekend at Dover International Speedway, allowing No. 48 crew chief Chad Knaus to select a pit stall based on driver Jimmie Johnson‘s speed in Friday’s Coors Light Qualifying. Johnson started 14th and prevailed in the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks, registering his series-best fourth victory of the season and the 10th of his career at the Monster Mile.

Johnson touched on the penalty in a pre-race media availability Friday at Dover.

"Definitely we don’t agree with what has happened and getting the letters and that’s why the appeal has taken place,” Johnson said. "I look forward to the appeal process running its course, and respect it and certainly hope for a different outcome once everything has run its course.”

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Staff Report

Three-time Sprint Cup Series race winner tweets out news

Brian Vickers will be part of NBC’s NASCAR coverage starting today with an appearance on "NASCAR America," NBC Sports Network’s show covering the sport, according to tweets from the driver.

Vickers is slated to appear on the Tuesday and Wednesday editions of the show as well.

Really excited to welcome @BrianLVickers to #NASCARAmerica today on @NBCSN!

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) June 1, 2015

For those wondering what I am up to-happy for an opportunity to join @NASCARonNBC on some of their shows. Great to see them back in NASCAR

— Brian Vickers (@BrianLVickers) June 1, 2015

I will be on NASCAR Night in America Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week as well as numerous other times this season.

— Brian Vickers (@BrianLVickers) June 1, 2015

In addition, Vickers will be involved in their telecasts of races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Michigan International Speedway.

Also lending a hand to their NH & MI races & maybe some others. Looking forward to seeing the other side of the broadcasts! Tune in tonight

— Brian Vickers (@BrianLVickers) June 1, 2015

Vickers has been sidelined since March because of recurring blood clots. The 31-year-old made two starts this season at Las Vegas and Phoenix, with a best result of 15th-place at Las Vegas. David Ragan is filling in on the No. 55 Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing for the remainder of the season. Michael Waltrip and Brett Moffitt also have been behind the wheel of the No. 55.

NBC’s coverage of Sprint Cup Series races kicks off Fourth of July weekend at Daytona with the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola on July 5 (NBC, 7:45 p.m. ET).

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Staff Report

See what’s coming this week to NASCAR.com

Here’s what you’ll see on NASCAR.com this week:

MONDAY: Dover is over, but we still have plenty of coverage. Check out The Rundown, a report on how all 43 drivers finished, and senior writer Holly Cain tackles what went down late in the FedEx 400 between Martin Truex Jr. and Kasey Kahne.

TUESDAY: Look for Power Rankings presented by John Deere to get another shakeup this week. Who would you vote for No. 1? Make sure to tell us in the comments section. With the regular season now halfway over, we take a comprehensive look at the drivers without a win yet this year and analyze their Chase chances.

WEDNESDAY: Check out which paint schemes will be on display at Pocono Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. Plus, learn more about the history of Pocono in our track photo gallery. High 5, which drops every Wednesday at noon ET, will bring some of the best NASCAR-related content from around the web.

THURSDAY: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has two practices at Texas, where the series hosts a stand-alone race Friday night. Driver Reports analyzes which drivers you can expect to do well — and not so well — at Pocono. And with new pit gear being mandated for safety reasons starting Sunday, crew member Ben Steger explains how that impacts performance in the pits.

FRIDAY: There are four on-track events, and we’ll cover them all, starting at noon (ET) with Sprint Cup Series practice and culminating later in the evening with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. We’ll also have eight of the best tweets that you may have missed from the previous week.

Also coming this week: We’ll recap the entire Charlotte weekend in GIF form, a fun way to look back at the top moments from CMS … @nascarcasm explains how Jimmie Johnson came to conquer the Monster Mile as only he can … speaking of @nascarcasm, he’ll have a mockup of Jimmie Johnson‘s Facebook page after Sunday’s win … and if there are any penalties coming out of the weekend, we’ll have full coverage on Tuesday.

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Nascar

See who will compete for $100,000 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Nascar

NASCAR exec hints at Tuesday news; ‘expects’ more meetings with drivers

NASCAR officials have already had post-race conversations with drivers Trevor Bayne and Jennifer Jo Cobb. On Tuesday, the sanctioning body likely will react in a more stern fashion.

Bayne and Cobb exited their cars prior to the arrival of safety workers during separate races this past weekend at Dover International Speedway, a move forbidden by the sanctioning body except under extenuating emergency conditions.

The rule was enacted following the death of 20-year-old Kevin Ward in August of last year during a non-NASCAR sanctioned race in New York. Ward left his car and approached three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and was struck by Stewart’s car.

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At Dover, Cobb was involved in an accident with race leader Tyler Reddick early in Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event. She climbed out of her truck and walked up the track to gesture at Reddick as he and the rest of the field circled around the track under caution.

RELATED: Watch Cobb’s angry reaction

Bayne (Roush Fenway Racing) was involved in a three-car incident during Sunday’s FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks. He dropped his safety net and exited his No. 6 Ford before the arrival of emergency workers.

RELATED: Bayne crushes car at Dover

"Certainly what you saw with Trevor and with Jennifer Jo — both drivers were called to the hauler and we’ll look at both of those incidents, like we always do, Tuesday, but for us it’s a safety issue," Steve O’Donnell, executive vice president and chief racing development officer for NASCAR, told NASCAR.com on Monday. "We want to keep the race track as safe as possible for the competitors. You’ll likely see us react to that a little bit more on Tuesday."

Such incidents are considered behavioral infractions, and NASCAR officials address each situation individually. Among the penalties NASCAR may employ, if warranted, are probation, fines, suspension of the annual hard card or loss of points.

The requirement to remain in one’s vehicle until emergency workers arrive following an accident is reiterated during each driver’s meeting prior to an event, O’Donnell said.

"The drivers are required to stay in their car if they are involved in an incident, unless of course there are extenuating circumstances, i.e., the vehicle is on fire, smoke, whatever that may be," he said. "… Under no circumstances should anyone walk across the track or down to the apron."

• O’Donnell said the meeting between officials and a select group of drivers Saturday evening at Dover was the result of ongoing conversations between the two parties.

The two groups met to discuss several topics, including safety and the 2016 rules package for the Sprint Cup Series.

Among the drivers participating were Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing), Stewart (Stewart-Haas Racing), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Hendrick Motorsports) and defending series champion Kevin Harvick (SHR).

"We’ve always had dialogue with the drivers, probably in a more formal capacity at the beginning of the year," O’Donnell said. "We sit down with all of them in January.

"If you look back over the last 12 months we formed an OEM council (consisting of representatives from Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota), we’ve met with a lot of the tracks. This is an idea that came in discussions with the drivers to look at a little bit more of a formal driver council.

"So the meeting in Dover was the first. We expect more to happen and some great dialogue not only about what’s going on today in the sport, but what’s really cool about our drivers is they want to talk about the future and how we work together to grow the sport."

O’Donnell said there were "parameters" in place concerning the drivers allowed to participate, "but the drivers ultimately selected who could be there from their standpoint.

"A really good start to just continuing to communicate with the industry. Certainly the drivers not only in a one-one-one basis, but (also) in this capacity a little bit more formalized.

"We can talk candidly about some things that we see maybe down the line … that aren’t fully baked and get their thoughts on it and drivers can do the same. Obviously talk about any issues they may have, but I think just as importantly … what are some future ideas that we may want to work together on? Then we go from there and involve the other stakeholders in the sport and then make decisions as we look to grow the sport going forward."

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Staff Report

Meet Susan Official NASCAR Fan Council member of the month

Name: Susan

Hometown: Hartford, Connecticut

Current City: Newington, Connecticut

Member since: 2008

Getting to know Susan

Q. Why did you join the Official NASCAR Fan Council?

"I love the sport and was excited to be able to give my opinion and feel like I was actively participating in the sport."

Q. What comes to mind when you think of NASCAR? What’s your favorite NASCAR memory?

"NASCAR is breathtaking. It is a sport you have to participate in by going to an event to appreciate the full experience. My favorite NASCAR memory is my first race in 2002 at Dover. Our seats were on the front stretch and I could actually feel the ground move beneath me when the cars came by for the first time. It was literally feeling the ‘earth move under my feet.’"

Q: Do you have a favorite in any of the following categories?

Driver: "Dale Earnhardt Jr."

Track: "To watch – Richmond, to go to – Loudon (because I’ve only been to Loudon and Dover)."

Memorabilia: "I have a life-size Budweiser cardboard display of Dale Earnhardt from a package store. He raises that Bud to me every day!"

Q: If you could go to any NASCAR race/track, where would you go?

"Bristol in August and Charlotte in the Fall."

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

"I love to garden, knit and read."

Q: Tell us about your family. Do you have children and/or pets?

"One child, Gina, age 31."

Q: What’s your dream car?

"A Chevy Camaro."

From all of us at NASCAR, we thank Susan for her continued support and look forward to hearing from her in 2015! Look for Susan on the Official NASCAR Fan Council page on NASCAR.COM.

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Staff Report

A stats-based look ahead to the 14th race of the Sprint Cup Series season

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 1, 2015) – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Pocono Raceway in Pocono, Pennsylvania going into the Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400 on June 7.

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POCONO-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Kurt Busch (No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet)

· Two wins, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 14.7

· Average Running Position of 10.2, second-best

· Driver Rating of 105.9, third-best

· 332 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 162.733 mph, second-fastest

· 2,659 Laps in the Top 15 (77.0%), fourth-most

· 774 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), seventh-most

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet)

· Two wins, nine top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 15.3

· Average Running Position of 14.0, 10th-best

· Driver Rating of 92.6, ninth-best

· 102 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 162.237 mph, eighth-fastest

· 2,286 Laps in the Top 15 (63.3%), eighth-most

· 727 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Carl Edwards (No. 19 ARRIS Toyota)

· Two wins, five top fives, eight top 10s

· Average finish of 15.5

· Driver Rating of 94.2, eighth-best

· 176 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 162.224 mph, ninth-fastest

· 2,262 Laps in the Top 15 (62.6%), 10th-most

· 712 Quality Passes, 11th-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 AXALTA – PENN STATE Chevrolet)

· Six wins, 19 top fives, 31 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 9.9

· Series-best Average Running Position of 9.9

· Driver Rating of 103.5, fourth-best

· 169 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

· 1,573 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 162.625 mph, fifth-fastest

· Series-high 2,777 Laps in the Top 15 (76.9%)

· Series-high 885 Quality Passes

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota)

· Four wins, nine top fives, 12 top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 11.9

· Average Running Position of 10.8, fourth-best

· Series-best Driver Rating of 108.3

· Series-high 437 Fastest Laps Run

· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 162.806 mph

· 2,543 Laps in the Top 15 (79.3%), sixth-most

· 685 Quality Passes, 12th-most

Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Budweiser / Jimmy John’s Chevrolet)

· Six top fives, 10 top 10s

· Average finish of 13.6

· Average Running Position of 13.7, eighth-best

· Driver Rating of 91.9, 11th-best

· 1,777 Green Flag Passes, third-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 162.159 mph, 10th-fastest

· 2,277 Laps in the Top 15 (63.0%), ninth-most

· 789 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s / Jimmie Johnson Foundation Chevrolet)

· Three wins, 10 top fives, 17 top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 9.9

· Average Running Position of 10.5, third-best

· Driver Rating of 106.9, second-best

· 273 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

· 1,507 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 162.708 mph, third-fastest

· 2,774 Laps in the Top 15 (76.8%), second-most

· 861 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet)

· Two wins, five top fives, eight top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 17.8

· Driver Rating of 92.1, 10th-best

· 306 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

· 1,643 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 162.436 mph, sixth-fastest

· 2,199 Laps in the Top 15 (60.9%), 11th-most

· 804 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Ford)

· One win, three top fives, four top 10s

· Average finish of 13.4

· Driver Rating of 90.8, 12th-best

· 96 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

Kyle Larson (No. 42 Target Chevrolet)

· One top five, one top 10; one pole

· Average finish of 8.0

· Average Running Position of 12.7, seventh-best

· Driver Rating of 95.7, sixth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 162.690 mph, fourth-fastest

Ryan Newman (No. 31 Grainger Chevrolet)

· One win, nine top fives, 14 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 11.4

· Average Running Position of 11.4, fifth-best

· Driver Rating of 95.4, seventh-best

· 1,634 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 162.135 mph, 11th-fastest

· 2,689 Laps in the Top 15 (74.4%), third-most

· 883 Quality Passes, second-most

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Mobil 1 / Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet)

· Two wins, 12 top fives, 22 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 11.8

· Average Running Position of 12.2, sixth-best

· Driver Rating of 97.6, fifth-best

· 99 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

· 1,728 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 162.319 mph, seventh-fastest

· 2,619 Laps in the Top 15 (72.5%), fifth-most

· 880 Quality Passes, third-most

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2015 Top 16 at Pocono Raceway

	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
1	Kevin Harvick	28	0	0	6	10	2	13.6	91.9
2	Martin Truex Jr.	18	0	0	2	6	0	15.9	80.4
3	Jimmie Johnson	26	3	3	10	17	1	9.9	106.9
4	Joey Logano	12	2	1	2	4	1	16.6	88.9
5	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	30	1	2	9	13	1	15.3	92.6
6	Brad Keselowski	10	0	1	3	4	0	13.4	90.8
7	Jamie McMurray	24	1	0	0	6	3	19.8	73.1
8	Kasey Kahne	22	2	2	5	8	3	17.8	92.1
9	Jeff Gordon	44	2	6	19	31	5	9.9	103.5
10	Aric Almirola	6	0	0	0	0	1	24.0	67.6
11	Matt Kenseth	30	0	0	3	10	1	16.0	86.7
12	Paul Menard	16	0	0	0	2	1	23.1	64.6
13	Ryan Newman	26	2	1	9	14	2	11.4	95.4
14	Denny Hamlin	18	3	4	9	12	2	11.9	108.3
15	Kurt Busch	27	1	2	11	15	5	14.7	105.9
16	Carl Edwards	20	0	2	5	8	1	15.5	94.2

* – Based on last 20 races at Pocono Raceway.

Pocono Raceway Data

Season Race #: 14 of 36 (06-07-15)

Track Size: 2.5-miles

Banking/Turn 1: 14 degrees

Banking/Turn 2: 8 degrees

Banking/Turn 3: 6 degrees

Frontstretch Length: 3,740 feet

Backstretch Length: 3,055 feet

Shortstretch Length: 1,780 feet

Race Length: 160 laps / 400 miles

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Pocono

Denny Hamlin………………………. 108.3

Jimmie Johnson…………………… 106.9

Kurt Busch………………………….. 105.9

Jeff Gordon………………………… 103.5

Tony Stewart…………………………. 97.6

Kyle Larson………………………….. 95.7

Ryan Newman……………………….. 95.4

Carl Edwards………………………… 94.2

Dale Earnhardt Jr…………………… 92.6

Kasey Kahne………………………… 92.1

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 races (20 total) among active drivers at Pocono Raceway.

Qualifying/Race Data

2014 pole winner:

Denny Hamlin, Toyota

181.415 mph, 49.610 secs., 06-06-14

2014 race winner:

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet

139.440 mph, (02:52:07), 06-08-14

Track qualifying record:

Kyle Larson, Chevrolet

183.438 mph, 49.610 secs., 08-03-14

Track race record:

Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet

145.384 mph, (03:26:21), 06-12-11

At Pocono Raceway:

History

· Opened in 1968 as a three-quarter-mile track, Pocono Raceway held the first race on the 2.5-mile track in 1971.

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was in 1974 – won by Richard Petty, Dodge, 115.593 mph, 08/04/1974.

· The 2.5-mile track was repaved during the fall of 2011.

Notebook

· There have been 74 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono Raceway, one race from 1974 through 1981, and two per year since.

· 2012 marked the first season the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono were scheduled for 400 miles. Prior to 2012 all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races were 500 miles at Pocono Raceway.

· 322 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway; 229 in more than one.

· Ricky Rudd leads the series in starts at Pocono with 55. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 44 starts.

· Buddy Baker won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Pocono in 1974 with a speed of 144.122 mph.

· 40 drivers have posted Coors Light poles at Pocono, led by Bill Elliott and Ken Schrader with five each; Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin lead all active drivers with three each.

· Five drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Pocono. Bill Elliott holds the record for most consecutive poles at Pocono with three; fall 1984 and both races in 1985.

· Two active drivers have posted consecutive Coors Light poles at Pocono: Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep) and Joey Logano (fall 2011 and spring 2012).

· Youngest Pocono pole winner: Joey Logano (08/07/2011 – 21 years, 2 months, 14 days).

· Oldest Pocono pole winner: David Pearson (06/10/1984 – 49 years, 5 months, 19 days).

· 32 different drivers have won at Pocono Raceway, led by Jeff Gordon with six wins.

· Seven drivers have posted consecutive wins at Pocono Raceway, including three consecutive by Bobby Allison (1982 sweep and spring 1983) and Tim Richmond (1986 sweep and spring 1987).

· Three of the seven drivers to win consecutive races at Pocono are active: Jimmie Johnson (2004 sweep); Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep and 2009 fall and 2010 spring races); Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2014 sweep).

· Youngest Pocono winner: Joey Logano (06/10/2012 – 22 years, 0 months, 17 days).

· Oldest Pocono winner: Harry Gant (06/17/1990 – 50 years, 5 months, 7 days).

· Hendrick Motorsports has the most wins at Pocono in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 17: Jeff Gordon (six), Tim Richmond (three), Jimmie Johnson (three), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (two), Kasey Kahne (one), Geoff Bodine (one) and Terry Labonte (one) – including the last four consecutively.

· Eight different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Pocono; led by Chevrolet with 30 victories; followed by Ford with 21 and Toyota has three.

· 15 of the 74 (20.2%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Jimmie Johnson (June, 2013).

· The Coors Light pole position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (15) than any other starting position at Pocono Raceway.

· 24 of the 74 (32.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from the front row: 15 from the pole and nine from second-place.

· 52 of the 74 (70.2%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono have been won from a top-10 starting position.

· Five of the 73 (6.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Pocono is 29th, by Carl Edwards in the spring of 2005.

· Mark Martin leads the series in runner-up finishes at Pocono with seven; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with six.

· Mark Martin leads the series in top-five finishes at Pocono with 20; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 19.

· Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes at Pocono with 34; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 31.

· Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Pocono with a 6.556.

· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Pocono with a 9.864.

· Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards are the only two active drivers to win at Pocono in their first appearances.

· Matt Kenseth leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Pocono without visiting Victory Lane at 30; followed by Kevin Harvick with 28.

· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Pocono Raceway was the July 23, 2000 race won by Rusty Wallace over Jeff Burton with a MOV of 0.126 second.

· There have been three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Pocono Raceway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): spring of 2005 (200/201); fall of 2005 (200/203); spring of 2010 (200/204).

· Six of the 74 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the event on 8/5/2012.

· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Pocono Raceway five times; most recently the spring of 2013.

· Kyle Larson (8/03/2014) and Casey Mears (8/1/2004) posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Pocono Raceway.

· One active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver has posted his first career win at Pocono Raceway: Denny Hamlin (06/11/06).

· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Pocono with 1,037 laps led in 44 starts.

· Two female drivers have competed at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick. Patrick’s average finish in four starts at Pocono is 32.750.

Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date
Danica Patrick	10	30	8/3/2014
Danica Patrick	16	37	6/8/2014
Danica Patrick	34	35	8/4/2013
Danica Patrick	30	29	6/9/2013
Janet Guthrie	21	28	7/27/1980
Janet Guthrie	22	31	7/30/1978
Janet Guthrie	10	11	7/31/1977

NASCAR in Pennsylvania

· There have been 108 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races among nine tracks in Pennsylvania.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Pocono Raceway	Long Pond	74
Langhorne Speedway	Langhorne	17
Lincoln Speedway	New Oxford	7
Heidelberg Raceway	Pittsburgh	4
Reading Fairgrounds	Reading	2
Bloomsburg Fairgrounds	Bloomsburg	1
New Bradford Speedway	Bradford	1
Pine Grove Speedway	Shippenville	1
Williams Grove Speedway	Mechanicsburg	1

· 141 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Pennsylvania.

· Three of the 141 have won in NASCAR’s premiere series.

Driver	NSCS	NNS	NCWTS
Dick Linder	3	0	0
Jimmy Spencer	2	12	1
Mark Donohue	1	0	0

MILESTONES – Pocono Raceway

DRIVER	HAS	NEEDS	MILESTONE
Jeff Gordon	774	1	775th Consecutive NSCS Start – Gordon is first on the active consecutive NSCS starts list and second on the all-time NSCS list behind Ricky Rudd (788).
Jamie McMurray	449	1	450th Consecutive NSCS Start – McMurray is sixth on the active consecutive NSCS starts list and 17th on the all-time NSCS list.
Cole Whitt	49	1	50th Consecutive NSCS Start – Whitt, Annett and Dillon are tied for the 22nd position on the consecutive NSCS starts list.
Austin Dillon	49	1	50th Consecutive NSCS Start – Whitt, Annett and Dillon are tied for the 22nd position on the consecutive NSCS starts list.
Michael Annett	49	1	50th Consecutive NSCS Start – Whitt, Annett and Dillon are tied for the 22nd position on the consecutive NSCS starts list.
Jimmie Johnson	74	2	76th NSCS Win – Jimmie Johnson is eighth on the all-time NSCS wins list, two wins behind NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt in seventh (76 wins).
Tony Stewart	48	2	50th NSCS Win – Stewart is 13th on the all-time NSCS wins list, two wins behind NASCAR Hall of Famers Junior Johnson and Ned Jarrett in 12th (50 wins).
Matt Kenseth	32	1	33rd NSCS Win – Kenseth is tied with Dale Jarrett for 22nd on the all-time NSCS wins list, one win behind Fireball Roberts in 21st (33 wins).
Dale Earnhardt Jr.	24	1	25th NSCS Win – Earnhardt Jr. is tied with Carl Edwards for 30th on the all-time NSCS wins list, one win behind Joe Weatherly and Denny Hamlin in 29th (25 wins).
Carl Edwards	24	1	25th NSCS Win – Edwards is tied with Dale Earnhardt Jr. for 30th on the all-time NSCS wins list, one win behind Joe Weatherly and Denny Hamlin in 29th (25 wins).
Joey Logano	49	1	50th NSCS Top-Five Finish – Logano is 70th on the all-time NSCS top fives list, two top-fives behind Neil Castles and Cotton Owens in 68th (51).
Jeff Gordon	24,825	175	25,000 NSCS Laps Led – Gordon can become the sixth driver in NSCS history to lead 25,000 laps.
Matt Kenseth	9,594	406	10,000 Laps Led – Kenseth can become the 16th driver in series history to lead 10,000 or more laps.
#43 car	199	1	200 NSCS Wins – The No. 43 car is second on the all-time NSCS wins list, five wins behind the No. 11 car in first (204).

Posted on May 31, 2015 by

Wrecks, penalties, mechanical failure hurt team

DOVER, Del. — After the Sprint Cup Series FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway came to a close, Clint Bowyer walked right up to Denny Hamlin on pit road and offered him a sincere apology.

"I’m so sorry," Bowyer said repeatedly.

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The Michael Waltrip Racing driver had gotten into the back of Hamlin’s No. 11 on Lap 386 of 400, turning the Joe Gibbs Racing driver loose and sending him into the wall. Hamlin had led 118 laps, the second-highest in the race behind Martin Truex Jr.

“We were on those new tires and I thought we were going to really make some hay and we got clear of the 15 (Clint Bowyer)," Hamlin said post-race. "I thought we were going to make a run at it. We never even got a corner through before we got turned around. Disappointed, but we really didn’t have a winning car there at the end of the race.”

Hamlin wasn’t the only JGR driver to face troubles at the "Monster Mile." In fact, all four of the teammates did.

It began with Carl Edwards on pit road around Lap 164, when he pullled away from his pit box with a wedge wrench still stuck in the car, taking a crew member with him who was trying to remove it. Edwards was penalized for taking equipment out of the pit box. Trouble found Edwards again at Lap 254 when he was penalized for speeding on pit road. The No. 19 driver worked hard to make up the time, but ultimately finished 19th and three laps off pace.

"We had a couple problems on pit lane," Edwards said. "But the biggest problem was my speeding. I didn’t realize I couldn’t speed in that segment so I was being a little aggressive and that cost us. I just feel bad for all of my teammates. They were running really well and we all had bad luck. Overall, the JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) cars were very fast this weekend and I still believe we’re on a big upward swing with our Toyotas."

Next to face hardship was Matt Kenseth.

The No. 20 driver was first penalized for too many crew members over the wall on Lap 355 and then on Lap 367, the suspension on his Toyota broke, taking him out of the race and causing him to finish 39th.

Then with 25 laps to go, Kyle Busch collided with Brian Scott, forcing the No. 18 out of the race with a 36th-place finish.

MORE: Scott apologizes after spoiling Kyle Busch’s run

While a lot of what the JGR drives experienced was misfortune, Hamlin spoke about the struggles they’ve faced as a team to gain speed.

"Our cars fade in the middle of the race it seems like," Hamlin said. "We had some good raw speed while the track is clean, but it seems like our cars — they were fifth-place cars for the most part. The 20 (Matt Kenseth), 18 (Kyle Busch), those guys got a little better at certain points of the race, but I still think we have work to do. We’re not the best organization, we’re not the fastest cars by any means right now."

The Sprint Cup Series heads to Pocono Raceway next weekend where Hamlin has the best record of the JGR squad with four wins, nine top-fives and 12 top-10 finishes.