Joe Gibbs Racing and Team Penske have combined to win 12 of the first 13 points races of the season, leading to the question of if anyone can beat them and will it happen today at Pocono Raceway.
Joe Gibbs Racing drivers have won the past three Pocono races. Kyle Busch has two wins and Martin Truex Jr. won this race a year ago when he was at Furniture Row Racing. Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney won this race in 2017 while driving for the Wood Brothers.
Here’s all the info you need for today’s event:
(All times are Eastern)
START: Lt. General Giovanni Tuck, U S Air Force Joint Staff, Lt. General Todd Semonite Commander Army Corp of Engineers & Major General Andrew Schafer, Commanding General 28th Infantry, PA National Guard will give the command to start engines at 1:49 p.m. The green flag is scheduled to wave at 2 p.m.
PRERACE: Garage opens at 9 a.m. The driver/crew chief meeting is at noon. Driver introductions begin at 1:15 p.m. The invocation will be given by Monty Self of Motor Racing Outreach at 1:42 p.m. Technical Sergeant Chris Whiting, USAF, Security Forces, Dover AFB, Delaware, will perform the National Anthem at 1:43 p.m.
DISTANCE: The race is 160 laps (400 miles) around the 2.5-mile track.
STAGES: Stage 1 ends on Lap 50. Stage 2 ends on Lap 100.
COMPETITION CAUTION: Lap 20
TV/RADIO: FS1 will broadcast the race at 2 p.m. Coverage begins at 12:30 p.m. with NASCAR RaceDay. Motor Racing Network will broadcast the race. MRN’s coverage begins at 1 p.m. SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry MRN’s broadcast, which is also available at mrn.com.
FORECAST: wunderground.com calls for cloudy skies with a high of 68 degrees and a 15% chance of isolated thunderstorms for the start of the race. The threat of thunderstorms increases as the race progresses.
LAST TIME: Martin Truex Jr. won this race a year ago, finishing ahead of Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch. In the July race, Kyle Busch won and was followed by Daniel Suarez and Alex Bowman.
TO THE REAR: Matt DiBenedetto (engine change)
STARTING LINEUP: Click here for starting lineup
