Need For Speed Race Preview: Pocono

The race weekend just kicked off with a bang! Fans made noise and NASCAR listened. The official announcement was made today that "Double-File Restarts - Shootout Style" will become the norm in the Sprint Cup Series.

Someone asked me if they didn't already line up double file for restarts. They do, but under this format change the race leader will have the option to restart on the inside or outside lane with the second place driver lining up directly beside the leader and the rest of the field lining up behind them according to their current scoring position. The lapped cars will restart in the back of the field. Until now, lapped cars lined up beside the leaders to try to race for their lap back. The first eligible car a lap down or more will still earn a lap back following a caution which is known as the "free pass" and "the lucky dog".

"I'm excited about it," Tony Stewart said. "The good thing is that when they drop the green, you're going to be racing with the guys you're racing for position instead of trying to clear lapped cars. Since NASCAR has adapted the 'free pass', I think that's something that now justifies being able to put those lapped cars to the back and let them race with each other, and the let the guys who are racing on the lead lap do the same. I'm behind NASCAR 100% on this."

NASCAR recently 'showcased' the "double-file restart" during the All-Star race @ Charlotte to great fan response. The format, NASCAR says, will soon be adapted for both the Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series races.

"Double-file restarts - shootout style"won't be the only change of pace lined up for us this weekend as we head from the ovals to the unique triangular track of Pocono Raceway. The "Tricky Triangle" as some call it. Drivers will say it's similar to racing on a road course. Banking in the turns is listed at 14, 8 and 6 degrees. The three straights' distances are 3,740, 3,055 and 1,780 feet. All in all, "challenging" might be the word we hear used the most.



Who to watch for?


Mark Martin has posted 19 top-5 and 31 top-10 finishes - more than any other driver in the series, but has yet to score a Pocono win. He's led 432 laps - tops among drivers without a Pocono win in his 44 consecutive races at the track. He's in good company this year driving the #5 for Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick drivers have scored more Pocono wins than any other team. They account for 11 victories since the very first cup race was held there on August 4, 1974. By the way, Richard Petty won that one.

Jeff Gordon leads the Hendrick pack (and entered drivers) with 4 Pocono wins. Johnson has 2. Earnhardt Jr and Martin, as mentioned above, have yet to win.

Joe Gibbs Racing and Penske Racing have 6 Pocono wins each. Roush Fenway Racing drivers can account for 3 wins @ Pocono. Richard Childress Racing has posted 2 - both by Dale Earnhardt.

There has been 4 repeat winners @ Pocono since 2000: Jimmie Johnson (2004), Carl Edwards (2005, 2008), Kurt Busch (2005, 2007) and Denny Hamlin (2006).

Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin are the only 2 drivers entered in the race on Sunday that have a finishing average inside the top-10.

Kasey Kahne is the defending race winner. He won the spring race @ Pocono last year from the pole.

And what about Kyle Busch? He hasn't won yet @ Pocono. He has finished 20th or worse in half of his 8 starts @ Pocono. He finished 43rd and 36th in the 2 races last year.

The race starts at 2 on Sunday. 200 laps = 500 miles. TNT takes over the racin' coverage.

Get ready for night racin' for both the Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series.

TV coverage for the Camping World Truck Series @ Texas begins at 8:30 Friday night on SPEED. The Nationwide Series @ Nashville gets underway at 7 Saturday night on their ESPN 2 home.