CONCORD, N.C. – All four full-time Hendrick Motorsports drivers have previously found success at Pocono Raceway—also known as “the Tricky Triangle.” Together, the teammates have helped Hendrick Motorsports earn five consecutive wins in the last five races.
Tune in to FOX Sports 1 this Sunday, June 7, at 1 p.m. ET to catch the wave of the green flag, kicking off the first Pocono race of the season.
Before doing so, check out this week’s pre-race notes for the inside scoop on what to watch for.
THIS WEEK’S PAINT SCHEMES: Kasey Kahne will compete in the No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS this weekend at Pocono Raceway. Teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson will debut the No. 24 Axalta/Penn State Chevrolet SS and No. 48 Lowe’s/Jimmie Johnson Foundation Chevrolet SS, respectively. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will pilot the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS in this weekend’s 2.5-mile event.
QUALIFYING: Qualifying for this weekend’s race will take place Friday, June 5, at 4:45 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1. Practices sessions for this weekend’s event are schedule for Friday, June 5, at noon ET and Saturday, June 6, at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. ET also on FOX Sports 1.
FIVE IN A ROW: With the season sweeps in 2013 and 2014 in addition to Gordon's win in August 2012, Hendrick Motorsports has won five consecutive events at Pocono Raceway. All four full-time Hendrick Motorsports drivers have contributed a win in the streak. It is the second-longest win streak at a single track in organization history behind six consecutive wins at Phoenix International Raceway -- season sweeps in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS AT POCONO: Hendrick Motorsports has fielded a winner in at least one race at Pocono in each of the past four years, including season sweeps in 2013 -- thanks to Johnson and Kahne --and 2014 -- thanks to Earnhardt. In total, Hendrick Motorsports has 17 wins, 12 pole positions, 62 top-five finishes and 109 top-10 finishes at the 2.5-mile triangle.
KAHNE AT POCONO: In August 2013 at Pocono, Kahne started from the 18th position and led 66 laps en route to his second career victory at “The Tricky Triangle.” Kahne also won there in June 2008 after starting from the pole position and leading a total of 69 laps. In his Cup career at Pocono, the driver of the No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS has completed 98.4 percent of laps attempted and has led 217 laps at the 2.5-mile track.
GORDON AT POCONO: Gordon holds the record for most wins at “The Tricky Triangle” with six. The 43-year-old driver leads active drivers in top-five finishes and top 10 finishes. The four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has led 1,037 laps at Pocono Raceway during his 23-year career. That ranks Gordon first on the all-time list at the 2.5-mile track, 227 more than second.
JOHNSON AT POCONO: In the last 20 races at Pocono Raceway, according to NASCAR loop data, Johnson has the second-best driver rating of 106.9. He has an average starting position of 10.5 and has led 738 laps around the track, logging three wins along the way. In 2004, Johnson won both events for the season sweep. Johnson’s latest win came in 2013 when he won from the pole position.
POCONO THREE-PEAT: Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured his first career Pocono Raceway win last spring and followed it up with another victory there in the fall to sweep the track. He will attempt to take the checkered flag for the third consecutive time on Sunday. Just two other drivers have won three in a row at Pocono: Bobby Allison (1982-83) and Tim Richmond (1986-1987). Talladega is the only track where Earnhardt has won three or more consecutive races. He has four straight wins (2001-03) at the Alabama track.
EARNHARDT AT POCONO: In 30 Sprint Cup starts at Pocono Raceway, Earnhardt has completed 97.3 percent of all the laps he's attempted (5,436 laps of 5,587 total) and has led a total of 178 laps at the 2.5-mile track. Earnhardt, the most recent race-winner at Pocono, has had an average finish of 2.5 over the last four races.