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pocono_080314_larsonpoleKyle Larson ended a four-race top-10 drought with a season-best third-place showing last Sunday at Dover International Speedway.

The No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Chevrolet driver has struggled after entering the season with high expectations stemming from his strong 2014 campaign in which he earned Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.

But maybe Dover is the turning point he can build momentum from.

Larson returns to Pocono Raceway – the site of his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Award – for Sunday’s Axalta “We Paint Winners’” 400 as a legitimate threat to visit Victory Lane. He placed fifth at the Tricky Triangle after winning the pole last June and earned an 11th-place finish there last August.

Through 13 races, Larson ranks 20th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings and has accumulated one top-five and four top-10 finishes. He missed the Martinsville race in March after he fainted at the end of an autograph session the day before.

Last year, Larson finished 17th in the final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings on the strength of eight top fives and 17 top 10s.

If Larson takes the checkered flag this weekend at Pocono, he would become the first graduate of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program and the NASCAR Next initiative to win at the sanctioning body’s top level.

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Kobalt 400 - PracticeAh, how times have changed.

Just last spring, Martin Truex Jr. had to be content with a ninth-place finish at Pocono, the second of only five top-10 finishes he would collect the entire season. This year, however, a mere top-10 showing will fall short of the satisfaction No. 78 is searching for at Pocono.

Currently second in the points standings, Truex is having a standout season by any standard of measure. In 13 starts, he’s finished outside of the top-10 only once, including a stretch of seven straight top 10s to start the season. He has already led more laps in 2015 (389) than he has in all but two total seasons throughout his 12-year NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career, and more than any driver this year not named Kevin Harvick (1,123), Kurt Busch (659) or Joey Logano (464).

Although the most important column on Truex’s stat sheet remains empty (he hasn’t won since Sonoma in 2013), history suggests he’ll eventually reap the rewards of running up front as long as he can keep up the pace. In the past 25 seasons, only one driver (Jeff Gordon, 2010) has finished a full season top-four in laps led without having a win to show for it.

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The Final Lap Weekly Podcast LogoSHOW #361 – Guest: Chris Buescher – We recap Dover and the avalanche of Jimmie Johnson stats, audio, and accolades, Jimmie becomes a home improvement lobster, Logano plays foosball, Vickers gets a TV gig, what is the drivers council and is Yoda involved, plus a full Pocono Preview. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Toby Christie

( Roughly 48:00 mins)

Continue reading “The Final Lap Weekly #361 Chris Buescher – Pocono Preview”

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pocono_080114_hamlinNumbers Never Lie: Hamlin Has Tricky Triangle Figured Out

Pocono Raceway is one of Denny Hamlin’s best tracks.

And Denny Hamlin is one of the best to ever race at Pocono.

At least that’s what the numbers say.

Judging by his statistics, it seems the Virginia native feels right at home at the 2.5-mile Pennsylvania track. In 18 starts at the Tricky Triangle, he’s earned more wins (four), poles (three) and top fives (nine) than he has at any track besides Martinsville.

But Hamlin’s pattern of Pocono dominance transcends personal significance. His four wins are tied for the third-most all-time at Pocono, behind only Jeff Gordon (six) and Bill Elliott (five), and no active driver lays claim to more Coors Light Pole Awards there than Hamlin’s three.

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Phoenix_NSCS_Harvick2_031315NASCAR Penalty Report / Dover International Speedway
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida
June 3, 2015

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
· Trevor Bayne, driver of the No. 6 car, has received a penalty for his actions during the May 31 race (Sections 12.1, 12.8 b and 10.4.2.1 in the 2015 NASCAR rule book). After the No. 6 car was involved in an on-track incident, the driver walked across the racing surface before he was attended to by the track safety crew. Bayne has been fined $20,000 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31.

· The No. 4 team has been assessed a P1 level penalty for receiving written warnings in two consecutive events (Section 12.5.3.1b,c NASCAR rule book). At Charlotte, the No. 4 team received a warning for having to go through pre-race inspection more than three times while during opening day inspection at Dover the car’s exhaust pipe was found to not be in conformance to rule book specifications. The team will receive the last choice in the pit selection process for this weekend’s event at Pocono Raceway.

NASCAR XFINITY Series
· The No. 97 team has been penalized for an infraction occurring during practice on May 29. It is a P3 level penalty (Sections 12.1 and 20.17.2.1b NASCAR rule book). The car had an improperly attached weight that fell out of the car. Crew chief John Monsam has been fined $15,000, suspended from the next championship points race, and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. Car chief David Jones has been suspended from the next championship points race and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. Driver Peyton Sellers and owner Victor Obaika lose 15 series championship driver and owner points, respectively.

· The No. 33 car was found to be too low in the rear during post-race inspection on May 30. This is a P2 level penalty (Sections 12.1 and 20.17.3.2.2b NASCAR rule book). Crew chief Nick Harrison has been fined $7,500 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. Car owner Richard Childress loses 10 series championship owner points.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
· Jennifer Jo Cobb, driver of the No. 10 truck, has received a penalty for her actions during the May 29 race (Sections 12-1, 12.8 b and 10.4.2.1 NASCAR rule book). After the No. 10 truck was involved in an on-track incident, the driver walked across the racing surface before she was attended to by the track safety crew. Cobb has been fined $5,000 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31.