One thing fantasy players cannot complain this week is a lack of uniqueness where Pocono Raceway is concerned.
If a three-turned track with three distinctive radiuses to the corners, three distinctive degrees of banking, and three distinctive lengths to the straightaways is not enough differentiate this track, then there is no pleasing critics. Pocono is one of the longest tracks on the circuit and with its flat corners and tight turns, it takes the greatest amount of time to complete a lap there.
The longest straight leads to the corner with the most banking. From there through turn three, the straights get shorter and the banking less steep so that the effect is like a corkscrew. Eventually drivers have to tiptoe through the final turn and then strain their engines to beat the competition to the next left-hand swerve.
It can take a while to adjust to Pocono, but once that happens, it is possible to string some strong runs together. Sweeping Victory Lane in a season is not uncommon. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the latest driver to do so in 2014. Before his sweep, Denny Hamlin won back-to-back summer and spring events in 2009/2010, as well as famously doing so in during his rookie season. Harvick finished second in consecutive races in 2014/2015.
Four-, five-, or even six-week streaks of top-fives and -10s are not rare and when they are broken up, it is typically because of pit strategy that goes awry.
One reason for this is because Pocono’s two races are held close to one another on the schedule that track conditions and momentum does not change appreciably. Only six races get run between the waving of the checkered flag over the Pocono 400 and the green on the Pennsylvania 400 and two of those are held on flat tracks.
Or head to the Previews Page to download if you have already subscribed.