NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400
The Place: Pocono Raceway
The Date: Sunday, July 24
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
The Purse: $6,828,051
TV: USA, 2:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 400 miles (160 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 30),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 95), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 160)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: Explore The Pocono Mountains 225
The Place: Pocono Raceway
The Date: Sunday, July 23
The Time: 5 p.m. ET
The Purse: $1,337,905
TV: USA, 5 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 225 miles (90 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 20),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 40), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 90)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Next Race: CRC Brakleen 150
The Place: Pocono Raceway
The Date: Saturday, July 23
The Time: Noon ET
The Purse: $702,702
TV: FOX, 11:30 a.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 150 miles (60 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 15),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 30), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 60)
NASCAR Cup Series
Time to get ‘Tricky’ at Pocono Raceway
Unique in its design, the three-turn, paved 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway will host the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend for the M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400 on Sunday, July 24 at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90), the 21st event of the 26-race regular season.
Originally named Pocono International Raceway, the facility opened as a three-quarter-mile track in 1968. Located in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, Pocono Raceway, as what it is known as today, is operated by the family-owned Mattco Inc., started by Joseph II and Rose Mattioli.
Pocono Raceway held the first race on the 2.5-mile track in 1971 and the first NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway was on August 4, 1974. The first Cup Series Pocono event was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty driving the family-owned Dodge (115.593 mph).
There have been 88 NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway, one race from 1974 through 1981, and two races per year from 1982-2021. The 2012 season marked the first year the NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono were scheduled for 400 miles. Prior to 2012, all of the NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono were scheduled for 500 miles in length. The 2020-2021 seasons were the first time the NASCAR Cup Series held doubleheader weekends at Pocono Raceway with the races running at 325 miles and 350 miles in length.
This season will be the 89th-time the NASCAR Cup Series has visited Pocono Raceway. The prior 88 Cup races have produced 46 different pole winners and 39 different race winners.
NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott (1984, 1985 sweep, 1995 and 2002) and Ken Schrader (1989, 1992, 1993 sweep and 1995) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Pocono Raceway with five each. Eleven of the 46 Pocono Raceway Cup Series pole winners (23.9%) are active this weekend, led by Kyle Busch with four Pocono poles (Spring 2010, Fall 2015, 2017 sweep).
| Active Pocono Pole Winners (11) | Poles | Seasons |
| Kyle Busch | 4 | 2017 sweep, 2015, 2010 |
| Denny Hamlin | 3 | 2014, 2006 sweep |
| Kurt Busch | 2 | 2015, 2011 |
| Joey Logano | 2 | 2012, 2011 |
| Kevin Harvick | 1 | 2019 |
| William Byron | 1 | 2019 |
| Daniel Suarez | 1 | 2018 |
| Ryan Blaney | 1 | 2018 |
| Brad Keselowski | 1 | 2016 |
| Martin Truex Jr | 1 | 2016 |
| Kyle Larson | 1 | 2014 |
NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon (1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2011 and 2012) and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep, 2009, 2010, 2019, 2020) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Pocono Raceway with six victories each. A total of 10 of the 39 NASCAR Cup Series Pocono Raceway winners (25.6%) are entered this weekend.
| Active Pocono Winners (10) | Wins | Seasons |
| Denny Hamlin | 6 | 2020, 2019, 2010, 2009, 2006 sweep |
| Kyle Busch | 4 | 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017 |
| Kurt Busch | 3 | 2016, 2007, 2005 |
| Martin Truex Jr | 2 | 2018, 2015 |
| Alex Bowman | 1 | 2021 |
| Kevin Harvick | 1 | 2020 |
| Ryan Blaney | 1 | 2017 |
| Chris Buescher | 1 | 2016 |
| Joey Logano | 1 | 2012 |
| Brad Keselowski | 1 | 2011 |
Make sure to check out all of the NASCAR Cup Series on-track activity this weekend from Pocono Raceway, with practice from 2:35 p.m. ET – 3:20 p.m. ET directly followed by Busch Light Pole Qualifying on Saturday, July 23 at 3:20 p.m. ET. Both events will be televised on the USA Network starting at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Playoff Bubble Trouble: Blaney, Truex hanging on by a thread
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell was on the verge of possibly not making the Playoffs sitting in the final transfer spot on points heading into New Hampshire last weekend, but all that pressure wasn’t enough to stop him from winning his first race of the season and clicking his ticket to his second career berth in the postseason. Now with six races left in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, just two spots are still open to make the Playoffs on points. Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney currently holds one of those positions, 15th, up 105 points on the postseason cutline, and Bell’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr., who dropped to the 16th and final transfer spot on points by virtue of his teammate’s victory, is currently 68 points ahead of Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick in the 17th position – the first spot outside the Playoff cutoff.
Through 20 races this season the NASCAR Cup Series has produced 14 different winners, tied with the 1950, 2002, 2003 and 2011 seasons for the all-time NASCAR Cup Series-most winners through 20 races (1949-2022).
Of the 16 drivers without wins inside the top-30 in points vying for a Playoff spot this season, 11 of them have at least one win at one of the upcoming six tracks that close out the NASCAR Cup Series regular season. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick leads all 16 drivers with the most wins at the upcoming tracks with 12 victories at five of the six tracks, followed by Martin Truex Jr. (six wins at three tracks) Brad Keselowski (five wins at three tracks) and Ryan Blaney (three wins at three tracks). Of the 16, only Bubba Wallace, Cole Custer, Harrison Burton, Ty Dillon and Todd Gilliland are the five drivers without a win at any of the upcoming six regular season tracks left on the schedule. And of the six remaining tracks in the regular season, Daytona International Speedway has the most former winners of the 16 drivers without a win this year vying for the postseason at nine former victors. This weekend’s Pocono Raceway has the second-most number of former active winners without a win this season among the six tracks with five – Martin Truex Jr. (two wins), Ryan Blaney, Kevin Harvick, Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski (each have one).
Cup Playoff Outlook – Drivers Without Wins This Season At Upcoming Regular Season Tracks
| Drive Without Wins This Season | Number of Wins by Track | ||||||
| Pts Pos | Drivers | Pocono | Indy RC | Michigan | Richmond | Watkins Glen | Daytona |
| 15 | Ryan Blaney | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 16 | Martin Truex Jr. | 2 | 3 | 1 | |||
| 17 | Kevin Harvick | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
| 18 | Aric Almirola | 1 | |||||
| 19 | Erik Jones | 1 | |||||
| 20 | Austin Dillon | 1 | |||||
| 21 | Michael McDowell | 1 | |||||
| 22 | Justin Haley | 1 | |||||
| 23 | Bubba Wallace | ||||||
| 24 | Chris Buescher | 1 | |||||
| 25 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 1 | |||||
| 26 | Cole Custer | ||||||
| 27 | Harrison Burton | ||||||
| 28 | Ty Dillon | ||||||
| 29 | Brad Keselowski | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||
| 30 | Todd Gilliland |
Last season’s Pocono winners Bowman and Busch return to looking for another victory
Last season’s doubleheader weekend at Pocono Raceway produced two NASCAR Cup Series winners – Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch. Both drivers have won this season, but neither has visited Victory Lane since the first part of the season, and both would like to defend their wins from last year.
Last season’s first Cup Series Pocono race came down to the finish. Hendrick Motorsports teammates Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson battled it out, swapping the lead in the closing laps, but it was Bowman who would make the final pass on the final lap to take the victory. In total, Bowman led just 16 laps on the day en route to his first win at 2.5-mile track. Bowman has made 12 series starts at Pocono, posting one win (2021), two top fives and four top 10s.
This season, Hendrick Motorsport’s driver Alex Bowman has put up one win (Las Vegas), three top fives and nine top 10s in 20 starts. Bowman is ranked ninth in the Playoff outlook with six Playoff points.
In the second race of last season’s Pocono doubleheader weekend, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch, who finished runner-up in the first event behind Bowman, grabbed the win. Much like the first race, Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch were battling it out in the closing laps, but it was Busch who would take the lead with two to go and sail on to victory. The win was the fourth career Cup win for Busch at the ‘Tricky Triangle’. To accompany those four wins, he has accumulated 11 top fives and 18 top 10s in 34 starts.
Busch is currently ranked seventh in the Playoff outlook after posting one win (Bristol Dirt), six top fives and 11 top 10s in 20 starts this season. He also has collected six Playoff points heading into this weekend.
Age Window of Cup Champions’ First Title
Many of us like to think age is just a number, but is it?
When digging through the stats on the NASCAR Cup Series champions, one three-year age window stands out above the rest when it comes to a driver’s age at the time of their first title – 28-30 years old. Of the 35 different series champions 10 of them (the most in a three-year span at 28.5%) have earned their first NASCAR Cup Series title between the ages of 28 and 30; including four active champions Joey Logano (28), Brad Keselowski (28), Kyle Larson (29) and Kyle Busch (30).
The most recent driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series title in that age group was last season’s champion Kyle Larson, who put together a historic season in 2021, posting 10 Cup Series wins, five of which were Playoff races, tying NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart’s (2011) series record for most Playoff wins in a single postseason run with five each.
| First-Time Champions 28-30 Years Old | Championship Seasons | Age at 1st Title |
| Joey Logano | 2018 | 28 |
| Brad Keselowski | 2012 | 28 |
| Ned Jarrett | 1965, ‘61 | 28 |
| Tim Flock | 1955, ‘52 | 28 |
| Herb Thomas | 1953, ‘51 | 28 |
| Kyle Larson | 2021 | 29 |
| Dale Earnhardt | 1994, ’93, ‘91, ‘90, ‘87, ‘86, ‘80 | 29 |
| Ned Jarrett | 1965, ‘61 | 29 |
| Kyle Busch | 2019, ’14 | 30 |
| Rex White | 1960 | 30 |
Bill Rexford (23 years, 7 months, 15 days) holds the record as the youngest driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series championship (1950). NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison holds the record as the oldest driver to accomplish the feat at 45 years old (1983). Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott is the youngest active driver to win his first championship and did so at the age of 24 in 2020. Plus, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick is the oldest active driver to accomplish the feat, bringing home the hardware at the age of 38 back in 2014.
Statistically, the all-time average age of when a driver wins their first NASCAR Cup Series title is 32.2. The average age of the eight active NASCAR Cup Series champions is 30.0 at the time of their first championship in the series, which is a difference of just over two years (2.2).
| Active Champions | Years | Age at 1st Title |
| Chase Elliott | 2020 | 24 |
| Kurt Busch | 2004 | 26 |
| Joey Logano | 2018 | 28 |
| Brad Keselowski | 2012 | 28 |
| Kyle Larson | 2021 | 29 |
| Kyle Busch | 2019, ’14 | 30 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 2017 | 37 |
| Kevin Harvick | 2014 | 38 |
Looking at this season, seven drivers are currently in the window of 28 to 30 years old and looking for their first NASCAR Cup Series title – Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney (28), 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace (28), RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher (29), Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain (29) and Daniel Suárez (30), Petty GMS Racing’s Ty Dillon (30) and Spire Motorsport’s Corey LaJoie (30). Plus, keep in mind, Joe Gibb Racing’s Christopher Bell (last weekend’s winner) and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe (also a winner this season) are both 27 years old and will be turning 28 at the end of this year in December.
NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.
NASCAR Cup Series announces 2023 Chicago Street Course – From downtown Chicago this week, NASCAR executives along with 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace and City of Chicago officials announced the July 1-2, 2023 weekend will host the NASCAR Cup Series and IMSA on a newly designed Chicago Street Course. The first-time in the series’ history it will compete on a street course.
“Monumental day in the history of our sport at NASCAR,” NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Development Ben Kennedy said, noting the first ever street race will come as the sport marks its 75th anniversary in 2023.
“This is the ideal setting for the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street race. The NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen cars and the IMSA machines will race along the shores of Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago, marking a truly historic moment for our sport.”
The Chicago Street Course will flow through downtown Chicago, Illinois and will have 12 turns stretching a total 2.2 miles. The layout will also feature a start-finish line along South Columbus Drive against the backdrop of the famed Buckingham Fountain.
“When we started talking about this opportunity a year ago, the excitement among all of us and particularly me about the possibilities was just off the charts,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “This is a huge, huge sports town. I think that goes without saying. The opportunity to bring something so unique as NASCAR to the city of Chicago and I think it’s going to be one of the most iconic race courses, maybe ever, and introduce a whole new fan base to what NASCAR is about in the city of Chicago, we couldn’t pass up that opportunity.”
NASCAR Cup Series Featured Matchups: M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400 at Pocono Raceway – Below is a close look at the featured matchups fans can bet on heading into this weekend’s event.
Christopher Bell vs. Kevin Harvick
Christopher Bell won his giant lobster at New Hampshire last weekend, passing Chase Elliott for the lead late in the final stage to get him his first win of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. But his counterpart in this matchup, Kevin Harvick, seemed to have the better car all day. Outside of Martin Truex Jr., who swept the first two stages, Harvick seemed to be the only one that could compete with Truex on the long run. However, his dust-up with Austin Dillon on pit road before the third stage may have hurt his chances of getting his first win of the 2022 season. With Bell all but locked into the Playoffs, Harvick will turn to Pocono, where he has a 109.2 driver rating and one win (2020) in his last six races.
Erik Jones vs. Aric Almirola
These two drivers find themselves right outside the postseason cutline to make the Round of 16. Both of them could use a win to cement their chances of reaching the Playoffs. Almirola has the edge in driver rating at this one-of-a-kind track, with an advantage of 94.0 to 84.3, but Jones has had three top fives in his last six races here. Both drivers will be hungry for a win at the Tricky Triangle and need a good finish to give themselves a chance to reach the Playoffs.
Brad Keselowski vs. Austin Dillon
To the fans delight, Austin Dillon and Brad Keselowski had some frustration with each other during a second stage caution last week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. They both ran their cars into each other, causing damage and hurting each other’s chances of winning the race. Keselowski is the only one of the two to have a win at Pocono (2011) but both drivers will need to win a race at one of the six remaining tracks if they have any hope to reach the Playoffs.
Denny Hamlin vs. Kyle Busch
Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch hold the two best driver ratings at Pocono Raceway since 2019 (Hamlin 120.3, Kyle Busch 118.3). And the two drives should be considered serious contenders for the win this weekend. Hamlin is tied with NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon for the series-most wins at Pocono Raceway with six each and Kyle Busch finished runner-up in the first race of the doubleheader last season and won the second. Expect both to be towards the front on Sunday.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
NASCAR Xfinity Series prepares for the Tricky Triangle
In a fun-filled Saturday doubleheader of racing at Pocono Raceway, the NASCAR Xfinity Series will take to the 2.5-mile track for the Explore The Pocono Mountains 225 at 5 p.m. ET (USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) just after the conclusion the of the CRC Brakleen 150 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular season finale that starts at noon ET (FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
The three-turn, 2.5-mile paved Pocono Raceway has produced six different winners in as many races and three different pole winners.
Kyle Benjamin became the youngest pole winner in 2017 at 19 years, seven months and seven days old while Cole Custer became the oldest pole winner in 2019 at 21 years, four months and nine days old. Custer also earned the title of youngest winner in 2019, having won the race from the pole. Brad Keselowski became the oldest series winner at Pocono in 2017 at 33 years, three months and 29 days old.
Last season, Team Penske’s Austin Cindric took the win over Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs by .331-seconds after starting in the 13th position. Fan favorites Justin Allgaier, Noah Gragson and AJ Allmendinger rounded out the top five.
Among those entered this weekend, Justin Allgaier, Jeremy Clements, Ryan Sieg and Brandon Jones are the only full-time Xfinity Series drivers that have made every start at the track and will make their seventh start at the track this weekend. And of the drivers entered in this weekend’s Xfinity race, Cole Custer is the only previous winner at the 2.5-mile raceway (2019). This weekend, Custer will be back in the No. 07 SS-Greenlight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt Ford, the same team he won with earlier this season at Auto Club Speedway.
The on-track activity for the Xfinity Series will kick off with practice on Saturday, July 23 at 9:35 a.m. ET followed by qualifying at 10:05 a.m. ET. Both events will be televised on the USA Network starting 9:30 a.m. ET.
Hot Streak: Will the Xfinity Pocono different winners streak continue?
Could one of the NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers entered this weekend be ‘Lucky No. 7’? The seventh different Xfinity Series Pocono Raceway winner that is, as the last six races have produced a hot streak of six different winners from 2016-2021. Only one of the six former winners is entered this weekend, Cole Custer, making the odds in the favor of the streak to continue, but they don’t call it the Tricky Triangle for nothing.
Pocono Raceway has seen a different driver in Victory Lane every year since Kyle Larson won the inaugural event in 2016, since then Brad Keselowski (2017), Kyle Busch (2018), Cole Custer (2019), Chase Briscoe (2020) and Austin Cindric (2021) have all hoisted a trophy in the famed Victory Lane.
Interestingly, all the previous Xfinity Pocono winners are now full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers, but Cole Custer will be driving the No.07 SS Greenlight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt Ford for this weekend’s Pocono Xfinity race in hopes of becoming the series’ first repeat winner at the unique track. The 24-year-old driver has three starts at the 2.5-mile speedway, posting two poles, one win (2019), two top fives and three top 10s.
Another driver to watch this weekend that might possibly keep the streak alive, was last season’s Pocono Raceway runner-up finisher, Ty Gibbs. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver almost won last season’s Pocono event and this year leads the series in wins with four victories through 18 races.
JRM’s Justin Allgaier vying for his first title
JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier snagged his third victory of the season, and 19th of his NASCAR Xfinity Series career, last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and doesn’t seem to be letting up in his hunt for a first career title any time soon.
The 36-year-old veteran driver, Allgaier, has been putting up numbers all season long, currently sitting with three wins (Darlington, Nashville, New Hampshire), eight top fives and 12 top 10s – second-most wins this season behind Ty Gibbs’ four.
His record number of wins for one single season is five – a feat he accomplished in 2018 – and with 15 races left this year, he could very well set a new record for himself.
Of the races left on the schedule – Pocono, Indianapolis RC, Michigan, Watkins Glen, Daytona, Darlington, Kansas, Bristol, Texas, Talladega, Charlotte, Las Vegas, Homestead, Martinsville and Phoenix – he has posted top-five and/or top-10 finishes at all 15 tracks and has wins at Darlington (two), Bristol (one) and Phoenix Raceway (two).
Looking to this weekend at the Tricky Triangle, Allgaier will be making his seventh career start. In his previous six starts he’s posted two top fives and three top 10s. He finished third in tis event last season.
Playoff Bubble: Cassill holds on thanks to another repeat winner
Several drivers were hoping to post a win in New Hampshire this past weekend and secure their spot in the Playoffs, but Justin Allgaier stole that opportunity, and now the drivers vying for the final five spots in the postseason will have to try their luck again this weekend at Pocono Raceway.
Seven drivers can breathe easy going into this weekend’s Explore The Pocono Mountains 225 on Saturday, July 23 (USA Network, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) as they’ve already earned their spot in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs on wins – Ty Gibbs (four), Justin Allgaier (three), AJ Allmendinger (two), Noah Gragson (two), Josh Berry (two), Austin Hill (two) and Brandon Jones (one).
Sam Mayer (the highest ranked driver in the points without a win) still sits in the eighth-place position and hopes to join his JR Motorsports teammates Allgaier, Berry and Gragson in the Playoffs. The 19-year-old driver is 151 points above the cutline and has posted eight top fives and nine top 10s in his 18 starts this season. Mayer made his Xfinity Series debut last season at Pocono Raceway, finishing in 18th-place.
Stewart-Haas Racing’s Riley Herbst slides into the ninth position in the Playoff outlook, 132 points above the cutline with two Pocono starts under his belt. In 2020, he raced his way to a top-10 finish after starting in the 24th position, but last year, fell victim to an incident and finished in 35th.
2021 Xfinity Series champ and current Kaulig Racing driver, Daniel Hemric, holds the 10th position in the Playoff outlook with 465 points, 104 points above the cutline after he’s posted two top fives and seven top 10s this season. The North Carolina native is still looking for first win of the season, but has four starts at the Tricky Triangle, posting one top five and three top 10s.
In the final two slots on the Playoff outlook are drivers Ryan Sieg and Landon Cassill. Sieg sits 78 points above the cutline and Cassill, despite being disqualified in post-race inspection last weekend at New Hampshire, is 61 points above the Playoff cutoff. Sieg is one of only four drivers that has made every start at the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway, but he hasn’t had the best of luck with a best finish of 12th in his six starts. Cassill’s only Xfinity Series start at Pocono was last season and he finished 21st.
For several weeks, Anthony Alfredo was sitting just outside the cutline in 13th but after last weekend’s race, Brandon Brown now takes the spot while Alfredo moved down to 15th. Brown has given the Pocono track a go three times and has a best finish of 13th (2019).
NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.
Regular Season Championship chase heats up – Kaulig Racing’s AJAllmendinger still leads the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver standings with 702 points, but with Justin Allgaier’s win last Saturday at New Hampshire, he now claims the second-place spot 16 points back and Ty Gibbs sits in third 28 points back as the series heads to Pocono Raceway with eight races left in the regular season .
Whoever wins the NASCAR Xfinity Series Regular Season championship will guarantee their spot in the postseason and pocket 15 bonus Playoff points.
Since the inception of the regular season title in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2017, five different drivers have won the prestigious award – Elliott Sadler (2017), Justin Allgaier (2018), Tyler Reddick (2019), Austin Cindric (2020) and AJ Allmendinger (2021).
Sunoco Rookie of the Year Update – The 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year class now have 18 races under their belts heading into this weekend’s event at Pocono Raceway.
With two wins (Daytona and Atlanta), Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill is leading the competition with 569 points and currently sits in sixth in the series driver standings. In 18 starts, Hill has put up two wins, eight top fives and 11 top 10s. He has also led 219 laps this season.
Hill’s RCR teammate, Sheldon Creed slides in next in the rookie points this season with 359 points. Creed is currently two slots back from the Playoff cutline (-79) in the postseason outlook. In 18 starts, Creed has managed one top five and seven top 10s.
Kyle Sieg and Jesse Iwuji close out the rookie standings with 132 points and 58 points, respectively.
Drivers pulling double duty at Pocono – Along with Cole Custer, NASCAR Cup Series regular Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will be getting extra laps this weekend by competing in the Explore The Pocono Mountains 225 on Saturday, July 23.
The two-time Xfinity Series champion, Stenhouse Jr., will sit behind the wheel of the No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet. This will be his ninth ever Xfinity Series start. The last time he ran a Xfinity Series race was at Phoenix Raceway in 2016 where he posted a third-place finish.
Xfinity drivers Noah Gragson and JJ Yeley will be vying for a win in the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, as well. Gragson will be driving the No. 16 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing while JJ Yeley will get behind the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular Timmy Hill will also be running two races this weekend. He will be piloting the No. 13 MBM Motorsports Toyota for his fourth Xfinity Series start of the season. His other three starts this season were at Darlington, Texas, and Charlotte.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Pocono Raceway is all set for the Camping World Truck Series regular season finale
Following a thrilling race on the multi-elevational Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course two weeks ago, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series took last weekend off to prepare for the regular season finale this weekend at Pocono Raceway – the CRC Brakleen 150 on Saturday, July 23 at noon ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90) – and is ready to crown the Regular Season Champion and set the 10-driver Playoff field.
The following eight drivers have clinched a spot in the 10-driver postseason field: Zane Smith, John Hunter Nemechek, Chandler Smith, Stewart Friesen, Ben Rhodes, Ty Majeski, Christian Eckes and Carson Hocevar.
Can Clinch Via Points
If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the sixth winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Ty Majeski, Christian Eckes, Carson Hocevar, Grant Enfinger or Matt Crafton.
- Grant Enfinger: Would clinch with 8 points
- Matt Crafton: Would clinch with 37 points
- Derek Kraus: Could only clinch with help
- Tyler Ankrum: Could only clinch with help
If there is a new winner from Derek Kraus or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the fifth winless driver in the standings.
- Grant Enfinger: Would clinch with 27 points
- Matt Crafton: Could only clinch with help
- Derek Kraus: Could only clinch with help
Can Clinch Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone at Pocono Raceway: Grant Enfinger, Matt Crafton, Derek Kraus, Tyler Ankrum, Matt DiBenedetto, Tanner Gray, Chase Purdy, Colby Howard, Timmy Hill
The following drivers could clinch with a win:
- Lawless Alan: Would clinch with 60 points
- Hailie Deegan, Dean Thompson, Austin Wayne Self, Jack Wood, Spencer Boyd and Kris Wright: Could all only clinch with help.
Can Clinch Regular Season Championship
Additionally, the Regular Season Championship could be clinched by the following drivers:
- Zane Smith: Would clinch with 2 points
- John Hunter Nemechek: Could only clinch with help
- Chandler Smith: Could only clinch with help
The on-track activity for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Pocono Raceway will begin with practice on Friday, July 22 at 4:30 p.m. ET directly followed by Cometic Gaskets Pole Qualifying at 5 p.m. ET. Catch both events on FS1.
Zane Smith can almost taste the Camping World Truck Series Regular Season Championship
Front Row Motorsport’s Zane Smith was only two points away from clinching the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Regular Season Championship the last time on track at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course when he finished runner-up to Parker Kligerman. The driver of the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford, Smith, would have sealed the regular season title had he placed one spot higher and won the race, but it wasn’t meant to be. Now, the California native in his third year running full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, has earned three wins, nine top fives, and 13 top 10s in just 15 races this season and can almost taste the series’ Regular Season Championship as he heads to Pocono Raceway this weekend for the regular season finale.
Smith can clinch the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Regular Season Championship with just two points this weekend at Pocono Raceway and claim the 15 bonus Playoff points that come with the prestigious award. Smith currently leads the Truck Series in Playoff points with 22.
If Smith wins the series’ Regular Season Championship, he will become the sixth different driver to secure the title joining Christopher Bell (2017), Johnny Sauter (2018), Grant Enfinger (2019), Austin Hill (2020) and John H. Nemechek (2021).
What Turn 4? Camping World Truck Series returns to Pocono Raceway
For the 12th-time in NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series history, the teams and drivers will head to Pocono Raceway for the CRC Brakleen 150 this Saturday, July 23rd at noon ET (FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), only this time it’s to conclude the regular season.
Located deep within the Pocono Mountains in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, the track famously dubbed as the “Tricky Triangle” has offered races throughout all of NASCAR’s three national series since 1974. Since the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series began racing there in 2010, part-time driver and Truck Series owner Kyle Busch has the been the only repeat winner (2015, 2018). As a result, no full-time Truck Series driver has ever returned to Victory Lane at Pocono after their initial win.
One driver hoping to break that trend is defending Pocono race winner and Kyle Busch Motorsport’s driver John Hunter Nemechek. The series veteran would love nothing more than to cap off his regular season by going back-to-back at Pocono Raceway and becoming the first driver in the series to win consecutive races at the 2.5-mile track. The driver of the No. 4 KBM Toyota has displayed another fantastic showing of talent this season, sitting second in the overall points standings. While challenging Zane Smith for the Regular Season Championship might be almost out of reach with one race left before the Playoffs, there is no telling what is going to happen on Saturday, Nemechek is still mathematically eligible to beat Smith.
Another driver from the Toyota camp to watch out for this weekend is Tyler Ankrum. In his three years of coming to Pocono in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Ankrum has never finished outside the top-10. Two of which were a fourth-place finish in 2021 and a second-place outing in 2019. Seeing as his runner-up came during his previous season behind a Toyota Tundra with David Gilliland Racing, Ankrum should look to carry the same kind of speed in his first time coming to the track with Hattori Racing Enterprises. Expect him to challenge for the win in a last-ditch effort to qualify for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs.
Along with Ankrum, ThorSport Racing teammates Ben Rhodes and Matt Crafton both carry two top fives a piece at Pocono Raceway. The two drivers come into this weekend with two completely different agendas. Already having a win this season. Ben Rhodes will look to have a good run while also affording to be a bit more aggressive in strategy having already secured a spot in the Playoffs. On the flip side, Crafton will most likely be vying for stage points throughout the race as he sits only one spot above the cut-off line for the postseason.
When it comes to winning experience at Pocono Raceway outside of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, a total of five drivers have taken the checkered at Pocono in the NASCAR ARCA Menards Series. This includes Christian Eckes, Ty Majeski, Zane Smith, Grant Enfinger, and Corey Heim. Eckes and Majeski, both drivers for ThorSport Racing, have just about locked themselves into the Playoffs this year on points. However, with neither having a win this year, the two drivers could view this weekend as an opportunity to add one to their stat column and earn some vital Playoff points in the process. Enfinger, sitting ninth in the Playoff standings, would love the reassurance of locking himself into the postseason with a win. And the part-time rookie Corey Heim, having only ran eight races this year and ineligible for the Playoffs, has his sights set on showcasing his talent and adding to his two wins on the season.
One race left to set the Camping World Truck Series 10-driver Playoff field
The CRC Brakleen 150 will officially mark the end of the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Regular Season. While five drivers are locked into the Playoffs with a win, a slew of others hovering around the cutoff-line will try to either sustain their top-10 points position or make a last-ditch effort to win their way in this weekend.
As it stands, ThorSport Racing teammates Ty Majeski (+124 points above the cutline) and Christian Eckes (+112) are the first drivers in on points and both will be making their first career appearances in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs. Both drivers have mirrored each other this season statistically with seven top fives and nine top 10s a piece.
Second-year Niece Motorsports prospect Carson Hocevar sits eighth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff outlook standings; the final driver with a spot already clinched in the Playoffs on points heading into this weekend at Pocono. Although he has yet to reach Victory Lane this year, the 19-year-old from Portage, Michigan has rallied two runner-up finishes to go with five top-five and eight top-10 finishes. Hocevar has regularly competed for wins throughout the season, so he will certainly be a name to look out for in the next few races as he embarks on his second career postseason appearance.
The last two drivers vying to get into the Playoffs on points on the right side of the cutline are GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger (+47 above the cutline) and ThorSport Racing’s Matt Crafton (+19). Enfinger, in his first year back running full-time with GMS, has accumulated three top fives and seven top 10s on the year. With a repeat winner or another driver in the top-10 getting to Victory Lane this weekend, Enfinger can clinch his spot in the Playoffs with being just eight points ahead of the sixth winless driver in the standings. If there is a new winner from a driver below him in the standings that can make the Playoffs, he can clinch his spot being 27 points ahead of the fifth winless driver in the standings following Pocono.
Matt Crafton stands a little closer to the points standings edge heading into this weekend at Pocono, the veteran is 10th in the Playoff standings, the final transfer spot on points. The 21-year Truck Series veteran has raked in one top five and eight top 10s this season. But the pilot of the No. 88 Ford is at considerable risk of missing the Playoffs for the first time since 2006. If he cannot lock his way into the Playoffs with a win on Saturday, he could clinch a spot in the Playoffs if a repeat winner wins and he is 37 points ahead of the sixth winless driver in the standings. If a new winner gets the victory at Pocono this weekend, Crafton will need help to clinch his postseason spot.
Outside the Playoffs looking in with one race to go
It all comes down to this weekend for the drivers just outside the Playoff cutline as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Pocono Raceway for the regular season finale, the CRC Brakleen 150 this Saturday, July 23.
Derek Kraus of McAnally-Hilgemann Racing currently sits 11th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver point standings, one spot out of the Playoffs cutline, 19 points back from ThorSport Racing’s Matt Crafton in the 10th and final Playoff transfer spot on points. The 20-year-old prospect, Kraus, has garnered five top-10 finishes on the year and is looking to make his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff appearance. Kraus has a good amount of momentum going for him this weekend, with three of his top 10s coming in the last five races. Pair that with a 10th-place finish at last year’s Pocono date, the No. 19 team can afford to carry some confidence with one race left to make the Playoffs. Expect Kraus to swing big for stage points and try to stay at the front of the field all race long.
Sitting 12th in driver points standings and 43 points back of Crafton in the 10th and final Playoff transfer spot on points is Tyler Ankrum of Hattori Racing Enterprises. While the drivers ahead of him could lock their way in without taking the checkered, Ankrum is the first among a list of drivers behind him in standings that would need a win to secure a Playoff spot this weekend. A win this weekend for Ankrum is not entirely out of the question, as the driver of the No. 16 Toyota Tundra brought home a fourth-place result at Pocono in 2021 and a second-place finish in 2019.
