NASCAR drivers move towards the Pocono Cup
It had always been great to have NASCAR back to its hometown in Charlotte, N.C. However, in this season, the two-week stopover made history. Kurt Busch flavoured a double scope treat! One for his victory at the Sprint All-Star Race and the other one was the ever exciting Coca-Cola 600.
After the thrilling event at Charlotte, the Sprint Cup series returns to the Keystone State. The Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 is scheduled here which is being presented by Target at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond. This race stands at the middle of the 26-races that are scheduled in a season leading up to the last 10-race chase for the Sprint Cup.
This season has been lucky for the Busch brothers, Kurt and Kyle, who out of their last five races have been successful in winning four. Their current form spells that they would love to keep threading in more victories to their string in this season.
The path at the Pocono Raceway that spreads over a distance of 2.5-mile triangular layout is contrasting to the Charlotte's 1.5-mile oval layout. After running at the Charlotte, one could think that the drivers might have a tough time at this track but while talking about Kurt, one can predict some good things to happen. He seems to be comfortable at Pocono as he had proved earlier by winning the Pocono Cup twice.
In the year 2004, NASCAR Sprint Cup title season Kurt marked his first victory at this track with the Roush Fenway Racing. It took him just another three years to grab his second success in 2007 alongside current team owner Roger Penske.
The younger of the brothers, Kyle Busch, who is soon going to make his 200th career Sprint Cup start, has so far not been able to bag any victory at Pocono.
Jeff Burton, who had been a winner at Pocono, would also be giving his best here as he is trying to pull out anything that could stop him from winning. However, Jeff was not very happy with the younger Busch owing to the late-race incident at Charlotte. As a result, a head to head war is expected here between the two brothers.
But one can never overlook the fact that Denny Hamlin and his crew chief Mike Ford have come in with full support. Whenever Hamlin is at the tracks, expectations mount up. Hamlin is a three times winner at the Pocono including his last victory in July, 2009. This three-time winner is expected to give a spectacle worth watching for the race fans.
In the year 2006, Hamlin was successful in getting pole positions in both the Pocono events. It was the same year when he was heading towards winning the 2006 NASCAR Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year Award. Even this year, even his knee injury could not stop him from clinching three victories so far and landing at the first slot. Let’s see if the driver is able to match his four times record from the 2009 season, which is the highest season wins of his career so far.
Another driver to look after in the next race is Tony Stewart, who had won twice at this "Tricky Triangle."
Lastly and more importantly, how can one forget Jeff Gordon, who leads the active drivers’ tally at Pocono with his four wins? He last powered to the victory podium at the same track in 2007. He has remained unhappy and frustrated due to a scarcity of victories to his name so far in this season. On a positive note, the driver managed to finish safely at the sixth-place last week.
Ford also stands with him as being winless in 2010. Blue-Oval drivers Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle are unhappy to say the least. They had even voiced their frustration earlier this season due to a winless spree of races. It is expected that both drivers will be determined to make their mark in the upcoming races.
With so much in the bag and so much boiling in the minds of the drivers, it is completely unpredictable to say whose going to lift the title. However, one thing is surely predictable that this race is definitely going to be a spectacle which should not be missed.
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