Kasey Kahne was last year’s pole and race winner. He would battle back after a pit road miscue, leaving with loose lugs. Other drivers stayed out while he took fuel and tires. He was able to easily outrun the gamblers Brian Vickers and Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the win.
Kahne is not the only strong one here as far as the numbers go; you will even be surprised who is on the list! Read on, as we examine who’s hot at Pocono and who is on a current hot streak.
Brian Vickers would hold on to finish 2nd, with Denny Hamlin claiming 3rd, Dale Earnhardt Jr. 4th and Jeff Burton 5th. Jimmie Johnson, who started beside Kahne on the front row and led the early laps, finished sixth with Matt Kenseth seventh, Kurt Busch eighth despite an early race spin, Carl Edwards ninth after a late puncture ruined his chances and Mark Martin tenth.
Points leader Kyle Busch finished 43rd, after hitting the front stretch wall following a tangle with Jamie McMurray while Dario Franchitti’s return to the cockpit of the #40 Ganassi Racing Dodge ended early after a clash with Sam Hornish Jr.
About The Track
Tri-Oval
2.5 Miles
Banking 1 & 2 – 8 degrees
Banking 3 & 4 – 6 degrees
Backstretch – 3,740 feet
Frontretch – 3,055 feet
Races – 61
Total Laps – 12,014
Total Cars – 2,487
Total Leaders – 650
Total DNF’s – 695
% of DNF’s – 2.45%
Avergage Cautions – 7.57
Average Caution Laps – 31.00
Average DNF’s – 8.00
2008 Winner: Kasey Kahne
2008 Polesitter: Kasey Kahne
Where To Find The Race
TV: TNT, 12:30 p.m. (ET) Live
Radio: MRN/XM/SIRIUS Satellite
*************** POCONO STATS *********************
Top Drivers At Pocono Since 2007 AVG FIN
7.25 – Jeff Gordon
7.50 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
8.50 – Mark Martin
8.75 – Denny Hamlin
10.25 – Ryan Newman
10.25 – Matt Kenseth
11.25 – Carl Edwards
11.25 – Kevin Harvick
12.00 – Tony Stewart
12.50 – Jeff Burton
14.00 – Jimmie Johnson
14.25 – Kasey Kahne
14.25 – Martin Truex Jr.
15.50 – Casey Mears
Team Averages At Pocono Since 2007
11.44 – Hendrick Motorsports
13.17 – Richard Childress Racing
17.20 – Penske Championship Racing
17.65 – Roush Fenway Racing
17.67 – Ginn Racing
17.83 – Joe Gibbs Racing
18.13 – DEI
23.08 – Richard Petty Motorsports
23.43 – Team Red Bull
24.88 – Petty Enterprises
25.25 – Yates Racing
26.50 – Wood Brothers Racing
Pocono Top 10 Leaders Since 2007
4 – Mark Martin
3 – Jeff Gordon
3 – Denny Hamlin
3 – Tony Stewart
3 – Jimmie Johnson
2 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2 – Ryan Newman
2 – Matt Kenseth
2 – Carl Edwards
2 – Kasey Kahne
2 – Casey Mears
1 – Kevin Harvick
1 – Jeff Burton
1 – Martin Truex Jr.
COT Pocono Average Leaders
4.0 – Kasey Kahne
4.5 – Jimmie Johnson
5.0 – Carl Edwards
8.0 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
8.5 – Kevin Harvick
9.0 – Mark Martin
9.0 – Matt Kenseth
12.0 – Jeff Gordon
13.0 – Denny Hamlin
13.0 – Jeff Burton
14.0 – Greg Biffle
14.5 – David Ragan
14.5 – Jamie McMurray
Manufacturer Wins At Pocono Since 2004
5-Chevrolet
3-Ford
2-Dodge
0-Toyota
*************** SIMILAR TRACKS *******************
Top Flat Track Driver Averages Since 2007
8.3 – Mark Martin – 1 win
8.4 – Denny Hamlin – 1 win
8.6 – Jimmie Johnson – 4 wins
10.1 – Tony Stewart – 1 win
10.4 – Jeff Gordon – 2 wins
10.7 – Jeff Burton – 0 wins
12.1 – Carl Edwards – 1 win
Super Speedway AVG FIN Last 5 Years
1.0 – Brad Keselowski * Only 1 race
10.5 – Marcos Ambrose * Only 2 races
13.4 – Kurt Busch
14.0 – Tony Stewart
14.0 – David Ragan
16.3 – Matt Kenseth
16.5 – Kevin Harvick
17.0 – Jimmie Johnson
17.4 – Elliot Sadler
18.0 – Clint Bowyer
18.0 – Max Papis * Only 1 race
18.3 – Ryan Newman
18.5 – Terry Labonte
18.6 – Robby Gordon
18.6 – Kasey Kahne
18.6 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
********************** THIS SEASON ************************
Current Top 15 Season Avg Finishers After Dover
9.6 – Tony Stewart
11.3 – Jeff Gordon
11.7 – Kurt Busch
12.7 – Jimmie Johnson
13.5 – Ryan Newman
14.2 – Denny Hamlin
14.6 – Jeff Burton
15.0 – Greg Biffle
15.3 – Matt Kenseth
16.3 – Kyle Busch
16.5 – David Reutimann
16.6 – Kasey Kahne
17.2 – Mark Martin
17.2 – J.P. Montoya
18.3 – Clint Bowyer
Top AVG Running Position This Season
9.4 – Jimmie Johnson
9.9 – Kurt Busch
10.7 – Tony Stewart
11.0 – Denny Hamlin
11.2 – Kyle Busch
11.3 – Jeff Gordon
12.8 – Carl Edwards
13.8 – Mark Martin
14.8 – Greg Biffle
Top % Run On The Lead Lap This Season
96.94 – Kurt Busch
92.68 – Jimmie Johnson
91.83 – Carl Edwards
90.98 – Denny Hamlin
88.02 – Tony Stewart
87.99 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
87.48 – Mark Martin
87.41 – Jeff Burton
85.43 – David Reutimann
84.18 – Jeff Gordon
80.60 – Ryan Newman
80.23 – Greg Biffle
76.53 – Kyle Busch
76.51 – David Stremme
75.59 – Clint Bowyer
Top % Of Laps Running In The Top 15 This Season
80.6 – Jimmie Johnson
77.0 – Tony Stewart
76.9 – Denny Hamlin
76.8 – Jeff Gordon
76.6 – Kurt Busch
75.8 – Mark Martin
71.9 – Carl Edwards
69.0 – Kyle Busch
66.3 – Jeff Burton
62.0 – David Reutimann
59.2 – Greg Biffle
58.3 – Ryan Newman
48.4 – Kasey Kahne
47.8 – Brian Vickers
47.7 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Wins This Season
3-Kyle Busch
2-Mark Martin
2-Jimmie Johnson
2-Matt Kenseth
1-Brad Keselowski
1-Kurt Busch
1-Jeff Gordon
1-David Reutimann
Manufacturer Wins This Season
6-Chevrolet
4-Toyota
2-Ford
1-Dodge
Manufacturer Start and Finish AVG This Season
**(Using Top 3 Drivers In Each) Start (FIN)
Chevy – 12.4 (11.2)
Toyota – 12.7 (15.7)
Dodge – 18.5 (16.8)
Ford – 18.2 (15.2)
Manufacturer Lap Leaders
Chevy – 1,516
Toyota – 1,210
Ford – 491
Dodge – 441
Who’s Hot This Season Top 15 (Last 5 Race AVG FIN)
4.2 – Ryan Newman
9.8 – Tony Stewart
10.8 – Matt Kenseth
11.0 – Greg Biffle
12.2 – Joey Logano
13.2 – Jeff Burton
14.6 – Kurt Busch
15.2 – Mark Martin
16.4 – Jimmie Johnson
16.8 – Brian Vickers
17.6 – J.P. Montoya
17.8 – Kyle Busch
18.0 – Jeff Gordon
18.6 – Carl Edwards
18.8 – Marcos Ambrose
Who’s Not This Season Bottom 15 (Last 5 Race AVG FIN)
23.4 – Bobby Labonte
23.8 – Paul Menard
23.8 – Scott Speed
24.2 – David Ragan
26.8 – A.J. Allmendinger
28.2 – Clint Bowyer
28.2 – Kevin Harvick
29.2 – David Stremme
30.0 – Michael Waltrip
31.7 – Max Papis
32.3 – Joe Nemechek
33.5 – Jeremy Mayfield
37.8 – Dave Blaney
38.4 – David Gilliland
40.0 – Scott Riggs
Top 15 Points Per Race AVG This Season
142.5 – Tony Stewart
139.0 – Jeff Gordon
137.6 – Jimmie Johnson
135.5 – Kurt Busch
129.2 – Ryan Newman
125.7 – Kyle Busch
125.4 – Denny Hamlin
125.0 – Matt Kenseth
124.5 – Greg Biffle
122.1 – Jeff Burton
121.7 – Carl Edwards
120.5 – Mark Martin
118.2 – David Reutimann
115.5 – Kasey Kahne
113.5 – J.P. Montoya
Top 15 Most Laps Led This Season
616 – Kyle Busch
496 – Jeff Gordon
479 – Denny Hamlin
322 – Kurt Busch
313 – Jimmie Johnson
267 – Greg Biffle
215 – Mark Martin
171 – Matt Kenseth
135 – Ryan Newman
109 – Martin Truex Jr.
90 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
69 – Elliot Sadler
67 – Jeff Burton
54 – Tony Stewart
46 – Kasey Kahne
Top 20 Leaders This Season
11-Kurt Busch
11-Tony Stewart
10-Jeff Gordon
10-Jeff Burton
10-Greg Biffle
9-Ryan Newman
9-Matt Kenseth
9-Kasey Kahne
9-Mark Martin
9-David Reutimann
9-J.P. Montoya
9-Carl Edwards
9-Denny Hamlin
9-Jimmie Johnson
Top 15 Leaders This Season
10-Jeff Gordon
9-Tony Stewart
9-Kurt Busch
9-Jimmie Johnson
9-Denny Hamlin
9-Jeff Burton
8-Matt Kenseth
8-Ryan Newman
7-Kasey Kahne
7-Mark Martin
7-J.P. Montoya
7-Carl Edwards
7-Greg Biffle
7-David Reutimann
Top 10 Leaders This Season
9-Tony Stewart
8-Jimmie Johnson
8-Jeff Gordon
7-Ryan Newman
7-Mark Martin
7-Kurt Busch
7-Greg Biffle
6-Matt Kenseth
6-Carl Edwards
5-Kyle Busch
5-Jeff Burton
5-Brian Vickers
4-J.P. Montoya
4-Kasey Kahne
4-Clint Bowyer
4-Denny Hamlin
Top 5 Leaders This Season
6-Tony Stewart
6-Jeff Gordon
6-Jimmie Johnson
4-Matt Kenseth
4-Ryan Newman
4-Kyle Busch
4-Greg Biffle
4-Kurt Busch
3-Mark Martin
3-Clint Bowyer
2-Jeff Burton
2-Kevin Harvick
2-Carl Edwards
2-Denny Hamlin
2-Brian Vickers
2-David Reutimann
Top Bonus Point Leaders This Season
65-Jimmie Johnson
60-Kyle Busch
45-Mark Martin
45-Jeff Gordon
40-Kurt Busch
35-Ryan Newman
35-Matt Kenseth
35-Greg Biffle
30-Tony Stewart
30-Denny Hamlin
30-Carl Edwards
25-Martin Truex Jr.
25-Brian Vickers
25-David Reutimann
Top Laps Completed This Season
4,246 – Kurt Busch
4,245 – Tony Stewart
4,244 – Jeff Burton
4,239 – Ryan Newman
4,233 – J.P. Montoya
4,228 – Elliot Sadler
4,227 – Martin Truex Jr.
4,206 – Jimmie Johnson
4,202 – A.J. Allmendinger
4,200 – David Reutimann
4,192 – Carl Edwards
4,190 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4,190 – Kasey Kahne
4,186 – Brian Vickers
4,185 – Jeff Gordon
Drivers to watch
Jimmie Johnson – We just seen what the 48 crew can do. He has 2 wins here and both were in 2004. He has 7 top 12′s in 8 races at Pocono. Four Top 6′s in the last 5.
Jeff Gordon – 22 top 10′s over his career here. He has 3 top 5′s in the last 5 here, one being a win.
Carl Edwards – 4 top 10′s in the last 6 races!
Denny Hamlin – 2 wins. His other finishes were 6th, 3rd, 3rd and 23rd.
Mark Martin – He is on a roll this year. Combine that with 4 top 10′s here in the last 4 races, and you have yourself a strong pick. Those last four finishes here were 7th, 9th, 10th and 8th. Consistence is key.
Tony Stewart – Past six races here, five top 10′s. Those finishes were 7th, 3rd, 7th, 5th, 6th, 35th & 2nd.
Ryan Newman – Last 7 races were 5th, 11th, 18th, 2nd, 7th, 18th & 14th.
Kurt Busch – Last 7 races here were 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 16th, 1st, 8th & 38th
Dale Jr. – Last 4 races here were 12th, 2nd, 4th & 12th
Jeff Burton – Last 6 races here were 9th,9th,13th,11th,5th & 21st
Use the stats in this report to help you make your decision on your driver choices. Other factors that may help would be how they do during the practice sessions.
