Last week, Kasey Kahne won the Crown Royal 400 at the Brickyard despite entering the race with odds of +8,800. That just goes to show how unpredictable NASCAR races can be. With only six races are left on the series, we still have a chance to see long shots like Kahne score an improbable victory. Will the same happen this weekend at the Pocono Raceway? Or will a favorite show who’s the boss?
Busch found himself inside the top 10 in his last visit to Long Pond back in June, when he finished ninth at the Axalta We Paint Winner 400. That Busch was able to finish that high in the said race shouldn’t come as a surprise to those who have watched him race at the track throughout his career. While Busch hasn’t won a race there, his 8.38 average finish in intermediate tracks is third best among all drivers since 2015. In addition, Busch has three top 10’s in his last five appearances at the Pocono Raceway. Moving over to Martin Truex Jr, we got a driver who actually has won in Long Pond. Truex, finished first at the Axalta We Paint Winner 400 back in 2015. He finished sixth in the same race last June. Busch is +500 to win the 2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Championship.
Sleeper: Denny Hamlin
It’s a bit funny that early odds from Las Vegas, has Hamlin installed with odds of around +1,000. A quick glance at the dude’s body of work at Pocono Raceway suggests that he’s not the type you want to bet against in Long Pond. Hamlin has four wins at the track with nine top 5’s, though all of them happened before this decade began. His last win there was in 2010. Still, his 12.13 career average finish at Pocono is second best among all active drivers so look for him to grit and grind for at least a decent finish this weekend.
Long Shot: Ryan Newman
It’s not too late for Newman to take another win on the series. Newman only has a win so far this season, which was a first-place in last March’s Good Sam 500 in Phoenix. Sitting on the 15th position in the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup standings, Newman could use the momentum he got from a third-place finish in last week’s race at Crown Royal 400 at the Brickyard to surprise the field in Long Pond. Newman has a pair of top five finishes over his last four races.
Writer’s Prediction
Denny Hamlin rediscovers his dominance at the track with a win.
