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Statistical Advance: Analyzing the M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400

Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, going into 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).

At Pocono Raceway:

Track Qualifying Record:

Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 183.438 mph, 49.063 secs., August 1, 2014

Track Race Record (200 laps/400 miles):

Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 145.384 mph, (03:26:21), June 12, 2011

HISTORY

  • Opened in 1968 as a three-quarter-mile track, Pocono Raceway 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.
  • The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway was on August 4, 1974, and the event was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty (Dodge, 115.593 mph).
  • The 2.5-mile track was repaved during the fall of 2011.
  • 2012 marked the first season the NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono were scheduled for 400 miles.
  • Prior to 2012, all NASCAR Cup Series races were 500 miles at Pocono Raceway.
  • There have been 88 NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway, one race from 1974 through 1981, and two per year from 1982-2021.
  • 2020 marked the first season the NASCAR Cup Series held a doubleheader weekend at Pocono Raceway.
  • The 2022 season is the first season since 1981, the NASCAR Cup Series will only compete at the track once during the 36-race scheduled season.

STARTS

  • A total of 361 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway; 264 have competed in more than one Cup Series race at Pocono.
  • Ricky Rudd leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Pocono Raceway with 55.
  • Kevin Harvick leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with 42 starts at Pocono Raceway.
  • A total of 34 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have made their series debut at Pocono Raceway.
  • The most recent and only active driver to make his series debut at Pocono Raceway is Bubba Wallace (June 11, 2017).
  • Of the 34 drivers that made their first NASCAR Cup Series career start at Pocono Raceway, Jan Opperman posted the best finish with an eighth-place result on August 4, 1974. Opperman started in the 14th position.
  • David Pearson (six starts) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Pocono Raceway with a 4.667.
  • Denny Hamlin (32 starts) leads all active series drivers in average starting position at Pocono with a 7.781.

Top 10 in Average Starting Position at Pocono Raceway (All-Time & Active)

Rank All-Time Drivers Avg Start Races Rank Active Drivers Avg Start Races
1 David Pearson 4.667 6 1 Denny Hamlin 7.781 32
2 Cale Yarborough 7.556 18 2 Kurt Busch 10.195 41
3 Alan Kulwicki 7.769 13 3 Brad Keselowski 11.292 24
4 Denny Hamlin 7.781 32 4 Kyle Busch 11.353 34
5 Benny Parsons 8.667 21 5 Joey Logano 11.615 26
6 Neil Bonnett 8.941 17 6 Kyle Larson 14.286 14
7 Daniel Suarez 9.500 6 7 Martin Truex Jr 14.344 32
8 Mark Martin 9.741 54 8 Daniel Suarez 14.400 10
9 Bobby Allison 9.857 21 9 Chase Elliott 14.500 12
10 Tim Richmond 9.857 14 10 Ryan Blaney 14.667 12

POLES

  • A total of 46 different drivers have won the pole at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
  • Eleven of the 46 Pocono Raceway Cup Series pole winners (23.9%) are active this weekend.
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 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 poles each.
  • Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in Pocono Raceway poles with four (Spring 2010, Fall 2015, 2017 sweep).
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Buddy Baker won the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series pole at Pocono Raceway in 1974 with a speed of 144.122 mph (Ford). Baker finished second in the event.
  • Of the 46 Cup Series pole winners at Pocono Raceway, only six have won consecutive poles: Bill Elliott (1984-85), Mark Martin (1990-91), Ken Schrader (1993 sweep), Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep), Joey Logano (fall 2011 and spring 2012) and Kyle Busch (2017 sweep).
  • Bill Elliott holds the record for most consecutive Cup Series poles at Pocono Raceway with three straight from the Fall of 1984 and both races in 1985.
  • Youngest Cup Series Pocono pole winner: Joey Logano (August 7, 2011 – 21 years, 2 months, 14 days).
  • Oldest Cup Series Pocono pole winner: David Pearson (June 10, 1984 – 49 years, 5 months, 19 days).
  • Four drivers have posted their first-career NASCAR Cup Series pole at Pocono Raceway: Harry Gant (1979), Casey Mears (2004), Kyle Larson (2014) and Daniel Suárez (2018).
  • Eight different manufacturers have won a NASCAR Cup Series pole at Pocono Raceway; led by Chevrolet with 34, followed by Ford (18), Toyota (9), Dodge (8), Pontiac (6), Buick (2), American Motors Company and Oldsmobile (each have one).

WINS

  • A total of 39 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Pocono Raceway.
  • 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
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon (1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2011 and 2012) and Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep, 2009, 2010, 2019, 2020) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Pocono Raceway with six victories each.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty won the first NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway in 1974. Petty ran 500 miles in 4 hours, 9 minutes and 9 seconds with an average speed of 115.593 mph driving a Dodge.
  • 24 different drivers have multiple series wins at Pocono Raceway; including four active drivers: Denny Hamlin (six), Kurt Busch (three), Kyle Busch (three) and Martin Truex Jr. (two).
  • Eight drivers have posted consecutive wins at Pocono Raceway: Bobby Allison (1982 sweep and Spring 1983), Bill Elliott (1985 sweep), Tim Richmond (1986 sweep and spring 1987), Bobby Labonte (1999 sweep), Jimmie Johnson (2004 sweep), Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep and 2009-2010), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2014 sweep), Kyle Busch (2018-2019). Richmond and Allison have won the most consecutive races at Pocono in the Cup Series with  each driver putting up three straight.
  • Youngest Cup Series Pocono winner: Joey Logano (June 10, 2012 – 22 years, 0 months, 17 days).
  • Oldest Cup Series Pocono winner: Harry Gant (June 17, 1990 – 50 years, 5 months, 7 days).
  • A total of four NASCAR Cup Series drivers have posted their first career win at Pocono Raceway; three of which are active this weekend:
First-Time Winners at Pocono Raceway Date
Ryan Blaney Sunday, June 11, 2017
Chris Buescher Monday, August 1, 2016
Denny Hamlin Sunday, June 11, 2006
Jeremy Mayfield Sunday, June 21, 1998
  • 16 of the 88 (18.2%) NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway have been won from the pole (14) or first starting position (two); the most recent was Kyle Busch on July 30, 2017.
  • The two NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway that were won from the first starting position after qualifying was cancelled were the 2009 race (Tony Stewart) and the 2013 race (Jimmie Johnson).
  • 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 in the NASCAR Cup Series – a 18.2% winning percentage.
  • The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Pocono is 29th, by Carl Edwards in the spring of 2005.

NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Pocono Raceway

Starting Position Wins Winning % Starting Position Wins Winning %
1 16 18.18% 13 5 5.68%
2 10 11.36% 14 2 2.27%
3 10 11.36% 15 2 2.27%
4 9 10.23% 16 2 2.27%
5 4 4.55% 18 2 2.27%
6 2 2.27% 19 2 2.27%
7 2 2.27% 22 2 2.27%
8 3 3.41% 23 1 1.14%
9 4 4.55% 27 2 2.27%
10 1 1.14% 28 1 1.14%
11 3 3.41% 29 1 1.14%
12 2 2.27%  
Additional Starting Position Stats Winning % Wins
Winning from the First Starting Position: 18.18% 16
Winning from the Front Row: 29.55% 26
Winning from a Top-Five Starting Position: 55.68% 49
Winning from a Top-10 Starting Position: 69.32% 61
Winning After Starting Outside the Top 10: 30.68% 27
Winning After Starting Outside the Top 20: 7.95% 7
  •  Denny Hamlin (2006) is the only active driver to win at Pocono in his first appearance.
  • AJ Allmendinger leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Cup Series starts at Pocono without visiting Victory Lane at 21.
  • A total of 26 different organizations have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono Raceway.
  • Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Pocono with 18: Jeff Gordon (six), Tim Richmond (three), Jimmie Johnson (three), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (two), Kasey Kahne (one), Geoff Bodine (one), Terry Labonte (one) and Alex Bowman (one).
  • Eight different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono; led by Chevrolet with 33 victories; followed by Ford with 24, Toyota (11), Dodge (seven), Pontiac (six), Buick (four), Mercury (two) and Oldsmobile (one).

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes

  • A total of 38 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished runner-up at Pocono Raceway.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin leads the NASCAR Cup Series in runner-up finishes at Pocono Raceway with seven second-place finishes.
  • Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick lead all active drivers in runner-up finishes at Pocono with five each.

Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Pocono Raceway (All-Time & Active)

Rank All-Time Drivers Runner-Ups Rank Active Drivers Runner-Ups
1 Mark Martin 7 1 Kevin Harvick 5
2 Jeff Gordon 6 Kurt Busch 5
3 Kevin Harvick 5 3 Brad Keselowski 4
Kurt Busch 5 4 Kyle Busch 3
Richard Petty 5 5 Kyle Larson 2

Top-Five Finishes

  • A total of 78 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-five at Pocono Raceway.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famers Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon lead the NASCAR Cup Series in top fives at Pocono with 20 each.
  • Kevin Harvick leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top fives at Pocono with 15 in 42 starts.

Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Pocono Raceway (All-Time & Active)

Rank All-Time Drivers Top Fives Rank Active Drivers Top Fives
1 Jeff Gordon 20 1 Kevin Harvick 15
  Mark Martin 20 2 Denny Hamlin 14
3 Kevin Harvick 15 Kurt Busch 14
4 Bill Elliott 14 4 Brad Keselowski 11
Denny Hamlin 14 Kyle Busch 11
  Harry Gant 14
Kurt Busch 14

Top-10 Finishes

  • A total of 128 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-10 at Pocono Raceway.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes at Pocono Raceway with 34 top 10s.
  • Kevin Harvick leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with 22 top-10 finishes at Pocono Raceway.

Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Pocono Raceway (All-Time & Active)

Rank All-Time Drivers Top Fives Rank Active Drivers Top Fives
1 Mark Martin 34 1 Kevin Harvick 22
2 Jeff Gordon 32 2 Denny Hamlin 21
3 Tony Stewart 24   Kurt Busch 21
4 Bill Elliott 22 4 Kyle Busch 18
Dale Earnhardt 22 5 Brad Keselowski 15
  Kevin Harvick 22  
Ricky Rudd 22  

Average Finish

  • William Byron leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Pocono with an 9.125 in eight starts.

Top 10 in Average Finishing Positions at Pocono Raceway (All-Time & Active)

Rank All-Time Drivers Avg Finish Races Rank Active Drivers Avg Finish Races
1 William Byron 9.125 8 1 William Byron         9.125 8
2 Davey Allison 9.769 13 2 Brad Keselowski       10.583 24
3 Tim Richmond 9.857 14 3 Denny Hamlin       11.125 32
4 Daniel Hemric 10.000 2 4 Ryan Blaney       11.417 12
5 Skip Manning 10.000 2 5 Kyle Larson       11.429 14
6 Jeff Gordon 10.170 47 6 Kevin Harvick       11.738 42
7 Brad Keselowski 10.583 24 7 Daniel Suarez       13.333 6
8 Denny Hamlin 11.125 32 8 Kurt Busch       14.390 41
9 Mark Martin 11.352 54 9 Erik Jones       14.400 10
10 Ryan Blaney 11.417 12 10 Martin Truex Jr       14.719 32

LAP LEADERS

  • A total of 131 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have led at least one lap at Pocono Raceway.

Top 10 Lap Leaders at Pocono Raceway (All-Time)

Rank All-Time Drivers Races Led Completed % Led
1 Jeff Gordon 47 1,040 8,535 12%
2 Geoff Bodine 42 809 6,799 12%
3 Denny Hamlin 32 797 5,142 15%
4 Rusty Wallace 44 754 7,510 10%
5 Jimmie Johnson 38 743 6,381 12%
6 Darrell Waltrip 45 618 7,404 8%
7 Kurt Busch 41 596 6,909 9%
8 Dale Jarrett 42 524 7,481 7%
9 Kyle Busch 34 522 5,256 10%
10 Richard Petty 30 497 4,971 10%

Top 10 Lap Leaders at Pocono Raceway (Active)

Rank Active Drivers Races Led Completed % Led
1 Denny Hamlin 32 797 5,142 15%
2 Kurt Busch 41 596 6,909 9%
3 Kyle Busch 34 522 5,256 10%
4 Joey Logano 26 304 4,186 7%
5 Kevin Harvick 42 277 6,992 4%
6 Martin Truex Jr 32 235 5,191 5%
7 Brad Keselowski 24 227 3,783 6%
8 Kyle Larson 14 116 2,162 5%
9 William Byron 8 70 1,187 6%
10 Aric Almirola 19 67 2,522 3%

 NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the series in laps led with 1,040 laps led in 47 starts.

  • Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in laps led at Pocono Raceway with 797 laps led in 32 starts.
  • Most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway by the race winner was 175 of the 200 scheduled laps (87.5%) on August 5, 2007, by race winner Kurt Busch.
  • Most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway by a driver that did not win the race was 154 of the scheduled 200 laps (77%) on June 9, 1985, by Geoff Bodine; he finished fourth.
  • The fewest laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway by the race winner is just two laps led on August 2, 2015, by Matt Kenseth; he started the race from the seventh starting position. Kenseth led one lap (88) earlier in the race and took the lead on the final lap to win the event.

TRACK SPECIFIC STATS

  • Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway is the July 23, 2000 race, that was won by Rusty Wallace over Jeff Burton with a margin of victory of 0.126 second.

Top 10 Closest Margins of Victory at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series

Rank Margin of Victory Winner Runner-Up Date
1 0.126 Rusty Wallace Jeff Burton Sunday, July 23, 2000
2 0.139 Ryan Blaney Kevin Harvick Sunday, June 11, 2017
3 0.190 Dale Jarrett Jeff Gordon Sunday, July 16, 1995
4 0.228 Dale Earnhardt Jr Kevin Harvick Sunday, August 3, 2014
5 0.280 Rusty Wallace Dale Earnhardt Sunday, June 12, 1994
6 0.300 Rusty Wallace Ricky Rudd Sunday, July 21, 1996
7 0.307 Ryan Newman Kurt Busch Sunday, July 27, 2003
8 0.340 Bobby Labonte Jeff Gordon Sunday, June 20, 1999
9 0.340 Jeremy Mayfield Jeff Gordon Sunday, June 21, 1998
10 0.341 Denny Hamlin Erik Jones Sunday, July 28, 2019
  • Since the advent of electronic scoring the largest margin of victory (MOV) in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway is the August 2, 2015 race, that was won by Matt Kenseth over Brad Keselowski with a margin of victory of 9.012 seconds.
  • There have been four NASCAR Cup Series races resulting with NASCAR Overtime at Pocono.

NASCAR Overtime Races at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series

Scheduled Laps Actual Laps NASCAR Overtime Winner Date
160 163 3 Denny Hamlin Sunday, July 28, 2019
160 164 4 Kyle Busch Sunday, July 29, 2018
200 204 4 Denny Hamlin Sunday, June 6, 2010
200 203 3 Kurt Busch Sunday, July 24, 2005
200 201 1 Carl Edwards Sunday, June 12, 2005
  • Seven of the 88 Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions.

Weather Shortened Races at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series

Scheduled Date Scheduled Actual Fewer Laps Winners
Sunday, July 31, 2016 160 138 -22 Chris Buescher
Sunday, August 5, 2012 160 98 -62 Jeff Gordon
Sunday, June 10, 2007 200 106 -94 Jeff Gordon
Sunday, July 28, 2002 200 175 -25 Bill Elliott
Sunday, July 21, 1991 200 179 -21 Rusty Wallace
Sunday, July 20, 1986 200 150 -50 Tim Richmond
Sunday, August 4, 1974 200 192 -8 Richard Petty
  • Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono Raceway six times; twice the driver who started first after qualifying was cancelled won the event.

NASCAR Cup Series Races with Qualifying Cancelled at Pocono Raceway

Date Started First Due To Qualifying Cancelled Finishing Position
Sunday, June 9, 2013 Jimmie Johnson 1
Sunday, June 9, 2002 Sterling Marlin 4
Sunday, June 6, 1982 Terry Labonte 5
Sunday, June 7, 2009 Tony Stewart 1
Monday, August 3, 2009 Tony Stewart 10
  • Qualifying has also been cancelled the last four races (2020-2021) due to pandemic restrictions.

FEMALE COMPETITOR STATS

  • Two female drivers have competed at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick.

Female Competitor Stats at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series

Driver Starting Position Finishing Position Date
Danica Patrick 22 15 7/30/2017
Danica Patrick 24 16 6/11/2017
Danica Patrick 26 22 8/1/2016
Danica Patrick 33 32 6/6/2016
Danica Patrick 20 16 8/2/2015
Danica Patrick 22 37 6/7/2015
Danica Patrick 10 30 8/3/2014
Danica Patrick 16 37 6/8/2014
Danica Patrick 34 35 8/4/2013
Danica Patrick 30 29 6/9/2013
Averages 23.7 26.9
Driver Starting Position Finishing Position Date
Janet Guthrie 21 28 7/27/1980
Janet Guthrie 22 31 7/30/1978
Janet Guthrie 10 11 7/31/1977
Averages 17.7 23.3

NASCAR IN PENNSYLVANIA

  • There have been 163 NASCAR national series races among 10 tracks in the state of Pennsylvania.
  • Among the 10 tracks in Pennsylvania, Pocono Raceway has hosted the most NASCAR national series events.
  • The first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Pennsylvania was the NASCAR Cup Series event held on September 11, 1949 at Langhorne Speedway and won by Curtis Turner (Oldsmobile).
  • The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway was on August 4, 1974, and the event was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty (Dodge, 115.593 mph).

NASCAR Tracks in Pennsylvania

Track Name City Cup Xfinity Truck Combined First Year
Pocono Raceway Long Pond 88 6 12 106 1974
Bloomsburg Fairgrounds Bloomsburg 1 0 0 1 1953
Heidelberg Raceway Pittsburgh 4 0 0 4 1949
Langhorne Speedway Langhorne 17 0 0 17 1949
Lincoln Speedway New Oxford 7 0 0 7 1955
Nazareth Speedway Nazareth 0 17 6 23 1988
New Bradford Speedway Bradford 1 0 0 1 1958
Pine Grove Speedway Shippenville 1 0 0 1 1951
Reading Fairgrounds Reading 2 0 0 2 1958
Williams Grove Speedway Mechanicsburg 1 0 0 1 1954
Totals 122 23 18 163

PENNSYLVANIA DRIVERS IN NASCAR

  • A total of 150 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Pennsylvania.
  • Three of the 150 Pennsylvania drivers have won in NASCAR’s premiere series.

Pennsylvania Winners in NASCAR

Race Winners Cup Xfinity Truck Combined
Dick Linder 3 0 0 3
Jimmy Spencer 2 12 1 15
Mark Donohue 1 0 0 1
Totals 6 12 1 19

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