In the past four NASCAR Cup Series races, four drivers have earned their first wins of the 2019 season. Will this trend continue in the Gander RV 400?
In the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season, 10 different drivers have won at least one race. Over the last four races, there have been four new first-time winners this year.
Alex Bowman ended the month of June with his first career victory in the Camping World 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. Then, following a postponement due to rain, the Coke Zero Sugar 400 took place at Daytona International Speedway.
Following the “Big One”, NASCAR attempted to restart the race. When the one to go signal was displayed, Kurt Busch came into the pits from the lead and Landon Cassill came into the pits from second place.
More from NASCAR Cup Series
- NASCAR Cup Series: New team set to compete in 2024
- NASCAR: Surprising name continuously linked to new seat
- NASCAR driver at risk of missing the Daytona 500?
- NASCAR set for rare appearance last seen 13 years ago
- NASCAR team adds third car, names driver for 2024 Daytona 500
But Justin Haley stayed on track, there was a nearby lightning strike, and NASCAR red flagged the race. Further inclement weather forced NASCAR to end the race, and Haley shocked NASCAR with his victory!
Kurt Busch got revenge in the following race. He dashed past his brother Kyle to win the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway. It was his first win as the driver of the #1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. Most recently, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Kevin Harvick won the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301. It was Stewart-Haas Racing’s first win of the season, and Harvick continued his streak of winning at least one race in every season going back to 2010.
Now, the Cup Series heads to Pocono Raceway for its second race weekend there this year. Will this Sunday’s Gander RV 400 produce the fifth consecutive first-time winner this season? If so, who will end up in victory lane?
A total of 10 drivers are set to enter the Gander RV 400 having won at least one Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway before. Of those 10, six drivers have already won at least one race this season.
These drivers are Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin. Kyle Busch won the first Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway this season. Combined, these six drivers have won 14 of the last 28 Cup Series races at the track. Each one will be a force to be reckoned with in the Gander RV 400.
Four active drivers who have won at least one Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway have not won a race yet this season. These four drivers are Ryan Blaney, Jimmie Johnson, Chris Buescher and Ryan Newman. Blaney and Newman are currently above the playoff cut line while Johnson is the first driver below the playoff cut line and Buescher sits well below it in 21st place in the championship standings.
Blaney earned his first career Cup Series win at Pocono Raceway in the 2017 season, so expect him to contend for the Gander RV 400 win.
As for Johnson, he has earned three wins at Pocono Raceway, with the most recent one coming in the 2013 season. While six years have passed since his most recent trip to victory lane at the three-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) oval in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, he has recorded 11 top five finishes and 20 top 10 finishes in 35 career starts there.
As the playoffs draw ever closer, will Johnson rise to the occasion and contend for his 84th career Cup Series victory? He certainly wants to become the third Hendrick Motorsports driver to win this season.
Buescher, meanwhile, earned his first career Cup Series win at Pocono Raceway in the 2016 season. He only led 12 of the race’s 138 laps, and he won because inclement weather forced NASCAR to end the race 22 laps early. Still, he has shown solid improvement this season, and he needs to win in order to make the playoffs, so look for him to deliver a good performance for his JTG Daugherty Racing team.
It has been 16 years since Newman won at Pocono Raceway. In his 35 career starts there, he has recorded nine top five finishes and 15 top 10 finishes. The 2019 season has been a resurgent one for Newman, and his first season with Roush Fenway Racing has been very much underrated.
Outside of drivers who’ve celebrated in victory lane at Pocono Raceway in the Cup Series, who else will contend for the win? Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon and William Byron have all won a race at the track in one of NASCAR’s two lower national series.
In the Xfinity Series, Larson won at Pocono Raceway in the 2016 season. He hasn’t fully carried that success into his 11 Cup Series races at the track. While he has led 101 laps there, he only has recorded two top five finishes and five top 10 finishes.
In the Truck Series, Dillon won at Pocono Raceway in the 2014 season. He hasn’t been successful in the Cup Series at Pocono Raceway, however. In 11 Cup Series starts there, he has no recorded a top 10 finishes, and he has lost an average of 4.09 positions from his qualifying positions in these 11 races. Don’t bet on him to win the Gander RV 400.
Lastly, Byron also went to victory lane at Pocono Raceway in the Truck Series. He dominated at the track in the 2016 season, leading 44 of the race’s 60 laps. He has shown that he can wheel a Cup Series car there, too. In three career starts, he has recorded two top 10 finishes. Additionally, he took the pole position for the race there earlier this season. Chad Knaus was the crew chief for Johnson in his three wins there. Will he help Byron contend for the Gander RV 400 win?
Finally, another driver to keep an eye on is Erik Jones. In five career Cup Series starts at Pocono Raceway, he has recorded four top 10 finishes. His average starting position at the track is 11.20 and his average finishing position there is a series-best 9.60. He could very well earn his first win of this season this Sunday.
To make a long story short, while the six drivers who have won both at Pocono Raceway and at least once this season should be the favorites to win the Gander RV 400, it is not a foregone conclusion that one of them will.
With only six races until the start of the playoffs, the aggression in the Cup Series will ramp up. Drivers will race hard at Pocono Raceway for all 160 laps, and there may very well be a new driver added to the list of winners this season.
The Gander RV 400 is scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 28. The race is set to begin at 3:00 p.m. ET with live TV coverage provided by NBC Sports Network.