Pocono Raceway Chassis Selections: 2014 GoBowling.com 400

Gordon using chassis from first Pocono race

#2-Brad Keselowski: Primary Chassis: PRS-912. Last Raced: Charlotte 1 (finished 10th). Backup Chassis: PRS-908. Last Raced: Indianapolis backup.

#3-Austin Dillon: will pilot Chassis No. 475 in the GoBowling.com 400 at Pocono Raceway. This is the same Chevrolet SS Dillon raced at Michigan International Speedway in June, where he ran in the top 10 for a majority of the event before making two unscheduled pit stops in the closing laps of the event, resulting in a 30th-place finish.

#4-Kevin Harvick: will pilot Chassis No. 4-846 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. Built new for 2014, Chassis 4-846 started 27th and led 28 laps at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in March before bring caught up in a wreck and finishing 39th. Chassis 4-846 also raced in June at Dover (Del.) International Speedway, where the team started eighth, led 24 laps and finished 17th.

#10-Danica Patrick: Chassis No. 10-828: This chassis was first used at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November 2013, when Patrick started 24th and finished 20th. It was then put to use in March at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where she started 22nd and finished 21st. The last time it was used was in late March at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, where she started 27th and finished 14th.

#14-Tony Stewart: Chassis No. 14-707: This car made its first start in May 2012 in the non-points NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. It was an unassuming debut, as Chassis No. 14-707 started ninth and finished a quiet 17th. The car sat idle until late August where it was used for the Labor Day weekend event at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It started strong by qualifying on the pole and took the lead from Greg Biffle on lap two and continued to pace the 43-car field for eight laps. But as the race wore on, Chassis No. 14-707 struggled with its handling, leaving it one lap down in 22nd when the race ended. With 2013 Chevrolet SS bodywork covering it, Chassis No. 14-707 was tested March 7 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and April 11 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. The Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway marked the car's first start of 2013, and it was a solid one, with Chassis No. 14-707 qualifying fifth and finishing fourth. Its next start came at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., where in its third points-paying start and its fourth overall, interim driver Mark Martin qualified 29th and finished 17th. Martin raced the car again in October at Charlotte, qualifying 22nd and finishing 42nd after a blown engine put it out of the race on lap 80. Under the direction of crew chief Chad Johnston, Chassis No. 14-707 was overhauled this offseason and spent numerous time in the wind tunnel. The car made its first start of 2014 and sixth overall in June at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, where it was the car to beat, leading early and often for 24 laps. But a pit road speeding penalty proved too costly to overcome, although Stewart was able to rally and finish 13th. Chassis No. 14-707 returns to Pocono for this weekend's GoBowling.com 400.

#15-Clint Bowyer: Chassis No. 809 serves as the primary chassis for Bowyer at Pocono. This chassis raced at Kansas in May where Bowyer finished 23rd and Pocono in June where he finished 11th. Chassis No. 795 serves as the back-up chassis and has served as the backup at several races but has never raced.

#16-Greg Biffle: Primary Chassis: RK-890 Last ran Kentucky - finished 14th. Backup Chassis: RK-879 Last ran Las Vegas - finished 22nd 

#17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Chassis RK-882 is the same chassis that the #17 team raced at Michigan where they finished 27th after being involved in a lap six accident which damaged the right rear fender of the #17 Ford. The backup Chassis RK- 888 is the same chassis that the #17 raced at Bristol earning their highest finish of the season.

#22-Joey Logano: Primary Chassis: PRS-911. Last Raced Charlotte 1 (finished 12th). Backup Chassis: PRS-907. Last Raced: Indianapolis backup.

#24-Jeff Gordon: Crew chief Alan Gustafson has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 24-869 for this Sunday's race. That chassis has been raced three times previously in 2014 with finishes of first at Kansas Speedway, eighth at Pocono Raceway and sixth at Kentucky Speedway.

#27-Paul Menard: will race chassis No. 463. This Chevrolet SS was previously raced at Darlington Raceway and Pocono Raceway where Menard finished 41st and 26th, respectively.

#31-Ryan Newman: will drive chassis No. 462 in Sunday's GoBowling.com 400 at Pocono Raceway. This chassis was utilized in two Sprint Cup Series events so far in 2014 (California Speedway - 20th and Kansas Speedway - 11th).

#41-Kurt Busch: will pilot Chassis No. 883 in Sunday's GoBowling.com 400 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. Chassis No. 883 debuted at Pocono in June, when Busch qualified second and recorded a third-place finish.

#48-Jimmie Johnson: Crew chief Chad Knaus has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 48-879 for this weekend's 400-mile event. This chassis was the Lowe's Chevy Johnson won with at Dover in June. The backup car is Chassis No. 48-728 which last saw on-track action earlier this season at Bristol Motor Speedway.

#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.: This weekend, crew chief Steve Letarte and the No. 88 team will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-810. Earnhardt most recently raced this chassis to a win at Pocono Raceway in June.

#99-Carl Edwards: Primary chassis RK-921 was last run in 2014 at the first Pocono, starting in the 10th spot and finishing 41st after a crash. Backup chassis RK-904 was last brought to Charlotte in 2014 as the back-up car.

- compiled by Jayski.com

Pocono Raceway Track Facts: 2014 GoBowling.com 400

Pocono Raceway Data Season Race #: 21 of 36 (08-04-14) Track Size: 2.5-miles Banking/Turn 1: 14 degrees Banking/Turn 2: 8 degrees Banking/Turn 3: 6 degrees Frontstretch Length: 3,740 feet Backstretch Length: 3,055 feet Shortstretch Length: 1,780 feet Race Length: 160 laps / 400 miles Top 10 Driver Ratings at Pocono Denny Hamlin............................ 109.0 Jimmie Johnson........................ 108.7 Kurt Busch................................ 105.5 Jeff Gordon.............................. 101.8 Tony Stewart............................... 98.9 Carl Edwards.............................. 96.0 Kyle Larson................................ 96.0 Ryan Newman............................. 95.8 Brad Keselowski......................... 92.8 Kasey Kahne.............................. 91.5 Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 races (19 total) among active drivers at Pocono Raceway. Qualifying/Race Data 2013 Coors Light Pole winner: Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet 180.654 mph, 49.819 secs., 08-02-13 2013 race winner: Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet 129.009 mph, (03:06:02), 08-04-13 Track qualifying record: Denny Hamlin, Toyota 181.415 mph, 49.610 secs., 06-06-14 Track race record: Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet 145.384 mph, (03:26:21), 06-12-11

At Pocono Raceway:

History

·         Opened in 1968 as a three-quarter-mile track, Pocono Raceway held the first race on the 2.5-mile track in 1971.

·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was in 1974 – won by Richard Petty, Dodge, 115.593 mph, 08/04/1974.

·         The 2.5-mile track was repaved during the fall of 2011.

Notebook

·         There have been 73 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono Raceway, one race from 1974 through 1981, and two per year since.

·         2012 marked the first season the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono were scheduled for 400 miles. Prior to 2012 all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races were 500 miles at Pocono Raceway.

·         322 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway; 222 in more than one.

·         Ricky Rudd leads the series in starts at Pocono with 55. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 43 starts.

·         Buddy Baker won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Pocono in 1974 with a speed of 144.122 mph. 

·         39 drivers have posted Coors Light poles at Pocono, led by Bill Elliott and Ken Schrader with five each;Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin lead all active drivers with three each.

·         Five drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Pocono. Bill Elliott holds the record for most consecutive poles at Pocono with three; fall 1984 and both races in 1985.

·         Two active drivers have posted consecutive Coors Light poles at Pocono: Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep) and Joey Logano (fall 2011 and spring 2012).

·         Youngest Pocono pole winner: Joey Logano (08/07/2011 – 21 years, 2 months, 14 days).

·         Oldest Pocono pole winner: David Pearson (06/10/1984 – 49 years, 5 months, 19 days).

·         32 different drivers have won at Pocono Raceway, led by Jeff Gordon with six wins. 

·         Six drivers have posted consecutive wins at Pocono Raceway, including three consecutive by Bobby Allison(1982 sweep and spring 1983) and Tim Richmond (1986 sweep and spring 1987).

·         Dale Earnhardt Jr., winner of the June Pocono race, will attempt to capture the second season sweep of his career, and first since Talladega in 2002.

·         Youngest Pocono winner: Joey Logano (06/10/2012 – 22 years, 0 months, 17 days).

·         Oldest Pocono winner: Harry Gant (06/17/1990 – 50 years, 5 months, 7 days).

·         Hendrick Motorsportshas the most wins at Pocono in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 16: Jeff Gordon (six),Tim Richmond (three), Jimmie Johnson (three), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (one), Kasey Kahne (one), Geoff Bodine (one) and Terry Labonte (one) – including the last four consecutively.

·         Eight different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Pocono; led by Chevrolet with 29 victories; followed byFord with 21.

·         15 of the 73 (20.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Jimmie Johnson (June, 2013).

·         The Coors Light pole position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (15) than any other starting position at Pocono Raceway.   

·         24 of the 73 (32.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from the front row: 15 from the pole and nine from second-place.

·         51 of the 73 (69.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·         Five of the 73 (6.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Pocono is 29th, by Carl Edwards in the spring of 2005.

·         Mark Martin leads the series in runner-up finishes at Pocono with seven; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with six.

·         Mark Martin leads the series in top-five finishes at Pocono with 20; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 19.  

·         Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes at Pocono with 34; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 30.

·         Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Pocono with a 6.176.

·         Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Pocono with an 8.720.

·         Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards are the only two active drivers towin at Pocono in their first appearances.     

·         Joe Nemechek leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Pocono without visiting Victory Lane at 38; followed by Matt Kenseth with 29 and Kevin Harvick with 27.

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

·         There have been three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Pocono Raceway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): spring of 2005 (200/201); fall of 2005 (200/203); spring of 2010 (200/204).

·         Six of the 73 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the event on 8/5/2012.   

·         Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Pocono Raceway five times; most recently the spring of 2013.  

·         Casey Mears (8/1/2004) posted his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Pocono Raceway.     

·         One active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver has posted his first career win at Pocono Raceway: Denny Hamlin(06/11/06).

·         Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Pocono with 974 laps led in 43 starts. 

·         Two female drivers have competed at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie andDanica Patrick.

Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date
Janet Guthrie	10	11	7/31/1977
Janet Guthrie	22	31	7/30/1978
Janet Guthrie	21	28	7/27/1980
Danica Patrick	30	29	6/9/2013
Danica Patrick	34	35	8/4/2013
Danica Patrick	16	37	6/8/2014

NASCAR in Pennsylvania

·         There have been 107 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races among nine tracks in Pennsylvania.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Pocono Raceway	Long Pond	73
Langhorne Speedway	Langhorne	17
Lincoln Speedway	New Oxford	7
Heidelberg Raceway	Pittsburgh	4
Reading Fairgrounds	Reading	2
Bloomsburg Fairgrounds	Bloomsburg	1
New Bradford Speedway	Bradford	1
Pine Grove Speedway	Shippenville	1
Williams Grove Speedway	Mechanicsburg	1

·         141 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Pennsylvania.

·         Three of the 141 have won in NASCAR’s premiere series.

Driver	NSCS	NNS	NCWTS
Dick Linder	3	0	0
Jimmy Spencer	2	12	1
Mark Donohue	1	0	0