2018 Pocono 400 Betting Preview
When: Sunday 2 p.m. ET Where: Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania TV: Fox Sports 1 Streaming: Fox Sports GoDid you know: We’ve seen 12 different winners in the past 13 races at @PoconoRaceway.
Can you name the only driver to visit Victory Lane twice in that span? pic.twitter.com/IHQwNOpm1G — NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 31, 2018
Pocono Background
Pocono Raceway is a 2.5-mile track and has three turns with differing degrees of banking and long straightaways. It’s nicknamed the “Tricky Triangle” for the challenge it creates for drivers and crew chiefs. The first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race was in 1974 – won by Richard Petty, Dodge, 115.593 mph, on August 4, 1974. The year 2012 marked the first season the NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono were scheduled for 400 miles. Prior to that, all NASCAR Cup Series races were 500 miles. There have been 80 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway, one race from 1974 through 1981, and two per year since. The average starting position for the past 10 winners at Pocono has been 8.2, and only two of the past 10 have started outside the Top 10. The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (16) than any other starting position at Pocono Raceway – a 20% winning percentage. Thirty-seven drivers have won at Pocono Raceway, and 22 drivers have multiple wins, led by Jeff Gordon with six victories (1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2011 and 2012). 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). Over the last 13 Monster Energy Series races at Pocono Raceway, 12 drivers have visited Victory Lane, with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s season sweep in 2014 making him the only repeater within the 13-race span.Last Year
Last year, Ryan Blaney won his first NASCAR Cup Series event here in his 68th career race at the time. Blaney’s radio was busted and he had no communication with his team after about the first 40 laps. After a restart on Lap 148 of 160, Blaney grabbed the lead from polesitter Kyle Busch on Lap 151. He was dogged by Kevin Harvick for the final eight laps, but Blaney held off the 2014 series champion. Blaney became the 18th different driver to win for the Wood Brothers and the first since Trevor Bayne took the checkered flag in the 2011 Daytona 500. Then 23, Blaney also became the youngest first-time winner since Bayne, who was 20 years old when he won Daytona. Harvick, whose engine survived a missed shift at the end of Stage 2, was second and Erik Jones finished a career-best third. Kurt Busch ran fourth, followed by Brad Keselowski, who started on the front row beside Kyle Busch on the final restart but lost positions through the first corner.Pocono 400 Favorites
