2007 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway

Pocono Superspeedway takes center stage this weekend in the Race to the Chase. There are only six races remaining until the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup begins. Drivers who are still outside the top twelve in points are running out of time to qualify for the Chase. Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle and Jamie McMurray are all on the outside looking in as Dale Earnhardt Jr. clings to the final Chase spot.

Speedway ticket office 1-800-RACEWAY

Pocono Speedway is a 2.5 mile three-cornered speedway. The triangle-shaped track has three different corner lengths and bankings making it very difficult to set up a car and to drive well. Pocono is, in a word, unique.

Even though Pocono is difficult to set up for and drive. Pocono Raceway frequently hosts great racing with events often decided within the last couple of laps.

200 Laps = 500 Miles

Only six races remain until the top twelve drivers are locked in to the Chase. Dale Earnhardt Jr. holds down the twelfth and final Chase position. He finished twelfth at Pocono when the NEXTEL Cup series visited here seven races ago.

Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Jamie McMurray and Greg Biffle are thirteenth through sixteenth in points and still within striking distance. The top twelve are now:

1. Jeff Gordon -0
2. Denny Hamlin -371
3. Matt Kenseth -377
4. Jeff Burton -443
5. Tony Stewart -452
6. Carl Edwards -494
7. Kevin Harvick -588
8. Kyle Busch -597
9. Jimmie Johnson -607
10. Clint Bowyer -671
11. Martin Truex Jr. -741
12. Dale Earnhardt Jr. -859

The pressure is on as The Race To The Chase has only six races left.

While Busch, Newman, McMurray and Biffle try to battle their way into the Chase the drivers at the top of the points need to race for wins in order to secure ten additional bonus points when the Chase begins.

Jeff Gordon scored bonus ten points for the Chase when he picked up the win here in June. You never know when the Championship might hinge on just a few points.

TV: ESPN Sunday, August 5th, 1:00PM Eastern.

Radio: MRN and SIRIUS Satellite

Actual Race: 2:10PM Eastern

$4,935,998

The 2006 event saw Denny Hamlin complete his dominating Pocono sweep. Hamlin swept both poles and won both Pocono races in 2006.

The 2006 Pennsylvania 500 featured Tony Stewart's temper. Stewart received a black flag for "rough driving" for intentionally trying to hit Clint Bowyer with his car. Tony was put a lap down. That incident also damaged Carl Edwards' car.

On the next caution Carl Edwards turned Tony Stewart around on pit road. This appeared to be payback for Stewart's previous aggressive move against Bowyer that caused Edwards to crash. Edwards then got a black flag of his own.

I am going with the obvious choices for my Pocono picks. Joe Gibbs Racing has dominated the tricky triangle for the last two years. Denny Hamlin swept both Pocono races in 2006 and had the best car here in June until the rain paid off Jeff Gordon's strategy gamble. Denny Hamlin makes a great pick this weekend.

The only car that could stay with Hamlin when the NEXTEL Cup drivers were here seven races ago was his own Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Tony Stewart.

Stewart has been on fire in NEXTEL Cup racing lately, winning both of the last two races. Stewart knows his way to Victory Lane since he won Pocono here in 2003. Tony Stewart makes a great backup pick and could easily win his third NEXTEL Cup race in-a-row.