Six-time Champion Jimmie Johnson Could Earn Third Win of the Season at Pocono

Although some were wondering, 11 winless races in the season were never a concern for Jimmie Johnson and his No. 48 team.

Johnson picked up his first winner decal at Charlotte and he placed the second decal on his car the next week at Dover, closing out the first half of the 26-race regular season of the Sprint Cup Series. 

And many think it’s possible Johnson will pick up his third-straight win at Pocono on Sunday – and with good reason.  Johnson is the last driver to win three consecutive races – in 2004 he won three straight and in 2007 he won four consecutive.

Johnson’s history at Pocono is another good reason. In addition to winning there in June 2013, he swept the tracks two races in 2004. his third full-time season in the Sprint Cup Series. Overall at Pocono he has an average finish of 8.8 across his 24 starts with a 109.3 Driver Racing; both stats are series bests.

Already at the top of the points leaderboard, another win for Johnson at Pocono gives the rest of the competition reason to step up their game, as the 48 team keeps their focus on winning their seventh championship.

At Pocono, Kahne Is Able

It took one lap to realize something was wrong.

Last June, Kasey Kahne took the green flag to start the 160-lap race. Seconds later, a vibration rattled his No. 5 Chevrolet, forcing Kahne to take it to the garage after one lap for what was later diagnosed as a problematic U-joint.

Any shot at victory was over. And it was too bad. He probably would’ve won.

After fixing the problem, Kahne came back to the track and tallied more fastest laps than anyone in the race (51) – despite a 36th-place finish. A couple of months later, he won at Pocono.

What could’ve been …

Kahne has now gone 28 starts without a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory, dating back to his August win in Pocono. He led 66 laps en route to his 16th career win that race, and if not for the mechanical troubles in the June Pocono event, may have swept the two Pocono events

In 20 starts at Pocono, Kahne has two Coors Light Poles, two wins, five top fives and seven top 10s.

It would behoove Kahne to recapture that Pocono glory. Currently 18th in points and without a victory, he’s on the outside looking in, on a potential spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. A win, of course, would all but lock him in.

Points Leader Kenseth Finds Pocono Tricky, Indeed

Something’s gotta give.

Matt Kenseth has finished third in the last two races. He now has ten top-ten finishes, more than any other driver in the series. He also now has the points lead, ending Jeff Gordon’s six-race stranglehold on the top spot.

But, he still doesn’t have a win.

A win at Pocono would check off two boxes: a first 2014 win (and near-guaranteed Chase spot) and a first Pocono win (it’s one of six tracks at which Kenseth has not won).

Bottom line – Kenseth is arguably the most prominent name on the 2014 winless list, and that fact gets magnified each week. So, could the series points leader’s recent momentum turn into a trip to Victory Lane on Sunday? Let’s take a look at the stats:

Three top-five finishes at Pocono

In 28 races, average finish is 14.9

Driver Rating at Pocono is 89.6, which ranks in the top-ten

A veteran, Kenseth’s keeping calm about having no winner decals affixed to the No. 20 car.

“Panicking has never helped anything,” says Kenseth. “Like I said, I feel like we’re gaining on it.  We’ve just been off a little bit all year… We’re digging hard trying to figure it out.  We’re just not quite there yet.”

 

Milestone watch and other notes

The long wait is over. At Dover, Kyle Busch led 81 laps to eclipse 10,000 laps led for his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career. He became the 15th driver in NSCS history to do so.

Though he limped home 38th at Dover, Greg Biffle extended his streak of races without a DNF (did not finish) to 85 consecutive races – a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series record.

TNT will begin its six-week “NASCAR Summer Series” this weekend at Pocono Raceway, following a 13-week race broadcasting stretch by FOX to open the season.

Eight drivers will attempt to make their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Pocono, including Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings leader Kyle Larson. He’ll have at least some in-race experience before Sunday; after winning in the ARCA race on Saturday.

Also on the “first-timers” list is Justin Allgaier, who will make his 200th career NASCAR national series start Sunday.