NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono-1 Preview and Best Bet
NASCAR Cup Series: Pocono Organics 325 In Partnership With Rodale Institute
Saturday, June 26, 2021 at 3 p.m. ET (NBCSN) at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Race Info
NASCAR's Cup Series will continue this upcoming Saturday with the Pocono 325.
This race is the first of a weekend double-header, the first of the season, which will be concluded on Sunday by another race in Pocono.
But for now, let's focus on the first, the one that will take place on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania's NASCAR racing track.
For this racing event, drivers must complete 130 laps.
As is the norm, this event is composed of three stages.
Stage 1 requires 25 laps. Stage 2 consists in 52 laps. The final stage requires 53 laps.
Just like in previous weeks, an entry list has officially been published for this race.
So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we know which drivers will compete in this event.
As usual, the starting lineup has been set by a predetermined formula.
There will be neither practice nor qualifying for the race on this track, which NASCAR drivers are familiar with.
But there is one thing to note about this weekend because it is a doubleheader.
Drivers will have to prepare to use the same car for both races.
If a driver resorts to utilizing a different car for Sunday's race, then that driver will have to start Sunday's race from the rear.
Track Info
The Pocono Raceway, which will host both Saturday's and Sunday's races, is a long track. Each lap is 2.5 miles long.
So in completing 130 laps, drivers will have accumulated 325 miles.
There are three turns, which have a slight to moderate degree of banking.
Turn 1 is banked at 14 degrees. Turn 2 is banked at eight degrees. Turn 3 is banked at six degrees.
This asphalt track is a bit tricky to characterize.
Some call it a tri-oval. But the turns are hardly comparable to tracks that have been established to be tri-ovals. The three turns also differ in length.
So it is sort of a weird tri-oval, one that the racing teams need to do a uniquely good job preparing their car for.
Drivers To Avoid
Be sure to avoid investing in Joey Logano in any form or fashion at this track.
At Pocono, Logano has failed to reach the top 10 in three consecutive tries.
Logano even failed to reach the top 20 in his last two races at Pocono.
He has failed despite enjoying strong starting positioning in the top-six.
Also avoid relying on Martin Truex Jr.
Truex Jr. is unreliable at this track. Generously put, he's hit-or-miss at Pocono and there are drivers who are much more worth relying on.
His overall racing form is also very poor as he's finished outside the top 10 in five of his last six races and outside the top 20 in three of them.
Also don't rely on Brad Keselowski. Keselowski may be an alluring option because he's been pretty decent in his overall and more recent history at Pocono.
But this season, he is unreliable. He's finished outside the top 10 in six of his last seven overall races.
I also don't like Denny Hamlin here. He did perform excellently at Pocono last season. But he also had an awesome overall season.
This year, Hamlin is not as fast. He's failed to finish top-20 in his last two races.
My Guy
I like Kevin Harvick. Saturday presents a strong opportunity for him to build off of his fifth-placed finish last week at Nashville.
Harvick has finished top-six in his last three races at Pocono and top-nine in nine of his last 10 races at this track.
His return to strong overall form and his history at this track promise a good effort from him on Saturday.
For the above reasons, take Harvick to win on Saturday.
Best Bet: Kevin Harvick To Win (Odds TBA)
NASCAR Cup Series: Pocono Organics 325 In Partnership With Rodale Institute
Saturday, June 26, 2021 at 3 p.m. ET (NBCSN) at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Race Info
NASCAR's Cup Series will continue this upcoming Saturday with the Pocono 325.
This race is the first of a weekend double-header, the first of the season, which will be concluded on Sunday by another race in Pocono.
But for now, let's focus on the first, the one that will take place on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania's NASCAR racing track.
For this racing event, drivers must complete 130 laps.
As is the norm, this event is composed of three stages.
Stage 1 requires 25 laps. Stage 2 consists in 52 laps. The final stage requires 53 laps.
Just like in previous weeks, an entry list has officially been published for this race.
So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we know which drivers will compete in this event.
As usual, the starting lineup has been set by a predetermined formula.
There will be neither practice nor qualifying for the race on this track, which NASCAR drivers are familiar with.
But there is one thing to note about this weekend because it is a doubleheader.
Drivers will have to prepare to use the same car for both races.
If a driver resorts to utilizing a different car for Sunday's race, then that driver will have to start Sunday's race from the rear.
Track Info
The Pocono Raceway, which will host both Saturday's and Sunday's races, is a long track. Each lap is 2.5 miles long.
So in completing 130 laps, drivers will have accumulated 325 miles.
There are three turns, which have a slight to moderate degree of banking.
Turn 1 is banked at 14 degrees. Turn 2 is banked at eight degrees. Turn 3 is banked at six degrees.
This asphalt track is a bit tricky to characterize.
Some call it a tri-oval. But the turns are hardly comparable to tracks that have been established to be tri-ovals. The three turns also differ in length.
So it is sort of a weird tri-oval, one that the racing teams need to do a uniquely good job preparing their car for.
Drivers To Avoid
Be sure to avoid investing in Joey Logano in any form or fashion at this track.
At Pocono, Logano has failed to reach the top 10 in three consecutive tries.
Logano even failed to reach the top 20 in his last two races at Pocono.
He has failed despite enjoying strong starting positioning in the top-six.
Also avoid relying on Martin Truex Jr.
Truex Jr. is unreliable at this track. Generously put, he's hit-or-miss at Pocono and there are drivers who are much more worth relying on.
His overall racing form is also very poor as he's finished outside the top 10 in five of his last six races and outside the top 20 in three of them.
Also don't rely on Brad Keselowski. Keselowski may be an alluring option because he's been pretty decent in his overall and more recent history at Pocono.
But this season, he is unreliable. He's finished outside the top 10 in six of his last seven overall races.
I also don't like Denny Hamlin here. He did perform excellently at Pocono last season. But he also had an awesome overall season.
This year, Hamlin is not as fast. He's failed to finish top-20 in his last two races.
My Guy
I like Kevin Harvick. Saturday presents a strong opportunity for him to build off of his fifth-placed finish last week at Nashville.
Harvick has finished top-six in his last three races at Pocono and top-nine in nine of his last 10 races at this track.
His return to strong overall form and his history at this track promise a good effort from him on Saturday.
For the above reasons, take Harvick to win on Saturday.
Best Bet: Kevin Harvick To Win (Odds TBA)
