Pocono: 200 laps, 500 miles. Flat track. Tri-angled shaped 2.5 mile track. It combines the three vastly different turns that is flatter than the next with three monstrous straight-aways that give it a feel of being a road course combined with a superspeedway.
Kyle Busch. + 700.
No. 18 M&Ms Toyota. can’t leave him off any list of favorites this year, but he crashed his car in yesterday's practice and will start last (not that big of a deal, in fact, he thrives in this type of situation because he gets to/has to pass everyone else. A big negative is that the Wild Thing ran Friday night's Truck Race (finished second), Saturday's practice (crashed), Saturday night's Nationwide race in Nashville, and today's long-ass race in Pocono. Will fatigue be a factor in this 200-lap, 500-mile race?
Kasey Kahne. + 500. No. 9 Budweiser Dodge. Kahne, who had been missing from action for a year and a half, is hot once again. And he's today's pole sitter.
Matt Kenseth. +1500 No. 17 Dewalt Ford. Has shown signs of shaking free of his early-season problems. Could be a sleeper.
Jimmie Johnson. +500. No. 48 Lowe's Chevy. Johnson has two victories at Pocono. In fact, he swept the season there in 2004, and sits on first row with Kahne.
Jeff Gordon + 800.
(No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet):
Won last years race
Four wins, 15 top fives, 21 top 10s; two poles
Average finish of 10.2
Average Running Position of 11.1, fifth-best
Driver Rating of 97.5, fifth-best
422 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
796 (71.7%) Laps in the Top 15, seventh-most
225 Quality Passes, fifth-most
Kurt Busch +1000. (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) 12/1
Two wins, seven top fives
Average finish of 14.6
Average Running Position of 7.5, second-best
Driver Rating of 116.6, second-best
Series-high 207 Fastest Laps Run
Average Green Flag Speed of 159.711 mph, second-fastest
920 (82.9%) Laps in the Top 15, second-most
190 Quality Passes, ninth-most
Jimmie Johnson + 500. (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) 8/1
Two wins, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 10.7
Average Running Position of 12.5, ninth-best
Driver Rating of 93.8, ninth-best
Average Green Flag Speed of 159.305 mph, fourth-fastest
788 (71.0%) Laps in the Top 15, eighth-most
204 Quality Passes, seventh-most
Mark Martin +1200. (No. 8 U.S. Army Chevrolet) 19/1
Was fast in practice, never won here
19 top fives, 29 top 10s
10.7 average finish
Average Running Position of 11.9, seventh-best
Driver Rating of 95.2, eighth-best
28 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 159.155, eighth-fastest
831 (74.9%) Laps in the Top 15, fourth-most
193 Quality Passes, eighth-most
Tony Stewart +700.
(No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)
One win, five top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 12.4
Average Running Position of 10.5, fourth-best
Driver Rating of 103.2, third-best
36 Fastest Laps Run, tied for sixth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 159.357, third-fastest
879 (79.2%) Laps in the Top 15, third-most
Series-high 266 Quality Passes
Today's winners (take them both):
Carl Edwards: + 500. No. AFLAC Ford. Has big teeth and a big head, and does back flips like a cheerleader. However, never bet with your heart. AFLAC just signed a three-year $78 million deal with Roush Racing and Edwards will get an estimated $12 million a year guaranteed. Had the fastest car in practice.
Denny Hamlin +500. (No. 11 FedEx Toyota) 8/1
Swept both races in 2006
Two wins, three top fives, four top 10s; two poles
Average finish of 2.8
Series-best Average Running Position of 4.6
Series-best Driver Rating of 133.1
172 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
Series-fastest Average Green Flag Speed of 160.242
Series-best 93.9% (663 total) Laps in the Top 15
138 Quality Passes (average of 34.5 per race), ninth-best average
Kyle Busch. + 700.
No. 18 M&Ms Toyota. can’t leave him off any list of favorites this year, but he crashed his car in yesterday's practice and will start last (not that big of a deal, in fact, he thrives in this type of situation because he gets to/has to pass everyone else. A big negative is that the Wild Thing ran Friday night's Truck Race (finished second), Saturday's practice (crashed), Saturday night's Nationwide race in Nashville, and today's long-ass race in Pocono. Will fatigue be a factor in this 200-lap, 500-mile race?Kasey Kahne. + 500. No. 9 Budweiser Dodge. Kahne, who had been missing from action for a year and a half, is hot once again. And he's today's pole sitter.
Matt Kenseth. +1500 No. 17 Dewalt Ford. Has shown signs of shaking free of his early-season problems. Could be a sleeper.
Jimmie Johnson. +500. No. 48 Lowe's Chevy. Johnson has two victories at Pocono. In fact, he swept the season there in 2004, and sits on first row with Kahne.
Jeff Gordon + 800.
(No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet):Won last years race
Four wins, 15 top fives, 21 top 10s; two poles
Average finish of 10.2
Average Running Position of 11.1, fifth-best
Driver Rating of 97.5, fifth-best
422 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
796 (71.7%) Laps in the Top 15, seventh-most
225 Quality Passes, fifth-most
Kurt Busch +1000. (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) 12/1
Two wins, seven top fives
Average finish of 14.6
Average Running Position of 7.5, second-best
Driver Rating of 116.6, second-best
Series-high 207 Fastest Laps Run
Average Green Flag Speed of 159.711 mph, second-fastest
920 (82.9%) Laps in the Top 15, second-most
190 Quality Passes, ninth-most
Jimmie Johnson + 500. (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) 8/1
Two wins, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 10.7
Average Running Position of 12.5, ninth-best
Driver Rating of 93.8, ninth-best
Average Green Flag Speed of 159.305 mph, fourth-fastest
788 (71.0%) Laps in the Top 15, eighth-most
204 Quality Passes, seventh-most
Mark Martin +1200. (No. 8 U.S. Army Chevrolet) 19/1
Was fast in practice, never won here
19 top fives, 29 top 10s
10.7 average finish
Average Running Position of 11.9, seventh-best
Driver Rating of 95.2, eighth-best
28 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 159.155, eighth-fastest
831 (74.9%) Laps in the Top 15, fourth-most
193 Quality Passes, eighth-most
Tony Stewart +700.
(No. 20 Home Depot Toyota)One win, five top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 12.4
Average Running Position of 10.5, fourth-best
Driver Rating of 103.2, third-best
36 Fastest Laps Run, tied for sixth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 159.357, third-fastest
879 (79.2%) Laps in the Top 15, third-most
Series-high 266 Quality Passes
Today's winners (take them both):
Carl Edwards: + 500. No. AFLAC Ford. Has big teeth and a big head, and does back flips like a cheerleader. However, never bet with your heart. AFLAC just signed a three-year $78 million deal with Roush Racing and Edwards will get an estimated $12 million a year guaranteed. Had the fastest car in practice.
Denny Hamlin +500. (No. 11 FedEx Toyota) 8/1
Swept both races in 2006
Two wins, three top fives, four top 10s; two poles
Average finish of 2.8
Series-best Average Running Position of 4.6
Series-best Driver Rating of 133.1
172 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
Series-fastest Average Green Flag Speed of 160.242
Series-best 93.9% (663 total) Laps in the Top 15
138 Quality Passes (average of 34.5 per race), ninth-best average