NASCAR: 2021 Pocono race one – Full starting lineup
By Asher Fair
After an actual qualifying session at Nashville Superspeedway, it’s back to the NASCAR starting lineup formula for this Saturday’s race at Pocono Raceway.
NASCAR is back to using the starting lineup formula to set the starting lineup for Saturday’s Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway, the 18th race of the 36-race 2021 season, after just the fourth qualifying session of the year at Nashville Superspeedway this past Sunday.
Due to the starting lineup formula, Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson is set to start Saturday’s 130-lap race around the three-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) triangle in Long Pond, Pennsylvania from the pole position behind the wheel of his #5 Chevrolet.
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Here are the factors upon which the starting formula is based.
- 50% based on the finish in the most recent race
- 25% (50% of the 50%) based on the driver’s finish
- 25% (50% of the 50%) based on the car owner’s finish
- 35% based on the team’s rank in owner standings
- 15% based on the rank of the driver’s fastest lap in the most recent race
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Larson took the pole position for this race by winning the most recent race at Nashville Superspeedway and recording the fastest lap en route to doing so. The #5 team sits in second place in the owner standings through 17 races.
Set to join Larson on the front row is teammate William Byron in second place behind the wheel of his #24 Chevrolet. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick and Team Penske’s Joey Logano are set to share the second row in third and fourth behind the wheels of their #4 Ford and #22 Ford, respectively.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch is set to be the highest starting Toyota driver in fifth place behind the wheel of his #18 Toyota, and he is set to start alongside Chip Ganassi Racing’s Ross Chastain in sixth behind the wheel of his #42 Chevrolet.
Here is the full starting lineup for the first of two races at Pocono Raceway this weekend.
Starting Lineup
1st – Kyle Larson
2nd – William Byron
3rd – Kevin Harvick
4th – Joey Logano
5th – Kyle Busch
6th – Ross Chastain
7th – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
8th – Kurt Busch
9th – Christopher Bell
10th – Denny Hamlin
11th – Aric Almirola
12th – Austin Dillon
13th – Alex Bowman
14th – Daniel Suarez
15th – Martin Truex Jr.
16th – Tyler Reddick
17th – Michael McDowell
18th – Brad Keselowski
19th – Ryan Newman
20th – Bubba Wallace
21st – Matt DiBenedetto
22nd – Erik Jones
23rd – Corey LaJoie
24th – Anthony Alfredo
25th – Chris Buescher
26th – Cole Custer
27th – Ryan Blaney
28th – Chase Briscoe
29th – Chase Elliott
30th – Garrett Smithley
31st – Ryan Preece
32nd – B.J. McLeod
33rd – Josh Bilicki
34th – Justin Haley
35th – Cody Ware
36th – James Davison
37th – Quin Houff
38th – Timmy Hill
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Tune in to NBC Sports Network at 3:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 26 for the live broadcast of the first race of the Pocono Raceway doubleheader. The second race, the Explore the Pocono Mountains 350, is set to be broadcast live on the same network beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 27.